Wealth and power can corrupt faith
“Two hungry wolves being released on a flock of sheep is no more destructive to them than a person's greed for wealth and power is to his deen.”
Wealth, status, and power can corrupt faith unless leadership is accepted responsibly, accompanied by humility, accountability, and continual self-examination.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Introduces the hadith comparing greed for wealth and power to hungry wolves attacking sheep.
- Explains how status-seeking and corruption are connected in Quranic warnings.
- Describes how power changes self-perception, attracts yes-men, and creates access to harmful temptations.
- Clarifies that leadership is not forbidden when sought for valid responsibility and grounded in trustworthiness.
- Uses Yusuf, Abu Dharr, Uthman ibn Abbas, Umar, and Salman to distinguish responsible leadership from ambition.
- Calls listeners to examine how authority and resources affect them, accept correction, and seek Allah’s protection.
In the khateeb's words
“two hungry wolves being released on a flock of sheep is no more destructive to them than a person's greed for wealth and power is to his deen”
“power and status and leadership it is like a woman who breastfeeds she is excellent at breastfeeding her child but she's horrible at weaning the child off”
“we all have the capability of becoming monsters and maybe the difference between us and becoming like that is really just resources status and power”
“may Allah have mercy on a man who gives me gives me as a gift my flaws he points out my flaws to me”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah teaches that wealth, status, and power can quietly damage a person’s faith, like hungry wolves attacking sheep. They can change how we see ourselves, make honest advice feel like an insult, surround us with yes-men, and expose us to temptations we once lacked. Leadership is not forbidden: Yusuf sought a responsible position because he was trustworthy and knowledgeable, while Umar showed that a leader must welcome correction. Since parents, teachers, managers, and others all hold some authority, we should examine our hearts, accept sincere feedback, fulfill our responsibilities, and ask Allah for protection.
- What kind of power or responsibility do you have at home or school?
- How can we make criticism easier to receive?
- What helps keep success from changing our character?
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