By Guest Imam, Shaykh Rashid Khan
11 April 2025

﷽ 

There is a unique rhythm to the life of a believer. It’s never flat or idle – it moves, it pulses. There are seasons of intense worship like Ramadan, and then there are quiet lulls in between such as term breaks, school holidays, pauses in our daily schedules. But these moments of stillness aren’t spiritual gaps. They are gifts. They are a believer’s spring, an opportunity to reflect, renew, and reconnect.

This is what I want to talk about in this week’s sermon: what it means to live between breaks and accountability.

The Prophet ﷺ in a famous Hadith said:

There are two blessings which many people waste: good health and free time.

[Bukhari]

These aren’t just blessings, they are trusts from Allah. When I look around, especially post-Ramadan or after exam season, I see people saying, “Finally, I have time to relax.” But we should remember that this “free time” is not free at all. It is a responsibility. It’s part of what we’re asked about on the Day of Judgement.

The Prophet ﷺ reminded us:

The feet of the servant will not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how he earned and spent it, and his knowledge and what he did with it.

[Tirmidhi]

We often forget how precious this in-between time really is. The Prophet ﷺ told us:

Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you become busy, and your life before your death.

[Bayhaqi]

The break between terms or seasons is not downtime, it’s preparation time. It’s not a break from being a Muslim, it’s a chance to realign and reconnect. And if we don’t fill our time with good, Shaytan is ready to fill it with distraction and sin. One of the early scholars said: “If you do not busy your soul with good, it will busy you with evil.”

Ramadan isn’t something we pack away until next year. It helps us to cultivate tools and habits that we can carry forward. Even one rakah of qiyam, one page of Qur’an, one extra minute in sujud, it all counts. It all keeps that momentum alive.

And I remind myself and others: keep it simple. You don’t need to replicate your Ramadan schedule, just extend it. Start small. Reconnect with the Qur’an. Rebuild your nightly supplication. Keep your tongue moving with dhikr – the remembrance of Allah. 

This time off is also a rare opportunity to reconnect as a family. Not just for games or outings, but in acts of worship. Pray together. Read Qur’an aloud together. Let your children see that spirituality is not an individual burden but a moment to come together and share the joy of worshipping Allah and remembering Him.

When the Prophet ﷺ said, “Give glad tidings to the strangers,” he was telling us that it’s okay, actually, it’s good to be different when everyone else is doing the opposite of what pleases Allah.

Sometimes our children may feel out of place because they enjoy reading the Qur’an, or they choose to wake up early for Fajr while their friends are still sleeping. They might seem ‘weird’ to others – but in the eyes of Allah, this so-called strangeness is a sign of strong faith.

So we don’t need to feel shy or discouraged about being different for the right reasons. We should be proud of holding on to our values, even when the world around us doesn’t. That’s the kind of “strange” the Prophet ﷺ was praising. People who hold tightly to their faith, even when it’s not popular. And those people are the ones who will have good news and blessings from Allah

A believer doesn’t know boredom. If I ever find myself saying, “I don’t know what to do,” then that’s a red flag. That’s a sign to look inward. Allah tells us:

Even our rest can become an act of worship. One of the Salaf said, “I sleep so I can pray with strength.” Another said, “I eat to have energy to worship.” Even ordinary acts can become worship when done with intention of serving Allah.

This is what Islam teaches: worship doesn’t exist in a corner. It exists in your entire day. Rest, recreation, family time, meals, these all become worship when Allah is in your thoughts.

Imam Ahmad was once asked, “When do we get to rest?” He replied,“With your first footstep into Jannah.”

This life isn’t where we switch off. Even our leisure has purpose. Even our breaks are moments of worship, if we choose to make them so.

So I remind myself, and I remind you: let’s not treat this spring break, or any break, as a disconnect. Let’s treat it as a springboard. An opening. A chance to check in with ourselves, with our families, and with Allah .

O Allah, help us remember You, thank You, and worship You beautifully. Make us among those who listen and follow what is best.

Ameen.

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