Preparing for Ramadan by Reforming Intentions and Purifying Hearts|Jumu'ah Khutbah| Sh.Yaser Birjas

Opening Testimony and Quranic Recitations

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that there is no partner for Him. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.

O ye who believe! Fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and created from it a wife, and spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah, with whom you ask for mercy. Verily, Allah watches over you.

O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and say the righteous word. He will correct your deeds, and forgive you your sins. And he who obeys Allah and His Messenger has won a great triumph.

Know, O servants of Allah, that the best speech is the speech of Allah, the Exalted. And the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And the worst of things are their events, and every event is a creation, and every creation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

Last Friday Before Ramadan

Then, after the servants of Allah, my dear brothers and sisters, this will be the last Friday that we will have before Ramadan starts. Next Friday, insha'Allah, I hope we will all be fasting. But before that, I hope we're going to all be present when Ramadan begins, Ya Rabbil Alameen. May Allah make it easy for us to go through this month of Ramadan and grow through it, and benefit from it, Ya Rabbil Alameen, with full Qabul from Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

The Importance of Purifying the Heart and Intention

Brothers and sisters, you have to keep in mind that as many people prepare for Ramadan in many different ways, the most important thing that we need to work on is our heart, which we talked about briefly a couple of weeks ago. But this time, function in the heart that is more important than anything else, and that's your intention.

And I know whenever we hear the word intention, it becomes a cliche. Oh, I know this topic. I understand what it means. Yeah, I'm going to be working on it, insha'Allah, but do you? Do you even know what it means? When we talk about your intention, it's the most important thing that you have to observe in your heart. Do you even understand what does that mean? What does it entail? And do you know if you have the right intention? What's the importance of this, and why is it so important for us to make sure that we do that?

Because as many people enter the month of Ramadan, all of us will be entering the month of Ramadan probably with the same heart state that leads Sha'ban. Sha'ban is ending in a few days, allowing Ramadan to come in. And we spoke about Sha'ban last week, a week before that. We talked about how it's important for us to be ready for Ramadan through Sha'ban, because Sha'ban is preparation for Ramadan. Whatever you establish and you start building in Sha'ban, you're carrying it along in Ramadan, and you're not going to start from zero.

But if you haven't done enough, you have a few more days left. If you haven't done the Quran in your schedule, if you haven't done your amal and your preparation for everything, this is the time for you to do so, because now, as Allah says:

Except for those who come to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on Judgment Day with pure heart, clean heart. That's a very good heart. And that's what matters the most to us.

Again, the intention is extremely important. Brothers and sisters, you know, your share of Ramadan is not determined by the amount of good deeds that you will do. As a matter of fact, it will be based on the state of your heart, because that's more important than anything else. Yeah, the amount of good deeds are great, but I don't know how many of these good deeds that you're going to make will be accepted. I don't know what's your intention when you made all these great works. What was the point for it?

So no matter how great the deed is, how amazing the amal is, remember, the state of the heart will determine if this amal is going to be worth it or nothing for you. That's why the intention is extremely important.

Brothers and sisters, Ramadan is a season of trade. You truly trade with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And we all know, no matter how much you try, you're not going to be trading with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala with a sick heart. And if you do, how much that sick heart can handle, really, in terms of that trade with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? You need to work on this by fixing and reforming your intentions. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala purify our intentions for us, O Lord of the worlds.

The Fundamental Hadith on Intentions

In the very famous hadith of Rasulallah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Sahih al-Bukhari, a Muslim, the messenger of Allah, says:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1)

He said, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, that deeds or actions are only accepted or only by their intentions. And he says, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and every person will have only what they have intended.

So your good deeds are going to be maybe equal to everybody else. What does that exactly mean? It means the intention determines the value of good deeds. Determines the value. How sincere you were in that good deed to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, it puts value on it, or it loses all value completely.

How Intention Transforms Ordinary Actions

It turns sometimes some habits into acts of worship. You're going to go to sleep every single night. But if you make that intention to sleep so you can wake up for suhoor, that becomes ibadah. You're going to take a nap during the day because you're tired. And sometimes you do that regularly. But this time I'm going to take my nap during the day with my intention so I can be strong enough to stand up for tahajjud or taraweeh insha'Allah wa ta'ala. That makes that a'ar, that habit becomes an act of worship.

A simple switch, a very simple switch in the heart, that can change everything about your a'mal and about your closeness to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. That's a very simple trick here.

It also distinguishes between the accepted ones and the rejected ones. You know yourself if you're doing it right or wrong in terms of the intention. As Allah says in the Quran:

Every insan has their own basira, which means you have a proof against your own self. Even if you throw out to the people all kinds of excuses. You know you're not being true. You know you're hiding it. You know you're faking it. You feel weak as a result of that. But if you're genuine from the inside, you would know that. So it will help you. It will help you distinguish if this was good or not.

When you make salah to please people, when you throw a party just for the sake of the people, for example, versus doing something for the sake of Allah. When you go and give a charity for the sake of Allah versus the people. You know. You can tell yourself if you're doing it right or wrong. So your intention is extremely, extremely important.

