Friday Khutbah of Masjid Otsuka

March, Friday 31. 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 az-Zariyat:

“Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs,”  “Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good.”  “They used to sleep but little of the night,”  “And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,”  (S.51  V.15–18)

The Prophet SAW said: “Whoever ‘stands’ (i.e. prays during the night) in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” [Bukhari and Muslim]　　Here the word ‘qama’ or ‘stands’ is indicative of one who stands up in the night in Ramadan praying, calling upon their Lord in a state of true sincerity, whilst being certain and hopeful of the bounty of such an act. It is this that brings about the reward with the Lord of all being, which is that Allah will forgive him his sins, and increase his goodness, raising his rank. In this regard, the Prophet SAW instituted for us his way of the prayer of Tarawih, such that it became one of the great outward rites in Ramadan. It is narrated on the authority of the Mother of the Believers, Ayesha RA that: The Prophet SAW prayed the [Tarawih] prayer in the Masjid and there were a group of people who prayed with him. Until it was the third or fourth night when the Prophet SAW did not come out to the people. So when the morning came he said: “I saw what you were doing and nothing but the fear that it (i.e. the extra prayer) might be enjoined as obligatory upon you, stopped me from coming to you.” And that happened in the month of Ramadan.  [Bukhari]   Indeed praying in the night is a great door from the doors by which we can enter into goodness, that Allah has opened for His slaves in Ramadan. So the believer who stands up for prayer in the night, directing his heart to his Lord, doing the Ruku and Sajdah and praising Allah, obedient to Allah. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah an-Furqan:

“And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer]”  (S.25  V.64)

The Prophet SAW said: “The most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night.” [Muslim]

It is from the most beloved of deeds to Allah, as the Prophet SAW said: “The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud . He used to sleep half the night, stand for one-third of it (in prayer), and sleep for one-sixth of it.” [Bukhari and Muslim]　　So whoever stands up for prayer in the night, becomes someone who is tranquil in his heart, of purity of spirit. Whose heart is expansive, easy-going, whose face is illuminated. Similarly Allah draws near to the one who stands for prayer just as they draw near to Him. Allah Himself says with regards to the reward for the Servants of the Merciful, those who stand up in the night in prayer, supplication and recitation of Qur’an.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah an-Furqan:

“Those will be awarded the Chamber for what they patiently endured, and they will be received therein with greetings and [words of] peace.”  “Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence.”  (S.25  V.75—76)

So they are in Paradise in a place of care and well-being and in partaking of its blessings they are in bliss. Indeed the prayer of Tarawih has a great rank, and a noble station with Allah. So let us invest in ourselves by investing our time in the nights of Ramadan with prayer and recitation of the Qur’an.

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 all of us Dawah worker in Japan

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