Friday Khutba – March 20, 2026 (1 Shawwal 1447 AH)
How Can We Tell if Our Deeds Have Been Accepted?
All praise belongs to Allah. We worship Him and seek His help. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger. “O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and speak words of truth. He will rectify your deeds and forgive your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed attained a success.”
All praise is due to Allah, who allowed us to witness Ramadan, enabled us to fast and stand in prayer during its nights, and guided us toward obedience and righteousness. We praise Him for His immense mercy and generosity, and we ask Him to accept our deeds and make them purely for His sake.
Dear brothers and sisters,
The month of Ramadan has passed — a month of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation from the Hellfire. Its days were filled with fasting, its nights with prayer, its hours with the recitation of the Qur’an. It was a time of charity, supplication, and closeness to Allah.
Now that this blessed season has ended, every sincere believer pauses and reflects, asking:
“Have my deeds been accepted? And how can I know?”
1) Hoping for acceptance and fearing rejection
After performing any act of worship, the greatest concern of a believer is not the deed itself, but whether it has been accepted.
Allah says: “Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous.” (5:27)
ʿĀ’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the verse: “…those who give what they give while their hearts tremble…” (23:60)
She asked: “Are these people those who commit sins like drinking alcohol and stealing?”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “No, O daughter of Abu Bakr. They are those who fast, pray, and give charity — yet they fear that their deeds may not be accepted.”
Reflect on this. These are righteous people, yet their hearts are filled with humility and concern. They do not feel secure about their deeds — instead, they constantly turn to Allah, asking for acceptance.
Even Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), when raising the foundations of the Ka‘bah with his son Isma‘il, did not rely on the nature of his deed. Instead, he prayed: “Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (2:127)
A true believer does not become arrogant because of their . They recognize that all success comes from Allah and remain hopeful, yet humble.
2) Continuing good deeds after Ramadan
My dear brothers and sisters,
Ramadan was a school of faith. During it, we trained ourselves in fasting, night prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, charity, maintaining family ties, and speaking kindly.
But the real question is: Does our worship end when Ramadan ends?
One of the clearest signs that a good deed has been accepted is that it leads to another good deed.
The early scholars used to say: “The reward of a good deed is another good deed that follows it, and the consequence of a sin is another sin that follows it.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Every action has its peak, and every peak is followed by a decline.”
This means that initial enthusiasm may fade — and that is natural. What matters is that we remain consistent and do not abandon the path altogether.
He also said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if they are small.”
So do not aim for perfection — aim for consistency:
A small but regular night prayer…
A daily portion of Qur’an…
Occasional charity…
Regular attendance of congregational prayers…
Worship is not limited to a season — it is a lifelong journey.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also encouraged continuing worship after Ramadan by fasting six days in Shawwal: “Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if they fasted for a lifetime.”
3) Sincerity through hidden deeds
Another powerful sign of acceptance is when a believer keeps some of their good deeds private — known only to Allah.
A quiet prayer in the middle of the night…
A tear shed in sincere prostration…
A charity given in secret…
A hidden act of kindness…
These are the deeds that nurture sincerity in the heart.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever among you is able to perform a good deed in secret, let him do so.”
He once asked Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): “O Bilal, tell me about the deed you hope for the most, for I heard your footsteps in Paradise.”
Bilal replied:
“I never performed ablution at any time of day or night except that I followed it with prayer.”
It was a simple, consistent, and largely unseen act — yet it elevated him greatly.
Hasan al-Basri said: “Hide your good deeds just as you hide your sins.”
Dear brothers and sisters,
Among the signs that our deeds have been accepted are:
- A continued sense of humility and fear that they may not be accepted
- Consistency in good deeds even after Ramadan
- Performing some acts of worship privately, solely for Allah
We ask Allah to accept from us and from you, and to keep our hearts firm in obedience.
O Allah, Turner of hearts, keep our hearts firm upon Your religion.
O Allah, accept our Ramadan and make our deeds sincere for Your sake.
And help us remain steadfast in obedience even after it.
