IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE SECOND KHUTBAH FOR THE MONTH OF JUMADA AL-AWWAL
DATED: 09 / 05 / 1447 A.H. — CORRESPONDING TO: 31 / 10 / 2025 C.E.
TOPIC: BENEFITING FROM TIMES OF DIVINE BLESSING AND VIRTUE
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can mislead; and whomsoever He allows to go astray, none can guide.
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and all his companions.
As to what follows:
O servants of Allah! I advise you and myself, first and foremost, to fear Allah — both in private and in public — for taqwā(piety) is the ultimate goal of all acts of obedience and the essence of all divine commands and prohibitions.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴾
“O mankind! Worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:21)
O servants of Allah, know that out of Allah’s vast mercy and gentleness towards this Ummah, He has chosen for them specific times and blessed seasons in which they may race toward acts of obedience and exert effort in righteous deeds that bring them nearer to His pleasure.
These seasons are opportunities for trial and distinction — to see who among His servants will perform the best of deeds.
Thus, every believer should prepare himself for these seasons, take advantage of them, and never neglect righteous actions during them — so that he may attain Allah’s pleasure and be among the successful.
Indeed, in every such virtuous season, Allah has prescribed special acts of devotion by which His servants draw closer to Him. Within these times, there are subtle divine breezes — nafahāt — which Allah bestows upon whom He wills of His mercy.
So blessed is the one who seizes the months, days, and hours of virtue and draws near to his Lord through acts of obedience; for perhaps one of these divine breezes will touch him and make him eternally happy — a happiness after which he will be safe from the Fire and its burning flames.
Allah the Almighty says:
﴿ فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ﴾
“So whoever is removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has indeed triumphed.” (Surah Āl ʿImrān, 3:185)
O servants of Allah, people differ in their approach to these blessed seasons of obedience just as they differ in age, provision, and rank. Some strive greatly while others give little; some are blessed while others are deprived.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it (through obedience) or destroying it (through sin).” (Reported by Muslim)
Thus, people are of two types:
- The first type knows the purpose for which he was created. He realizes that he was not created merely to eat, drink, play, and enjoy pleasures, but to worship and obey Allah Almighty.
- The second type is heedless and distracted. He does not value his time or his life, nor does he recognize the right of his Creator and Sustainer. You find him wasting his hours in trivialities and amusement. Days and years pass by, yet he neither reflects nor awakens, failing to appreciate their worth or their blessings.
O servants of Allah,
When the servant stands before his Lord on the Day of Resurrection, his profit and loss will become evident. After death, there is only one of two outcomes: either eternal bliss or eternal torment.
Therefore, a person must take the means that bring him nearer to his Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, so that he may attain His pleasure and mercy.
Among the means that help a believer seize the seasons of obedience and times of goodness are the following:
1. Repentance and frequent seeking of forgiveness
The very first thing a believer must do upon entering a season of goodness and worship is to repent sincerely to his Lord, acknowledge his shortcomings, and turn back to Him with a heart purified of sins.
He should increase in seeking forgiveness, for sometimes a person may be prevented from performing righteous deeds because of his sins.
Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ, at the beginning of the prayer—which is the most beloved act of worship to Allah—would say:
“O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purify me of my sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail.” (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
2. Sincerity of intention for the sake of Allah
Only Allah knows the conditions of hearts and intentions. Whoever turns to his Lord with a sincere and truthful heart, seeking something for His sake, will be granted success, ease, and divine assistance.
Allah will give him what he seeks, for whoever is truthful with Allah, Allah will be truthful with him.
3. Realizing the shortness of life and time
A person must constantly remember the brevity of his lifespan and the closeness of his death.
If one welcomes the seasons of goodness with the thought, “I do not know whether I shall live until tomorrow,” this awareness will strongly motivate him to make the best use of his time in obedience.
No matter how long a person lives, death will inevitably come. Between man and his afterlife lies only the taking of his soul. Death spares neither the young because of their youth, nor the old because of their age.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴾
“For every nation there is a term; when their time comes, they can neither delay it by a single hour nor advance it.” (Surah Al-A‘rāf, 7:34)
4. Supplicating to Allah for success and guidance
The Prophet ﷺ would frequently supplicate for goodness, always asking Allah Almighty for success, steadfastness, and right guidance.
Whoever stands humbly at the door of his Lord, begging Him to shower His mercy and bounty upon him, will never be turned away, for Allah is the Most Generous and never rejects one who calls upon Him sincerely.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has guaranteed that He will give to every supplicant what he asks and desires.
It was narrated from ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
“I do not worry about whether my supplication will be answered; I only worry about making the supplication itself. For if I am inspired to make duʿā’, then the answer surely accompanies it.”
5 – Emulating the Guidance of the Prophet ﷺ during the Blessed Seasons
Those most deserving of Allah’s mercy, guidance, and bounty are those who follow the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. There is no path to success and righteousness during the seasons of goodness and acts of worship except through following the guidance of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. This is the only unique path — the straight path. Whoever seeks the love and pleasure of Allah must follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in his guidance, conduct, and way.
Therefore, it is not permissible for anyone to bind himself or others to any form of worship at any particular time unless it has been legislated by Allah, the Exalted, or by His Messenger ﷺ.