Some people will fast. Actually everybody, insha'Allah, Ramadan will fast. But however, people are going to be two. One of two. Some, they will be forgiven. And the other one will just be thirsty and hungry. And what makes a difference? Their intentions. Make sure to purify your intention.

Three Correct Ramadan Intentions

Brothers and sisters, okay, so what is a good intention? What intention should I have when Ramadan comes in? Alright, let's talk about this correct Ramadan intention, insha'Allah.

First: Intention for Worship, Not Habit

The first thing. To make your intention is for worship, not habit. Make intention for worship, not habit. What does that mean? Some people, they want to join Ramadan. Why? Because everybody is doing it. So I don't want to stand out. I don't want to look weird. You come to the masjid because the whole family is going. Your friends are going to be there, so I'm just going to go do it. Now we're missing the reason why we're coming to these ibadat.

You have to make sure that your intention is to worship Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Not just because everyone fasts. This is an act of worship that you owe it to your Creator subhanahu wa ta'ala. And I'm going to do it with ihsan to please Him, not anybody else. That's going to be my intention.

So when I fast, I do it with ihsan. I don't whine about fasting, about being hungry, about being thirsty. Well, what's the point of you being fasting then? That's part of it. So you're going to have to make sure that with that, I'm pleased to go through this, to please Him subhanahu wa ta'ala, who mandated this ibadah upon me. I'm going to do it.

When you come to the masjid to pray the long salah that you're going to have to endure, which you're not used to. Maybe it's about time right now. They say, you know what, I truly owe Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala more of my time for salah. I'm not doing enough anyway. Ramadan is a good reminder for me. Not just because I want to have those beautiful traditions after taraweeh of sitting together, chit-chatting, having chai, and all halal. Don't get me wrong. But we need to fix our intentions first from habit to ibadah.

Second: Intention for Real Change

The second intention, that you need to make an intention to have a real change in Ramadan. Because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has allowed you 11 months of your lifestyle. And you know, you make a lot of wrong habits. A lot of wrong choices. A lot of wrong decisions you have done. And here Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given you an infrastructure of change. A blueprint. A map. And He has given you even a booster. So you can make all these little things you wanted to do once upon a time, and you find it so hard to do, becomes easier in Ramadan.

Have a real intention to change for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. It's a turning point. It's not just a temporary station that you do something different, and then you go back again to old ways. No. Make an intention to have Ramadan as a real change for you.

Third: Intention for True and Genuine Forgiveness

And the third of my dear brothers and sisters, the third intention I need to have to fix my Ramadan and my heart insha'Allah ta'ala, is the intention of seeking true and genuine forgiveness. That's the whole purpose, right? We all want to fast the month of Ramadan, so by the end of Ramadan we are forgiven.

When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam answered Aisha about the dua, she would say in the last ten nights of Ramadan, what did he say? She said:

My Lord, You're Afu, which means You're most forgiving. تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ And You love to forgive. فَاعْفُ عَنِّي O Allah, forgive me. So it's all about forgiveness. And that's what I want to accomplish. So therefore, I need to fix my intention. I am fasting this month of Ramadan for the sake of being forgiven.

As the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 38)

Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan out of iman, faith, belief in Ramadan, and also out of hope for the reward from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, if those two things are in your heart, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will guarantee, غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ your past sins will be erased for that year.

And we all need that, O jama'ah. We all need that. We know our records more than anybody else. We know what we've done in our private moments, in our weak moments. And there is no shame of admitting being a human being. There is no shame of knowing that I have done wrong. But the shame of knowing that you have done wrong, I never made any effort to fix that. That's when it becomes shameful.

When you know that you have an opportunity after opportunity after opportunity to fix it, and you've never taken that opportunity to fix it. That's when you need to be ashamed. But to have that weakness, we all have it. We're all human beings and we all need that moment. So Ramadan is the time that we all need to focus on that intention for forgiveness. I'm doing this because I need to be forgiven. And therefore I need to do it with the right intention for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Practical Preparation for Ramadan

Brothers and sisters, here are practical tips that will help us, inshallah, to accomplish that goal.

First: Clarify Your Goals

The first thing I want you, before Ramadan starts, inshallah, in the next few days, and hopefully you can write it down so it becomes clear to you, not just in your mind. Write it down in your heart, inshallah, and on a piece of paper, you always remind yourself of that thing. Number one. To clarify your goal. What is the goal that you need to accomplish in the month of Ramadan? What is it exactly? And I'm talking about measurable goals. Like what?

