Use Muharram to leave sin and fast
“Allah is with me and He will guide me out of this hardship that I am going through.”
Muharram is a sacred opportunity to begin the Islamic year by abandoning sin, increasing worship through fasting, and combining trust in Allah with determined action during hardship.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Introduces Muharram as one of the four sacred months and explains its special status as the month of Allah.
- Urges listeners to avoid sin and use Muharram as training to leave harmful habits.
- Presents fasting Muharram as the best voluntary fasting after Ramadan, emphasizing sincerity.
- Explains Ashura, Musa's rescue from Pharaoh, and the recommended fasting around the ninth and tenth days.
- Draws lessons from Musa's tawakkul: trust Allah while taking practical means and refusing despair.
- Encourages listeners to use Muharram as a season for multiplied good deeds before concluding with supplications and prayer.
In the khateeb's words
“Do not wrong yourselves in this month, stay away, make this month training to stay away from that thing that you're addicted to, whatever that thing is, the sin that you are addicted to.”
“This is the test of Iman. This is a test of Iman that we all go through every once in a while.”
“Allah is with me and He will guide me out of this hardship that I am going through.”
“Stop complaining. Stop saying they failed so I'm going to fail. Do something. You can make it. You can do it. Do something.”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah reminded us that Muharram is a sacred month and an opportunity to begin the Islamic year with good deeds. The khateeb encouraged us to use this month to turn away from sin and build better habits. He emphasized fasting in Muharram, especially Ashura, and explained how fasting can nurture sincerity because others may not know we are doing it. He also retold how Allah saved Musa and his people when the ocean was ahead of them and Pharaoh’s army was behind them. His message for us was to trust Allah during hardship, take the steps we can, and keep trying instead of giving up.
- What kind deed could you do quietly without seeking praise?
- What does Musa’s story teach you about taking a small step when you feel afraid?
More on the Islamic calendar
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