Central Khutbah: “The Conclusion Is Hope”
As the end of Ramadan approaches, the hearts of believers become especially sensitive. The days of fasting pass, the nights of worship come to their end, and a person feels both gratitude and sadness: gratitude for being honored by Allah to witness this blessed month, and sadness at parting from days in which the soul was closer to its Lord. And it is precisely in this conclusion that a great message lies: the end of Ramadan is not despair, but hope.
Why do we feel a special joy and serenity during Ramadan? Because we are then, more than usual, occupied with that for which we were created. The Most High says: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhariyat, 56) When a person lives in worship, obedience, supplication, Qur’an, and kindness, they feel inner harmony, because they are returning to their true purpose. Ramadan teaches us this more intensely than any other time. One could therefore say: if we lived our entire lives in the spirit of Ramadan, the Hereafter would be like an Eid celebration for us.
In the final part of Ramadan, the believer does not only look at what they have accomplished, but even more at what they hope for. They hope for Allah’s forgiveness, hope that their fasting will be accepted, and hope that they have been touched by some of the special mercies Allah sends down at chosen times. That is why the believer does not weaken at the end, but rather increases in supplication, remembrance (dhikr), seeking forgiveness (istighfar), and good deeds. For perhaps a single sincere moment, a single tear, a single invocation, a single night prostration, or a single charity may become the reason for Allah’s mercy and salvation.
One of the great signs of this conclusion is also Zakat al-Fitr, which comes as the seal of Ramadan and its social beauty. It is not enough for a person to rejoice only for themselves on Eid, but they must ensure that the poor, the orphan, and the needy also feel the dignity of these days. Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, reported: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory: a sa’ of dates or a sa’ of barley for every Muslim, whether free or slave, male or female.” (Bukhari, Muslim) This clearly shows that the end of Ramadan is connected to responsibility, purification of fasting, and care for the community.
Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, explained the wisdom of this obligation, saying: “The Messenger of Allah prescribed Zakat al-Fitr to purify the fasting person from indecent speech and actions, and to feed the poor.” (Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah) Thus, the end of Ramadan is not only the anticipation of Eid, but also a purification of what may have been lacking in our fasting and behavior.
The Most High has determined who is entitled to zakat and obligatory charity: “Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and the needy, and for those employed to collect it, and for bringing hearts together, and for freeing captives, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the stranded traveler. [This is] an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (At-Tawbah, 60) And in the days before Eid, it is precisely the poor who most deserve to be supported, made at ease, and protected from the humiliation of asking.
Therefore, the end of Ramadan should awaken three great things in us: gratitude, responsibility, and hope. Gratitude for having experienced and witnessed Ramadan. Responsibility to correct what was imperfect and to help others. And hope that Allah accepts even little when it is sincere, forgives great sins when a servant sincerely repents, and does not withhold His mercy from those who return to Him.
The end is hope, because the believer never looks only at what they have done, but even more at their Lord, Who is Generous, Who accepts repentance, Who multiplies rewards, and Who does not abandon sincere hearts without response. Thus, the end of Ramadan is not merely a farewell to blessed days. It is an opportunity to plant in the heart the hope that what we have learned during Ramadan will continue throughout the rest of the year, and that we may welcome Eid with a purer heart, a stronger connection to Allah, and a more sincere care for the people around us.
(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on March 13, 2026, at the “Centre Islamique et Culturel Berat” in Esch-sur-Alzette)
