Central Khutbah: “A New Beginning”

Sometimes, a person may feel that it is too late, that they have made too many mistakes, that certain opportunities have passed, and that what has been damaged can no longer be repaired. Yet a believer never looks at their life only through the lens of what happened yesterday. As long as Allah has granted them a new day, the opportunity to return to Him, to make things right, and to begin anew remains open.

That is why Allah calls upon all believers, without exception: “And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, so that you may succeed.” (An-Nur, 24:31)

Allah also says: “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah! Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.” (Az-Zumar, 39:53)

A new beginning therefore does not start when a person forgets their past, but when they return to Allah through that past.

Repentance (tawbah) is not merely regretting what has happened. It is the decision to make what lies ahead better. This is precisely where the greatness of Allah’s mercy lies. Allah does not merely accept repentance; He loves those who continually return to Him.

Allah says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who repent often and He loves those who purify themselves.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:222)

The Prophet ﷺ described how pleased Allah is with the return of His servant by saying that Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than a man who, while travelling through the desert, loses his mount carrying his food and water, loses all hope of finding it, and then suddenly finds it again. (Sahih Muslim, 2747)

Imagine, then, how precious your return to Allah is. Your decision to be better today than you were yesterday is something Allah loves.

One of the most important foundations of every new beginning is having a good opinion of Allah: husn az-zann billah.

In a hadith qudsi, Allah says: “I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me.” The continuation of the hadith mentions that when the servant draws closer to Allah by a handspan, Allah draws closer to him by a cubit, and when he comes to Him walking, Allah comes to him with haste. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 7405)

Therefore, do not enter a new stage of your life convinced that you will not succeed, that Allah will not help you, or that nothing can change. Think well of your Lord. Hope for His mercy, His help, His forgiveness, and for doors to open that you cannot yet see today.

But having a good opinion of Allah is not empty hope. The proof of having a good opinion of Allah is that you move towards Him. Hope that motivates you to do good deeds is true hope. On the other hand, hope that allows you to remain in sin without changing anything can become nothing more than self-deception.

Faith must also be renewed. The heart is not always in the same state. It experiences moments of strength and moments of weakness, moments of spiritual presence and moments of heedlessness.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Faith wears out in the heart of one of you just as clothes wear out, so ask Allah to renew faith in your hearts.” (Al-Hakim, Al-Mustadrak, 1/45, no. 5; At-Tabarani, Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, 13/36)

Therefore, a new beginning is not simply a decision: “From tomorrow, I will be different.” It is the renewal of our relationship with Allah through prayer, the Qur’an, dhikr, istighfar, good deeds, and sincere supplication.

There is no true new beginning without du‘a. Supplication is not the last option we turn to when everything else has failed. It is one of the greatest means Allah has given to the believer.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Nothing repels the decree except supplication.” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, 2139)

This does not mean that supplication lies outside Allah’s decree. Both the supplication and what is removed through it are themselves part of Allah’s decree. So call upon Allah even when you cannot see a solution. Call upon Him when you feel that all doors are closed. Ask Him for forgiveness, health, guidance, goodness for your family, righteousness of your heart, a better future, and salvation in the Hereafter.

Allah has left the doors of hope wide open in one of the most beautiful hadiths qudsiyyah:

“O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and place your hope in Me, I will forgive you for what has preceded of your sins, and I will not mind. O son of Adam, even if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked Me for forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, even if you were to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then meet Me without associating any partner with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness just as great.” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, 3540)

After this, how could a person say that there is no new beginning possible for them?

A new beginning also requires inner change.

Allah says: “Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.” (Ar-Ra‘d, 13:11)

Therefore, do not wait for everyone around you, your circumstances, your work, your family, or the entire world to change first. Begin where you have the power to act. Begin with your own heart, your decisions, and your actions.

Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The believer keeps watch over himself and holds his soul accountable for the sake of Allah. Those who will have the easiest reckoning on the Day of Resurrection are those who held themselves accountable in this world.” (Ibn Abi ad-Dunya, Muhasabat an-Nafs; Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah, in the biography of Al-Hasan al-Basri)

This self-examination should not lead a person to despair, but rather to action.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the believer sees his sins as though he were sitting beneath a mountain, fearing that it might fall upon him, while the heedless sinner sees his sins like a fly passing across his nose. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6308)

The believer therefore does not underestimate sin, but neither does he underestimate the mercy of Allah. He fears his sin, but he hopes in his Lord. It is precisely between this fear and this hope that true change is born.

On this path, particular care must be taken to guard against two qualities that can destroy consistency: laziness and anger.

Laziness distances a person from their obligations, their opportunities, and what they could become. This is why the Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge in Allah from helplessness and laziness. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6369)

Anger can, within a few moments, destroy what a person has spent years building in their relationships with others. When a man asked the Prophet ﷺ for advice, he repeatedly told him: “Do not become angry.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6116)

Because of laziness, a person can lose themselves; because of uncontrolled anger, they can lose others.

After the decision comes what is essential for success: perseverance.

It is not essential to accomplish ten great things today and then do nothing for an entire month. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The deeds most beloved to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are few.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6464; Sahih Muslim, 783)

One page of the Qur’an every day. A little istighfar, but every day. Two units of prayer that you remain consistent with. One good deed that becomes part of your life.

This is how a person is built. This is how faith is renewed. This is how a new beginning stops being merely a feeling and becomes a new way of life.

Do not wait for the perfect moment.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to say: “When you reach the morning, do not expect to live until the evening, and when you reach the evening, do not expect to live until the morning. Take advantage of your health before your illness and your life before your death.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6416)

A new beginning is therefore not next month, next year, or the moment when all circumstances finally fall into place. A new beginning is the moment when you sincerely say: “My Lord, I return to You,” and then take the first step.

Wherever you have reached, move forward. If you have fallen, get back up. If you have made a mistake, repent. If your faith has weakened, renew it. If you have been distant for a long time, draw closer. If you have lost something, ask Allah to grant you something better.

Do not let yesterday’s sin destroy today’s repentance, and do not let fear of tomorrow prevent you from doing good today.

For with Allah, a new beginning is not merely a possibility. The doors remain open as long as you still have the opportunity to return to Him.

(Central khutbah by the Muslim Religious Leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on September 25, 2026, at the “Association Fraternelle Musulmane” in Mersch)