Friday Khutbah of Masjid Otsuka

March, Friday 17. 2023

In the name of Allah Most Gracious and Most Merciful   

All praises are due to Allah. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah the uniquely One, who has no partners in His one-ness. And I testify that the Prophet Muhammad is the slave of Allah and His Messenger.

O servants of Allah! Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Baqarah:

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn God-consciousness and self-restraining fear (taqwa)”  (S.2  V.183)

The fasting Ramadan is one of the Pillars of Islam. Allah the Most High has indeed made fasting distinct and exceptional among the deeds of human beings, and attributed it to Himself as a way of exalting it and magnifying its status. The Prophet SAW says in a narration which he reported from the Lord the Mighty and Sublime: “Every good deed performed by the son of Adam is for him except fasting; for that is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.”

Allah the Most High has designated a Gate from the Gates of Paradise specifically for those who fast, through which only they enter and no one else. At that moment those who fast would rejoice in the everlasting delights and noble sites which Allah the Almighty has prepared for them. Thus, the fasting person keeps his fasting pure and untainted and strives to safeguard his tongue, his hearing, his sight and all of his limbs. Whosoever safeguards his limbs and patiently perseveres in the obedience of his Lord, has indeed realized the true essence of fasting and achieved a complete reward from his Lord the Most Merciful. The Messenger of Allah SAW said: “The fasting person has two moments of joy. One when he breaks his fast and another when he meets his Lord.”   And the Messenger of Allah SAW said: “When any one of you is fasting one day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor be loud and uproarious; or if anyone reviles him or tries to quarrel with him, he should say: I am a person fasting.”  　Ramadan is a month of action, activity and earnestness, in which the fasting person patiently perseveres in being diligent and industrious in his work and professional occupation, and for that he will receive a great reward and a generous recompense from Allah Most High. When the fasting person has finished his work and completed his tasks, he invests his time in the obedience of his Lord and engages in the remembrance of his Creator. One of the greatest forms of remembrance of Allah is the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and the contemplation of Its noble verses, for Ramadan is the Month of the Qur’an. Jibril (Gabriel) would meet with the Prophet SAW every night of Ramadan and recite and review the Qur’an with him. Also, of the things whose reward is huge, whose goodwill widespread and whose benefit manifest in society, is feeding and providing food to others. The Messenger of Allah SAW said: “Whoever provides food for a fasting person to break his fast with, will have the same reward as the fasting person, without the reward of the fasting person being diminished in any way whatsoever.”

O servants of Allah! Also, of the recommended Prophetic practices through which the fasting person’s reward is increased is having the pre-dawn meal (sahur). The Prophet SAW said: “Eat the sahur (the pre-dawn meal), for indeed in the sahur there is a blessing.”  Of the recommended Prophetic practices is hastening to break one’s fast. The Messenger of Allah SAW said: “People will remain fine (and on the right path) as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.”  And also to break one’s fast with a date or water before praying Maghrib (the sunset prayer). So let the fasting person rejoice in the acceptance of his fasting and the certainty of his reward (by Allah’s Will), for the Messenger of Allah SAW used to say whenever he broke his fast: “Thirst has gone, the arteries are moist, and the reward is sure, if Allah wills.”

May the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon prophet Muhammad SAW, his family and all of his Companions. May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and all those who will follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

O Allah! Accept our prayers and all our ibada.

O Allah! Accept all of our good deeds and forgive us for our sins.

O Allah! Guide us to the right path and accept all our worships

O Allah! Accept us for Your service and for the service of Islam and Muslims.

O Allah! Accept all of us Dawah worker in Japan

O Allah! Grant safety and security in Japan and all over the world. Aamin ya Rabbil Aalamin