My brothers and sisters, all praise and thanks be to Allahﷻ that he granted us another Ramadan. This is a gift the value of which depends on what we choose to do with it. It is up to us to make it as valuable as we wish.

Rasoolullahﷺ gave a Khutba on Friday, which was the last day of Sha’abaan. On the authority of Salman Al-Farsi (R), Rasoolullahﷺ said: O People! The month of Allahﷻ (Ramadan) has come with its mercies, blessings, and forgiveness. Allahﷻ has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours.

This is a month in which you have been invited by Him (to fast and pray). Allahﷻ has honored you in it. In every breath you take is a reward from Allahﷻ. Your sleep is worship, your good deeds are accepted and your duas are answered. Therefore, you must call upon your Rabb in all earnestness with hearts free from sin and evil and pray that Allahﷻ may help you to keep fast, and to recite the Qur’an. Indeed! miserable is the one who is deprived of Allahﷻ’s forgiveness in this great month.

While fasting remember the hunger and thirst on the Day of Judgement. Give charity to the poor and needy. Respect your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from sounds that should not be heard. Be kind to orphans so that if your children may become orphans they will also be treated with kindness.

Do repent to Allahﷻ for your sins and make dua with raised hands at the times of Salah as these are the best times, during which Allahﷻ looks at His slaves with mercy. Allahﷻ answers if they supplicate, responds if they call, grants if He is asked, and accepts if they entreat.

O people! You have made your conscience the slave of your desires. Make it free by invoking Allahﷻ for forgiveness. Your back may break from the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Allahﷻ for long periods, and make this load lighter. Understand fully that Allahﷻ has promised by His Honor and Majesty that, people who establish Salat and Sajda will be guarded from Jahannam on the Day of Judgement.

O people! If anyone amongst you arranges for Iftar for any believer, Allahﷻ will reward him as if he had freed a slave, and Allahﷻ will forgive his sins.” A Sahabi asked, ‘Ya Rasoolullahﷺ but not all of us have the means to do so.’ Rasoolullahﷺ replied: ‘Keep yourself away from Jahannam even if it is by half a date or even some water if you have nothing else.’

“O people! Anyone who, during this month cultivates good manners, will walk over the Sirat (bridge to Jannah) on the day when feet will tend to slip. For anyone who during this month eases the workload of his servants, Allahﷻ will make easy his accounting, and for anyone who doesn’t hurt others during this month, Allahﷻ will safeguard him from His Wrath on the Day of Judgement. Anyone who respects and treats an orphan with kindness during this month, Allahﷻ shall look at him with kindness on that Day. Anyone who treats his kinsmen well during this month, Allahﷻ will bestow His Mercy on him on that Day, while anyone who mistreats his kinsmen during this month, Allahﷻ will him keep away from His Mercy.

Whoever prays the Fardh prayers during this month, Allahﷻ will save him from Jahannam, and whoever observes his obligations during this month, his reward will be seventy times the reward during other months. Whoever repeatedly invokes Allahﷻ’s blessings on me, Allahﷻ will keep his scale of good deeds heavy, while the scales of others will be tending to lightness.