Islamic New Year Sermon: Muharram as a Time for Self-Reflection and Spiritual Migration

This article contains the text of a Friday sermon (khutbah) intended for the occasion of the Islamic New Year, marking the beginning of the month of Muharram. The sermon, delivered by Prof. K. Shofiyullah Muzammil, Vice Chairman of the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), frames Muharram as a crucial period for 'muhasabah' (self-reflection) and 'hijrah' (spiritual migration). It begins with traditional Islamic praises and testimonies before addressing the congregation. The central theme revolves around the sanctity and virtues of Muharram, highlighting it as one of the four 'ash-hur al-hurum' (sacred months) recognized in Islam. The sermon cites a Quranic verse from Surah At-Taubah (9:36) that designates twelve months in a year, with four of them being sacred, and instructs believers not to wrong themselves during these times. It further references a Hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim, which specifies these four months as Dzul-Qa'dah, Dzul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. The sermon emphasizes that during Muharram, acts of goodness are rewarded manifold, while transgressions carry a heavier burden of sin compared to other months. It calls upon the faithful to renew and enhance their 'Taqwa' (God-consciousness) by obeying divine commands and abstaining from prohibitions, regardless of circumstances.