This Ramadan, إن شاء الله تعالى, I am going to add a few more salawat in the masjid. That's my accomplishment. This Ramadan, inshallah ta'ala, I will make my accomplishment to read 20 minutes per day from the Quran. This Ramadan, inshallah ta'ala, I am going to quit this bad habit that has been just kind of like taking my time and my energy completely from me. This Ramadan, I would like to improve my relationship with my spouse, with my children, with my family. Make a goal. You are doing it for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in this month of Ramadan. Because we talked about this two weeks ago, that part of it is you forgive the people so you can get the forgiveness from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Second: Renew Your Intentions Daily

We talked about intention. And you need to set a constant daily reminder to renew your intention. Every single day in the morning, when you start your day, you remind yourself. Today, inshallah ta'ala, I am going to do this. What is that? I am going to pray taraweeh in the masjid full, for example. Today, I am going to make sure we have iftar together as a family, making du'a around the table. Today, I am going to read the Quran and I am going to teach my children. So today, whatever thing that you have, renew your intention every single day. So that you can, inshallah ta'ala, remain steadfast.

And part of the intention that we do are multiple. And it is okay to have multiple intentions for that. Like what? You make an intention to seek forgiveness. Ya Allah, I would like to make qiyam, tahajjud, to seek forgiveness. So they can exercise self-discipline while I am doing this. Hopefully, my intention is also to call Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And make du'a for things to come, a blessing to come to me. Following the example of the Prophet ﷺ, each intention is good to have in that act of ibadah. And you will be rewarded for each one independently. So increase your chance of ibadah and ta'ah just simply by making these intentions together, bundled together in that ibadah.

Now, can I make some other intentions with that? Like what? I want to come to the masjid to do istighfar, read Quran and do the ibadah and du'a and so on. And also, inshallah, afterwards have some good time with my friends. That's fine. That's fine. But it's not the ultimate goal to begin with. Because that one would not contradict with the other one. But if the intention becomes to impress my friends, then that will nullify your other intentions. Because you're coming for the sake of Allah first before anything else.

Purifying the Heart First

Brothers and sisters, so with that being said, make sure in order for this intention to find its space in the heart, what do we need to do? You need to empty it first. Your intention is not going to land if the heart is full with animosity, with hatred, with arrogance, with all these ill diseases of the heart. It's not going to fall in there. Your ego is probably going to prevent your heart from accepting the goodness of those intentions. So make sure to work on this. Make sure, first of all, before you start thinking of the good intentions, go look into your heart. Is it heavy? Is it light? If it's heavy, what's making it heavy? What exactly do I need to get it out? I want to free my heart, inshallah, before I can add all these beautiful intentions.

Brothers and sisters, the Prophet ﷺ says in the hadith, the gates of Jannah are open every Monday and Thursday. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will forgive everybody who doesn't associate partners with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala except for someone in his heart who has animosity towards his brothers and sisters. May Allah purify our hearts from these ill intentions, ya rabbal alameen, and fill it with all the good intentions.

Brothers and sisters, our salaf, rahimahum wa allahu ta'ala, in the past, they used to spend six months before Ramadan, way before Sha'ban even, just preparing for the month of Ramadan. And when Ramadan is over, they spend the next six months after that, hoping for this to be accepted from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So all their lives is really around this Ramadan to be accepted. Because it's the focal point of their year. When Ramadan is over, they wish for it to come back. And as Ramadan comes closer, they always long to meet the month of Ramadan. And that's something I hope, inshallah, we can have as a spirit, bi idhnillahi azza wa jal.

Practical Steps Before Ramadan

So make sure to purify your heart and your intention, inshallah, that you write down what are your spiritual goals in the month of Ramadan. Not the meal prep and the exercise prep. This is all good, but talk about your spiritual preparation for the month of Ramadan.

Number two, write down a list of the people that you need to forgive so you can free some space in your heart. It's preoccupying all these people. You worry about them. Take it out. Make sure to write a list and start forgiving these people. Make du'a for them.

And number three, start adding istighfar in your day regularly. A thousand times, two thousand times. Don't even count. Just keep saying أستغفر الله, أستغفر الله, day and night. All this time.

Make sure before Ramadan starts that you establish a secretive ibadah, if you can. Like what? Giving daily dollar, for example. No one knows about. Or even just doing a specific dhikr of tasbeeh. Praying the two rak'ah of duha without anyone knowing that. Making sure before you go to sleep that you read a few ayat from the Quran. Making adhkar, making wudu. A secretive ibadah that no one knows except for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. That helps exercise that sincerity in the heart. Slowly and gradually inshallah.

Prayer of Repentance

And finally, before Ramadan starts, I hope, and even before you move out of your spot here, when you go home inshallah or to go back to work, that you just pray two rak'ah. Pray two extra rak'ah with the intention of tawbah. Sunnat al-tawbah. You pray these two rak'ah, focusing on your salah, and when you're done, you make du'a to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to forgive you a specific sin that you know of. Because that's going to become an obstacle for you to enjoy the month of Ramadan. What is that that you need to be forgiven for? Make this inshallah wa ta'ala in your salah right after Jum'ah and before you leave.

Closing Du'a

O Allah, teach us what will benefit us. And benefit us with what You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Allah, make us reach Ramadan, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, grant us the true intention, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, make us of those who repent, and make us of those who are accepted. And don't make us suffer from hunger and thirst, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, we ask You for guidance, righteousness, kindness, and wealth. Our Lord, accept us from You, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. And forgive us, for You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.