Dear Brothers and Sisters!

We bid farewell to the Ramadan month with great joy. During Ramadan, we disciplined our willpower and souls through fasting. We once again realised how powerless we are in the face of the greatness of Allah. We were careful in our actions and behaviour to ensure that our fasting was not compromised. We decorated our fasts with additional voluntary acts of worship. However, we must not forget that the gains we made during Ramadan should continue throughout the rest of the year in order for us to be righteous believers. This is where Shawwal fasting presents us with an important opportunity for continuity. Shawwal fasting is an act of worship emphasised and recommended by our Prophet (saw). Fasting strengthens our connection with Allah, disciplines our souls and keeps us away from sins. It reminds us of the closeness of death and the importance of the afterlife. It teaches us that the worldly life is temporary and that the real life is the hereafter. According to a narration by Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if they fasted for the entire year.”[1] This indicates the equivalence of Shawwal fasting to fasting for a whole year.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Each of our acts of worship increases our closeness to Allah. Fasting disciplines our Nafs and strengthens our willpower. Prayer connects us with our Allah (swt) five times a day. Zakat and charity purify our wealth, strengthen social solidarity and brotherhood. Hajj gathers us together as one ummah with all of humanity, demonstrating our submission to Allah. The Quran softens our hearts and serves as a divine guide that leads us to happiness in both this world and the hereafter. Therefore, every act of worship we perform appears as goodness in both this world and the hereafter. Indeed, our acts of worship are investments that bring us goodness and happiness in this world and the hereafter. Hence, we should maintain our acts of worship not only on specific occasions or special days but also in every moment of our lives.

Dear Jama’ah!

Undoubtedly, our worship of Allah and obedience to His commandments should hold importance in our lives. Allah (swt) commands us to live a life in accordance with the purpose of our creation. Our servitude to Allah continues every hour of the day and in every moment of our lives. In the verse recited at the beginning of the khutba, Allah (swt) says, “Worship your Lord until the certainty comes to you.”[2] This indicates that our worship should not be confined to specific times of the year but rather should continue until our last breath. Therefore, every act of worship we perform is not only a means for our salvation in the hereafter but also a means for our peace and happiness in this world.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Let’s observe the six-day Shawwal fasting to continue the gains we achieved during the month of Ramadan. Let’s aim to earn the pleasure of Allah (swt) and reach His infinite mercy through our acts of worship.

May Allah (swt) accept the fasts we observe and the worship we perform, and may He always keep us among those who are on the right path. Ameen.

[1] Müslim, Sıyâm, 204

[2] Surah Al-Hijr, 15:99

Continuing Fasting – Shawwal Fasting