Central Khutbah: “Ramadan Is an Opportunity Until Its Very Last Moment”

As the end of the blessed month of Ramadan approaches, the hearts of the believers are filled with a double feeling. On one hand, there is joy, because Allah, the Most High, has enabled them to fast the month of Ramadan and fulfill one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. On the other hand, a sense of sadness appears, as the time draws near to part from days in which mercy, forgiveness, and spiritual closeness to Allah were especially present in the lives of the believers.

Ramadan is a month in which the believer is reminded of the essence of their faith. Mosques become filled with worshippers, the Qur’an is read and listened to more, and people are more inclined toward doing good, visiting one another, and helping each other. What is often neglected during the year regains its rightful place in Ramadan: prayer, supplication, the Qur’an, and care for others.

The last days and nights of this month hold special value. They are not merely the end of fasting, but the peak of the spiritual journey of Ramadan. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would show the greatest devotion in worship during these days.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:
“When the last ten nights of Ramadan began, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would exert himself more, spend his nights in worship, and wake his family.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 2024; Sahih Muslim, no. 1174)

This hadith shows that the end of Ramadan is not a time for relaxation, but rather a time for increased effort. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would spend his nights in prayer, remembrance of Allah, and supplication, and he encouraged his family members to take part in these acts of worship.

Other narrations mention that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would intensify his night prayers during the last ten nights. His prayer was neither short nor superficial. Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that one night he prayed behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who recited in a single unit of prayer Surah Al-Baqarah, then Aal ‘Imran, and then An-Nisa. When he recited verses mentioning punishment, he would pause and seek refuge in Allah, and when he came across verses of mercy, he would pause and ask for Allah’s mercy.
(Sahih Muslim, no. 772)

This shows how the Prophet’s prayer was: long, calm, and filled with reflection upon the words of Allah.

A special place in the last ten days of Ramadan is also given to i‘tikaf, the spiritual retreat in the mosque for the purpose of fully dedicating oneself to worship. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
“The Prophet used to observe i‘tikaf for ten days every Ramadan, and in the year he passed away, he observed it for twenty days.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 2044)

I‘tikaf reminds the believer to withdraw, even briefly, from the busyness of daily life and direct the heart toward Allah. It shows that a person needs spiritual quietness in order to renew their relationship with their Lord.

Among the last nights of Ramadan is a night that surpasses all others: Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree).

Allah, the Most High, says:
“Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.”
(Surah Al-Qadr, 1–5)

The value of this night is such that worship performed in it is better than worship over more than eighty-three years.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Whoever stands (in prayer) during the Night of Decree with faith and seeking reward will have his past sins forgiven.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1901)

That is why the Prophet encouraged his companions to seek it during the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that he said:
“Seek the Night of Decree in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 2017)

When Aisha asked the Prophet what she should say if she reaches that night, he replied:

“Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa‘fu ‘anni.”
O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.
(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, no. 3513)

This short supplication summarizes the essence of the end of Ramadan: seeking Allah’s forgiveness and mercy.

During these nights, the believer is reminded that the greatness of worship does not lie only in its length, but in the sincerity of the heart. A few sincere units of prayer, a few tears in supplication, and a few moments of sincere remembrance can transform a person’s life.

That is why the last nights of Ramadan should not be approached with negligence. Perhaps among them is the night in which Allah erases sins, answers supplications, and transforms the state of the heart.

Ramadan is an opportunity that lasts until its very last moment. Whoever completes it with sincerity and effort hopes to emerge from it with forgiven sins, a purified heart, and a stronger connection with Allah. And Allah knows best.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on March 6, 2026, at the “Centre Culturel Islamique Al-Siddiq” in Troisvierges)