It is narrated from ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ”
“Whoever introduces into this affair of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
I say this saying of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself, for you, and for all Muslims from every sin. So seek His forgiveness, for He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
THE SECOND SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May peace and blessings be upon the Master of the Messengers, his family, his companions, and all those who follow their path until the Day of Judgment.
O servants of Allah! The avenues of goodness are many and varied — all praise be to Allah. Almost the entire year contains virtuous times. Therefore, O Muslims, you must honor these seasons of goodness, appreciate them properly by performing acts of obedience and drawing nearer to Allah, while avoiding sins and transgressions. These blessed seasons were only ordained so that your sins may be forgiven, your good deeds increased, and your ranks elevated.
Among Allah’s bounty upon His servants is that He has multiplied for them the doors of goodness and virtuous times. Thus, the wise person is the one who seizes these opportunities and participates in them with good deeds.
1 – Participate in the act of Qur’an Recitation
Reciting the Qur’an is one of the best and greatest acts of remembrance, abundant in reward. It is narrated from ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ، وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا، لَا أَقُولُ الم حَرْفٌ، وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ، وَلَامٌ حَرْفٌ، وَمِيمٌ حَرْفٌ”
“Whoever recites one letter from the Book of Allah will have a reward for it, and each reward will be multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif Lām Mīm is one letter, but rather Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter.” (At-Tirmidhi)
This is proof of the great virtue of reciting the Qur’an — and Allah multiplies the reward for whomever He wills. Everyone should strive according to his ability in this noble act.
﴿وَفِي ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَافِسُونَ﴾
“And in that let those who would compete, compete.” — Surah Al-Muṭaffifīn (83:26)
2 – Participate in the act of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)
Indeed, Allah the Exalted commands us to frequently remember Him:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا (٤١) وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا﴾
“O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance, and glorify Him morning and evening.” — Surah Al-Aḥzāb (33:41–42)
Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Allah did not prescribe any duty for His servants without setting a specific limit and granting concessions for those with excuses — except for remembrance (dhikr). For Allah has not set a limit to it and has not excused anyone from abandoning it, except one who has lost his mind.”
(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī)
It is narrated from Abū al-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Shall I not inform you of the best of your deeds, the purest of them in the sight of your Lord, the highest of them in rank, better for you than spending gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy so that you strike their necks and they strike yours?”
They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.”
He said, “The remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.”
Muʿādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Nothing saves a person more from the punishment of Allah than the remembrance of Allah.” (At-Tirmidhi)
3 – Participate in the act of Charity (As-Sadaqah)
Indeed, charity has benefits and virtues that none can enumerate or comprehend except Allah. On the Day when Allah gathers the first and the last, when the sun draws near to the heads and each person is preoccupied with himself, and the heat intensifies, and sweat overflows — there will be a group of people whom Allah will honor with His shade on that terrifying day.
ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“كُلُّ امْرِئٍ فِي ظِلِّ صَدَقَتِهِ حَتَّى يُفْصَلَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ، أَوْ قَالَ: حَتَّى يُحْكَمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ”
“Every person will be under the shade of his charity until judgment is concluded between the people.”
(Ibn Khuzaymah)
Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb said: “Abu al-Khayr al-Yazani of Egypt never let a day pass without giving in charity, even if it were a cake or an onion.”
4 – Participate in the Act of Night Prayer (Qiyām al-Layl)
The night is a time when mercy descends and when the Lord of the heavens and the earth descends to the lowest heaven. Therefore, we must seize this noble time through acts of obedience and nearness to Allah.
It is narrated from Jubayr ibn Muṭʿim (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَقُولُ: هَلْ مِنْ سَائِلٍ فَأُعْطِيَهِ، هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ”
“Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven and says: ‘Is there anyone who asks, that I may give him? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” (An-Nasā’ī)
5 – Participate in the Act of Fasting and Bearing Thirst in the Heat
It is narrated from Abū Umāmah (may Allah be pleased with him):
“I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: ‘Command me with a deed that I may take from you.’ He said:
“عَلَيْكَ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مِثْلَ لَهُ”
‘Adhere to fasting, for there is nothing equal to it.” (An-Nasā’ī)
Among the greatness of fasting is that Allah has attributed it to Himself, to honor its rank and declare its nobility.
Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah said: Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting — it is for Me, and I will reward it.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Fasting is a noble act of worship that Allah has made special for Himself and promised immense reward for. It is a protection from sin, a shield from Hellfire, and a cause of distance from it on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, it befits every believer to hasten to this great act of worship and endure its minor hardship, for it is followed by immense joy — the joy of breaking the fast and the joy of meeting Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
Supplication: O Allah, honor Islam and the Muslims, humble shirk and the polytheists, destroy the enemies of the religion, and protect the fortress of Islam, O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and whatever brings us near to it in word or deed, and we seek refuge in You from the Fire and whatever brings us near to it in word or deed. “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.”, “Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”. O Allah, grant victory to our brothers and sisters in Gaza. O Allah, heal their wounded, accept their martyrs, and free their captives. O Allah, destroy the tyrannical occupiers and all who aid and support them in oppressing Your believing servants. O Allah, make the blood of the oppressed a curse upon the oppressors and a light for the weak. O Allah, raise high the banner of Islam, and cool our hearts with a manifest and near victory.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and his companions..