Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Allah (swt) has bestowed the blessing of life on us. Of course, every moment of our given life is precious. However, there are special times when Allah (swt) abundantly bestows His grace and bounty on us. The months of Rajab, Shaban and Ramadan are thus the gates of blessings that open one after the other. These months are beneficial to our material and spiritual success and our eternal peace and happiness. This season of mercy blesses our homes with Laylat al-Raghaib and prompts our minds to contemplate with the nights of Miraj and Baraat. It disciplines our Nafs in the month of Ramadan, and reaches its peak with the descent of angels to the earth during the Night of Power [Laylat Al-Qadr]. The three months are the time to recount our lives, which has passed like the wind with the rush of the world, to reflect, to return to our essence, to make peace with ourselves, and to strengthen our spirituality.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

In the day and age we live in, the vast majority of people are immersed in the daily flow of life and immersed in worldly pursuits. In the fast-moving days and nights, we are chasing after temporary pleasures. In order to put a stop to this trend and to strengthen our spirituality again, the three months are a season of opportunity for us. We should turn this time into mercy by purifying our souls, drawing nearer to Allah (swt), and following the Sunnah of our Prophet (saw). We must remember our purpose of creation and take into account the remaining time we have.

Allah (swt) mentions in the Quran: “They are˺ those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth ˹and pray˺, “Our Lord! You have not created ˹all of˺ this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire.”^[1]

Dear Jama’ah!

We as believers, should organise our lives according to the verse I have read, evaluate this blessed time with the consciousness of servitude and worship, and turn towards doing good deeds. At the same time, we should ask for forgiveness from our past sins by repenting. In another verse, Allah (swt) says “Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. ”[2] During these holy times, let’s turn to Allah (swt). Let’s make an effort to gain his approval. May our hearts soften with compassion, and may our souls be refreshed with generosity. May our souls be purified by staying away from all kinds of sins and useless works. Let our motivation be to live with sincerity to compete in goodness and piety.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The three months are preparations for the blessed month of Ramadan. Our beloved Prophet (saw) made dua by saying, “O Allah! Make the month of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us and let us reach the month of Ramadan.”[3]

We should explain to our children about the month of Ramadan and encourage them to worship. In these three months, we should start fasting in accordance with the sunnah and discipline our Nafs. We should try to perform our prayers in congregation in our mosques and participate in halaqas within our communities.

May Allah (swt) grant the Ummah of Muhammad with consciousness for the sake of the sincere worship that will be carried out throughout the blessed three months. Ameen!

[1] Surah Âl-i İmrân, 3:191

[2] Surah Az-Zumar, 39:53

[3] Müsned-i Ahmed, H. No: 2346 

Khutba – Blessed Three Months