Choose Allah over your desires
“The true believer is the one who chooses Allah even when it is difficult.”
A believer demonstrates sincere love and faith by choosing Allah’s commands over personal desires, leaving sinful or doubtful things for His sake, and trusting Him to replace them with something better in this life or the Hereafter.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Warns against selectively following scripture and engaging in “fatwa shopping.”
- Explains that sincere faith requires sacrificing desires and prioritizing Allah’s pleasure.
- Describes the nafs, accountability, and restraining desires through Surah al-Nazi’at.
- Uses Yusuf’s refusal of temptation as an example of choosing Allah over immediate comfort.
- Uses Suhaib al-Rumi’s migration to illustrate sacrificing wealth for faith.
- Lists everyday sacrifices and explains how Allah may replace them in this life or the Hereafter.
- Concludes with prayers, conflict-related reminders, and an announcement about an end-times series.
In the khateeb's words
“But the believer understands that pleasing Allah comes before everything else.”
“The true believer is the one who chooses Allah even when it is difficult.”
“You will never leave something for the sake of Allah except that Allah will replace it with something better for you.”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that pleasing Allah sometimes means giving up something we want. He warned against looking for religious answers only because they suit our desires. Through the story of Yusuf, he showed how faith and patience can help us choose what is right even when it is difficult. These choices also happen in everyday life, when we control our anger, avoid gossip, forgive someone, or tell the truth. He encouraged us to trust that Allah gives something better in return, which may be a blessing in this life or a reward in the hereafter.
- What could help you step away when a conversation turns into gossip?
- When you feel angry, what could help you choose a response that pleases Allah?
- What small thing could we practice giving up for Allah together this week?
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