Sermon's Title: Farewell to Ramaḍān
Themes of the Sermon:
1- What do the fasting people rejoice in?
2- Reflections when bidding farewell to Ramaḍān.
3- Fasting the six days of Shawwāl.
All praise belongs to Allah, who alternates the night and the day, and in that there is a lesson for those who reflect. He stretches out His hand by night and by day so that the one who has gone too far and committed sins may repent. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him.
To proceed:
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with true Taqwā (a sincere awareness of Allah that leads to obedience). Be mindful of Him in private and in secret. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He truly deserves to be feared, and do not die except in a state of Islam.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 102]
O servant of Allah,
Do you know who among people deserves the greatest joy and happiness?
The greatest joy is to rejoice in obedience to Allah—to rejoice that you believe in Allah, that you are among the servants of Allah, that you have obeyed Allah.
O you who fast: have you felt the sweetness of joy in your fasting for the sake of Allah?
Did the Prophet ﷺ not say: “The fasting person has two moments of joy: when he breaks his fast he rejoices in breaking it, and when he meets his Lord he rejoices in his fasting.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
Do you know what the fasting people rejoice in?
The greatest joy will be on the Day of Resurrection—when you realize that Allah granted you success in performing this great act of worship and you see the immense favor Allah bestowed upon you. Listen, then, to these glad tidings.
The first glad tiding:
During the time of the Prophet ﷺ two men came to him and both accepted Islam. One of them was more diligent in worship than the other. The more diligent of them went out in battle and was martyred. The other lived for another year after him and then passed away.
Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, may Allah be pleased with him, saw a dream. He said: I saw myself at the gate of Paradise, and the two of them were there. Someone came out from Paradise and allowed the one who died later to enter first. Then he came out again and allowed the one who had been martyred to enter. Then he returned to me and said: “Go back, for your time has not yet come.”
When Ṭalḥah told people about the dream, they were amazed. The matter reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and they told him about it. He said: “What are you amazed about?”
They said: “O Messenger of Allah, the first man was more diligent in worship and was martyred, yet the other entered Paradise before him.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Did he not live one year longer after him?”
They said: “Yes.”
He said: “And did he not reach Ramaḍān and fast it, and perform such and such prayers during that year?”
They said: “Yes.”
He ﷺ said: “The distance between them is greater than the distance between the heavens and the earth.” Narrated by Ibn Mājah.
How could the distance between them not be greater than the distance between the heavens and the earth, when the Prophet ﷺ said: “Every deed of the son of Ādam is multiplied. A good deed is rewarded ten times up to seven hundred times. Allah, Mighty and Exalted, says: ‘Except fasting, for it is for Me and I Myself reward it. He leaves his desires and his food for My sake.” Narrated by Muslim.
The second glad tiding: The Prophet ﷺ said: “By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muḥammad, the smell from the mouth of the fasting person is more pleasant to Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the fragrance of musk.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
This scent which the fasting person may feel uncomfortable about during fasting—Allah makes it more fragrant than musk for him. Whatever is done for the sake of Allah receives the most beautiful reward.
The third glad tiding: Fasting will intercede for its companion before Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Fasting and the Qurʾān will intercede for the servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: ‘My Lord, I prevented him from food and desires during the day, so allow me to intercede for him.’ And the Qurʾān will say: ‘I prevented him from sleep during the night, so allow me to intercede for him.’ Then they will both be allowed to intercede.” Narrated by Aḥmad.
How great is the joy in the favor of Allah, who says:
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
“Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy—let them rejoice in that. It is better than what they accumulate.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 58]
O fasting person, congratulations to you for obeying your Lord. Praise Allah for granting you success, for we did not fast except by His favor. It is by His blessing alone that righteous deeds are completed.
The state of the believer is always as the Prophet ﷺ said while digging the trench: “By Allah, if not for Allah we would not have been guided, nor would we have fasted nor prayed.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
Servants of Allah,
As we bid farewell to Ramaḍān, there are reflections that serve as reminders for the believers and guidance for those journeying to Allah, the Most Merciful.
O servant of Allah,
Let the conclusion of your fasting be seeking forgiveness from your Lord, for Allah has prescribed seeking forgiveness at the end of righteous deeds. Allah says concerning Ḥajj:
ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
“Then depart from the place from which the people depart and seek forgiveness from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 199]
The Prophet ﷺ, when he finished his prayer, would say: “Astaghfirullāh (I seek forgiveness from Allah)” three times. Narrated by Muslim.
You seek His forgiveness for the shortcomings that occurred during your fasting. How much negligence exists in our fasting—things that do not please Allah. A believer may even feel ashamed to present such deeds before the Lord of all worlds. What value does our worship truly have compared to His generosity and blessings, and compared to His perfection and greatness?
