FRIDAY KHUTBA of TOKYO CAMII April 28, 2023 LIVING WITH THE AWARENESS OF RAMADAN
Honorable Muslims!
We bidden farewell to the beloved guest of our hearts, the holy month of Ramadan. In this blessed month, we have found inner peace with the recitation of the Qur’an, the source of healing and the guide to salvation. We have adorned ourselves with the garment of piety by making our fasts a shield against sins. We have been blessed with tahajjud prayers and suhoor meals at dawn. We have experienced the joy of breaking our fasts together, hoping for the pleasure of our Lord, at iftar tables where we have sat together. We have reinforced our unity and solidarity through tarawih prayers. We have purified our wealth and experienced the joy of sharing through zakat, sadaqah al-fitr, charity, and good deeds. We have purified ourselves of our sins on the Lailat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months.
Honorable Believers!
Indeed, servitude to Allah is not reserved to a single night or a single month. Worshiping Allah is the ultimate purpose of life. It is the only way to make this world of ephemerality an eternal paradise. It is stated in the Holy Qur’an as follows: “He is the Lord of the heavens, and the earth, and everything in between. So worship Him alone, and be steadfast in His worship.”[i] In this verse, our Lord (swt) commands us to serve Him for a lifetime and to have the sense of responsibility that will turn every moment of our lives into worship. Our beloved Prophet (saw) said, “The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done most continuously even if they are small.”[ii]
So, Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Let us preserve our awareness of worship after the Ramadan as well. Let us strengthen and maintain the ties we have established with prayer in Ramadan. Let us make the life-giving messages of the Qur’an, which we have been better internalized in this month, prevail in our lives.
Let us make goodness our guiding principle not only during the blessed month of Ramadan but also afterwards. Let us stay away from evil. Let us avoid breaking hearts and causing harm. Let us remember that the true bliss in this world and the Hereafter will belong to the believers who turn their faith into worship and their worship into good character.
I’d like to conclude my khutbah with the following prayer that we learned from our beloved Prophet (saw): “O Allah! Help me remember You, express gratitude to You, and worship You in the best manner.”[iii]
[i] Maryam, 19/65.
[ii] Abu Dawud, Tatawwu’, 27.
[iii] Ebû Dâvûd, Vitr, 26.
