Friday Sermon: Make the Most of Ramadan by Avoiding Common Mistakes
Moulana Abdul Ahad Fakarde urges Muslims to cherish the mosque, follow Sunnah in Suhoor, and adopt Tahajjud prayers during the holy month.
In a heartfelt Friday sermon at Masjid-e-Abuzar Ghifari in Bilal Khand, Moulana Abdul Ahad Fakarde Saheb Nadvi addressed the common shortcomings Muslims often have during Ramadan and how to overcome them to gain maximum blessings.
Love for the Mosque
Moulana began by emphasizing the importance of spending time in the mosque. He observed that many people rush to other mosques just to pray and leave quickly, rather than waiting in their own local mosque.
“The most beloved place to Allah is the mosque,” he said. “When you sit in the mosque waiting for prayer, even if you do nothing, angels continue to record reward for prayer upon you.”
He contrasted this with how people spend hours in markets without complaint, but feel restless if a sermon runs five minutes longer in the mosque. He urged the community to develop love for Allah’s house and make it a habit to arrive early and leave late.
Suhoor: Following the Sunnah
Moulana highlighted two common mistakes related to Suhoor (pre-dawn meal):
- Eating too early: Many people eat Suhoor an hour or two before Fajr and then go back to sleep. This misses the Sunnah of delaying Suhoor until the last moment. He advised eating right until the Suhoor closure announcement, just minutes before Fajr.
- Missing Tahajjud: When people wake up early for Suhoor, they have a golden opportunity to pray Tahajjud. “Even two rak’ahs of Tahajjud in the last part of the night can change your life,” he said. This is a time when Allah descends to the lowest heaven and asks, “Who is seeking forgiveness? Who is asking for anything? I will give it to them.”
The Quran praises the righteous as those who seek forgiveness in the pre-dawn hours ( wa bil-ashari hum yastaghfirun ).
Skipping Suhoor is Against Sunnah
Some people fast without eating Suhoor. Moulana reminded that eating Suhoor is a blessed Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Eat Suhoor, for in Suhoor there is blessing.” It also distinguishes Muslim fasts from those of Jews and Christians, and we are commanded to oppose their practices even in good deeds.
Beware of Imitating Un-Islamic Customs
Moulana expressed concern that while Muslims are told to oppose non-believers even in good deeds, they eagerly adopt their bad customs—like cutting cakes at celebrations, spending thousands of rupees on un-Islamic rituals. He urged the community to reflect on this contradiction.
Final Advice
The sermon concluded with a powerful reminder: The mosque is where we gain true understanding of Islam, love for Shariah, and the right direction for life. Staying connected to the mosque benefits both this world and the next.
He prayed that Allah makes this Ramadan a means of forgiveness, mercy, and guidance for the entire Ummah, and grants us the ability to spend our lives in obedience to Him.
