Faith and obedience make you Allah's friend
“They believe in Allah alone and they obey Him and they stay away from His prohibitions.”
Becoming a friend (wali) of Allah is open to every believer through two qualities: iman in Allah's oneness and taqwa expressed in obedience and good deeds, following the example of Prophet Ibrahim.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Introduction: the goal of becoming Allah's friend and the unique status of Khalil given to Ibrahim and Muhammad
- Clarifying that wilayah is not miraculous Sufi rank but the Quranic quality of iman plus taqwa
- Modern application: examine whether our reliance on jobs, family, and provision truly rests with Allah alone
- The second component of taqwa: doing obligatory and voluntary deeds, grounded in a hadith qudsi
- Seasonal exhortation to increase nawafil, fasting, and charity in the sacred month of Muharram
In the khateeb's words
“iman is the belief and taqwa is the amal they believe in Allah alone and they obey Him and they stay away from His prohibitions”
“when your tauhid is strong the way it was strong in the life of ibrahim alayhi salatu wasalam we're going to find ease and comforts in every decision”
For the dinner table
The khutbah explained that becoming a close friend of Allah is not about performing miracles or having a special public status. Allah’s friends are people who have iman and taqwa: they believe in Him, obey Him, and avoid what He has prohibited. Prophet Ibrahim showed this faith by rejecting idols from a young age and trusting Allah even when his people opposed him. Strong tawhid helps us remain steady through difficulties because we know that Allah provides and controls our affairs. We should protect our obligatory worship first, then grow through voluntary prayers, fasting, and charity, especially in the blessed month of Muharram.
- What is one choice where trusting Allah could help you feel less worried?
- What pressure do young people face today that might require standing up for what is right?
- Which obligatory or voluntary act of worship would you like to strengthen this month?
The masjid
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