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New Islamic Year: Renewing our Covenant with Allah
Suggested: Friday, 19 June 2026
· 4 Muharram
new year
muharram
covenant
renewal
tawbah
Summary
The new Islamic year is a time to renew our covenant with Allah — to repent, to recommit, and to set a fresh direction.
Part One — First Khutbah
Opening — Khutbat al-Hajah
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ
Innal hamda lillah, nahmaduhu wa nasta'eenuhu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na'udhu billahi min shururi anfusina wa min sayyi'ati a'malina. Man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lah, wa man yudlil fala hadiya lah.
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Wa ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
"Ya ayyuhalladheena amanut-taqullaha haqqa tuqatihi wa la tamutunna illa wa antum muslimun." (Aal 'Imran, 3:102)
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
"Ya ayyuhannas uttaqu rabbakumul ladhi khalaqakum min nafsin wahidatin wa khalaqa minha zawjaha wa baththa minhuma rijalan katheeran wa nisa'a. Wattaqullahalldhee tasa'aluna bihi wal-arham. Innallaha kana 'alaykum raqeeba." (An-Nisa, 4:1)
أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ
Amma ba'd. Fa inna khairal hadeethi kitabullah, wa khayral hadyi hadyu Muhammadin sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, wa sharral umuri muhdathatuha, wa kulla muhdathatin bid'ah, wa kulla bid'atin dalalah, wa kulla dalalatin fin-nar.
Dear brothers and sisters in Islam,
A New Beginning with Allah
Brothers and sisters, we have entered a new Islamic year. The month of Muharram — one of the four sacred months — is upon us. And every new beginning is an opportunity to renew our covenant with Allah.
What is this covenant? It is the promise we made before we were even born. Allah tells us:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا
"Wa idh akhadha rabbuka min banee adama min dhuhurihim dhurriyyatahum wa ash-hadahum 'ala anfusihim alastu bi rabbikum qalu bala shahidna." (Al-A'raf, 7:172)
"And when your Lord took from the children of Adam — from their loins — their descendants and made them testify of themselves: 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes, we have testified.'"
Every single soul testified. We all acknowledged Allah as our Rabb. The new year is a reminder to renew that testimony — not just with our tongues, but with our lives.
Muharram — The Month of Allah
The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, called Muharram:
شَهْرُ اللَّهِ الْمُحَرَّمِ
"Shahrullahil-Muharram" — "The month of Allah, Muharram." (Sahih Muslim, 1163)
And he encouraged fasting in this month, particularly the day of 'Ashura:
صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ
"I anticipate that the fasting of 'Ashura will expiate the sins of the previous year." (Sahih Muslim, 1162)
SubhanAllah — one day of fasting, and an entire year's minor sins forgiven. What generosity from our Lord.
Renewing the Covenant — Practically
How do we renew our covenant? Through three things:
1. Tawbah — sincere repentance. Open a new page with Allah. Whatever sins you committed last year — whatever mistakes, whatever failures — Allah's door is still open.
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا
"Qul ya 'ibadiyalladheena asrafu 'ala anfusihim la taqnatu mir-rahmatillah. Innallaha yaghfirudh-dhunuba jamee'a." (Az-Zumar, 39:53)
"Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins."
2. Setting clear goals. A new year without new intentions is a missed opportunity. What will you change? What will you start? What will you stop? Be specific and realistic.
3. Seeking knowledge. Commit to learning something new about your deen this year. Attend a course, read a book, join a study circle. Ignorance is the enemy of renewal.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Aqulu qauli hada, wa astaghfirullaha li wa lakum wa li sa'iril muslimeen, fas taghfiruh, innahu huwal Ghafurur Rahim.
Part Two — Second Khutbah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Bismillah, wal hamdulillah, was-salatu was-salamu 'ala Rasulillah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam.
Brothers and sisters,
Your Takeaway — Two Actions This Week
First: Fast the day of 'Ashura (10th Muharram) and the day before it (9th Muharram), following the Sunnah. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:
لَئِنْ بَقِيتُ إِلَىٰ قَابِلٍ لَأَصُومَنَّ التَّاسِعَ
"If I live until next year, I will surely fast the ninth day (as well)." (Sahih Muslim, 1134)
Mark it in your calendar now so you don't miss it.
Second: Write three specific, measurable goals for this new Islamic year — one for your relationship with Allah (worship), one for your family, and one for your community contribution. Put them somewhere you will see them regularly — on your phone, on your mirror, on your desk.
The new year is a gift from Allah. Every breath is a second chance. Let us not waste it.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ
"Innallaha la yughayyiru ma bi qawmin hatta yughayyiru ma bi anfusihim." (Ar-Ra'd, 13:11)
"Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves."
Closing Du'a
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الْإِسْلَامَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ
Allahumma a'izzal islama wal muslimeen.
اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ
Allahumma irham al-muslimeena fee kulli makaan.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنَّا عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
Allahumma a'inna 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatik.
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhaban-nar.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba'da idh hadaytana wa hab lana min ladunka rahmah, innaka antal Wahhab.
أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ
Aqimis-salah.