Ask Allah to accept your deeds. For Ibrāhīm the close friend of Allah and his son Ismāʿīl, peace be upon them, said while raising the foundations of the Sacred House:
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 127]
How many deeds does a servant think are accepted while they are actually rejected? Allah says:
إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ
“Allah only accepts from those who have Taqwā.” [Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 27]
Beware of being deceived by your own deeds, for among the causes of a servant’s destruction is self-admiration.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Three things bring destruction: greed that is obeyed, desires that are followed, and a person being impressed with himself.” Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī.
Know, O seeker of guidance, that Allah granting you success—by helping you to fast, to stand in night prayer, and to recite the Qurʾān—requires you to show gratitude to Allah. Part of showing gratitude for this blessing is remaining steadfast in His obedience and not replacing His favor with disobedience.
Allah promised those who remain steadfast:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
“Indeed, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them saying: ‘Do not fear and do not grieve, but rejoice in the Paradise you were promised.’” [Sūrat Fuṣṣilat: 30]
Do not be like the woman who unraveled her thread after it had been firmly spun. Do not be among those who turn away from Allah after turning toward Him. Do not return to disobedience after you left even lawful food and drink for the sake of Allah during the days of Ramaḍān.
Allah has honored you and made you free—so that you control your soul instead of your desires controlling you. Do not return to humiliation under your desires after experiencing the dignity of obedience. Do not wander in heedlessness after the light of awakening.
Preserve your prayers in the mosque, and do not be among those who abandon prayer after Ramaḍān. Allah described the believers as:
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ
“Those who are constant in their prayers.” [Sūrat al-Maʿārij: 23]
The Qurʾān is guidance, light, life, blessing, and healing. Do not be among those who abandon the Qurʾān after Ramaḍān. Set aside a daily portion to read from it. Do not abandon the Qurʾān in recitation, understanding, or practice.
The Prophet ﷺ will complain to his Lord about some Muslims abandoning the Qurʾān, as Allah says:
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
“The Messenger will say: ‘My Lord, indeed my people abandoned this Qurʾān.’” [Sūrat al-Furqān: 30]
And you whom Allah granted success in standing in prayer during Ramaḍān—do not abandon the night prayer after Ramaḍān. The honor of the believer lies in standing at night in prayer.
Our Prophet ﷺ advised ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, may Allah be pleased with them, saying:
“O ʿAbd Allāh, do not be like so-and-so. He used to stand in prayer at night but then abandoned the night prayer.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
Maintain night prayer even if it is only a small amount, for “the most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if they are few,” as the Prophet ﷺ said. Narrated by Muslim.
May Allah bless me and you through the Great Qurʾān and benefit me and you through its verses and wise reminder. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
The Second Sermon:
All praise belongs to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family, his companions, and those who follow him.
Servants of Allah,
If Ramaḍān has ended, then worship has not ended—except when the soul departs to its Creator. And if the special virtues of Ramaḍān have passed, the goodness and favor of Allah never cease. Allah says:
وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ
“Worship your Lord until certainty comes to you.” [Sūrat al-Ḥijr: 99]
And He says:
فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ * وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ
“So when you have finished your duties, then strive in worship. And turn your longing to your Lord.” [Sūrat al-Sharḥ: 7–8]
If the obligatory fasting has ended, then Allah in His mercy has legislated voluntary acts of worship to make up for any shortcomings.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The first thing a servant will be called to account for on the Day of Resurrection from his deeds is his prayer. If it is sound, he has succeeded and prospered. If it is corrupt, he has failed and lost. If something is lacking from his obligatory prayer, Allah will say: ‘Look and see whether My servant has voluntary prayers, so that what is lacking from the obligatory prayer may be completed by them.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be judged in the same way.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
For this reason, Allah has favored us by prescribing the fasting of six days from Shawwāl. He made the reward of fasting them—together with Ramaḍān—equal to fasting the entire year.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever fasts Ramaḍān and then follows it with six days of Shawwāl, it is as if he fasted the entire year.” Narrated by Muslim.
O Ramaḍān—
A greeting of peace from the Most Merciful at every moment
Upon the finest month that has now passed away.
Peace upon the month of fasting,
For it was a shelter from the Most Merciful—what a shelter it was.
Within you the Muslims worshipped and turned
To remembrance, glorification, and the study of the Qurʾān.
O month of fasting, you remained a shining light
For every darkened heart and every troubled soul.
Though your radiant days have suddenly faded away,
The sorrow for your passing will never fade from my heart.
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims. Destroy the Zionist criminals. O Allah, send tranquility into the hearts of those striving in Your cause. Rescue Your oppressed servants. Raise high the banner of the religion by Your power, O Most Strong, O Most Firm.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands. Rectify our leaders and those in authority over us. Place our leadership in the hands of those who fear You, remain mindful of You, and follow what pleases You.
Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Servants of Allah, remember Allah often and glorify Him morning and evening.
And the final call of our supplication is that all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
