Friday khutba – 15 May 2026 (28 Dhū al-Qaʿdah 1447 AH)
Reflections on the First Ten Days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, and that Muhammad (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) is His servant and Messenger. Allah the Almighty says: “O you who believe, fear Allah and speak words of righteousness. He will rectify your deeds for you and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed attained a tremendous success.”
The human soul, by its very nature, passes through periods of strength and weakness, enthusiasm and weariness. At times it is full of spiritual energy, and at other times it grows distant and fatigued. Among the greatest manifestations of Allah’s mercy, generosity, and compassion toward His servants is that He did not leave them captive to these fluctuations. Rather, throughout life, He has granted them sacred seasons of renewal—blessed opportunities in which rewards are multiplied, the gates of mercy are opened, and the paths leading closer to Him are made easier.
Imagine—and to Allah belongs the highest example—a mighty king who, on certain days, opens the gates of his palace and calls out to the people: “Ask of me, and I shall give to you. Come near, and I shall honor you.”
Such are the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, which are soon upon us.
These are not merely days passing by on a calendar. They are a magnificent opportunity to draw nearer to Allah, a sacred season in which His pleasure, mercy, and forgiveness are within reach.
Imam al-Bukhari narrated from Ibn Abbas (radhia llahu anhma) that the Messenger of Allah (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The companions asked: “Not even striving in the cause of Allah?” He replied: “Not even striving in the cause of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and wealth and returns with neither.”
Even striving in the path of Allah—one of the noblest acts of worship—does not surpass the virtue of righteous deeds performed during these blessed days, except in the case of complete sacrifice.
Dear brothers and sisters,
These blessed days serve as preparation for the greatest spiritual gathering in the life of the Muslim Ummah: the Day of Arafah, when pilgrims stand before their Lord in humility and devotion, hearts and bodies turned toward the Sacred House, tears flowing, mercy descending, and souls being freed from the Fire.
Yet Allah, in His mercy, has not deprived those who are unable to perform Hajj of a share in this immense blessing. Rather, He has opened another path to His grace. When the pilgrims gather at Arafah, those who remain at home are encouraged to fast that blessed day, through which Allah forgives the sins of the previous year and the coming year.
This reflects a profound spiritual unity among Muslims everywhere. It reminds every believer that the Lord of the pilgrims is also their Lord, and that the mercy descending upon Arafah reaches every heart that remembers Allah and every home in which He is obeyed.
Here lies an important point for reflection—especially for our community here in Prague and throughout the Czech Republic.
We naturally organize our daily lives according to the Gregorian calendar, as required by work, study, and worldly responsibilities. Yet the real concern is that our connection to the calendar of our faith—the Islamic calendar—may gradually weaken, until our children grow up unaware of when Dhū al-Ḥijjah begins, when Muharram arrives, or when Ramadan approaches.
Our relationship with the Islamic calendar is not merely about remembering dates. It is about preserving identity, belonging, and faith.
Let us use these blessed days as an opportunity to open the Islamic calendar with our children, teach them about this sacred month, and explain that these are days honored by Allah—days by which He has sworn, and seasons He has specially chosen for His servants.
Do not allow your children to become disconnected from their roots.
Let the Islamic seasons and celebrations become bridges that connect them to their religion, their identity, and their Ummah—so they grow knowing they belong to a faith with its own sacred history, a prayer direction they turn toward, and blessed seasons that unite Muslims across generations and continents.
Dear brothers and sisters,
One of the beautiful lessons of these ten days is that worship should not remain merely an individual act—it should also become a shared family and community experience.
Bring life into your homes through worship. Gather your families for Qur’an recitation, even if only for a few minutes each day. Encourage your children to fast according to their ability. Organize simple gatherings centered around remembrance, faith, and learning—whether at home or in the mosque.
When a child sees their father frequently proclaiming the takbīr (Allāhu akbar), their mother fasting, and the mosque filled with worshippers, the significance of these blessed days becomes firmly rooted in their heart.
The Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) devoted these days to various forms of worship: fasting, remembrance of Allah, reciting takbīr and tahlīl, giving charity, maintaining family ties, and drawing nearer to Allah with both heart and action.
For him, these days were a season of spiritual purification, renewal of commitment to Allah, and cleansing of the heart.
Therefore, let each of us enter these ten days with a sincere intention and a clear personal goal.
Perhaps your goal will be to complete a portion of the Qur’an, establish greater consistency in prayer, fast on the Day of Arafah, mend a broken relationship, or give a hidden charity known only to Allah.
Let us begin today by teaching our children the takbīr and reviving this beautiful Sunnah in our homes, our cars, and our gatherings:
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, lā ilāha illa-llāh.
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa li-llāhi-l-ḥamd.
Fill your surroundings with these words, and revive hearts through their remembrance.
Perhaps Allah will look upon us with mercy and acceptance, and grant us the blessings and goodness of these sacred days.
O Allah, bless us in these blessed days. Allow us to reach the tenth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Help us to remember You, thank You, and worship You in the best manner. O Allah, protect our children, make them a joy to our hearts, and keep them steadfast upon Your religion wherever they may be.
