Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Dec 20, 2025.
Good deeds need sincere intentions
“Whatever we say, whatever we do, must be for the sake of Allah alone.”
In one sentence
Good deeds benefit a believer only when they are righteous according to the Qur'an and Sunnah and performed sincerely for Allah, while sincere intention can turn permissible everyday actions into worship.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Continues the series by defining good deeds and reviewing Islam and iman as conditions for acceptance.
- Explains sincerity as the second condition: deeds must be for Allah alone, not fame or people.
- Shows how intention distinguishes ordinary habits from worship and differentiates obligatory and voluntary acts.
- Applies the principle to family outings, spending, weddings, funerals, and social gatherings.
- Concludes by asking Allah for sincerity and acceptance, followed by brief community announcements.
Try this week
Check your intention before worship and everyday activities.
Keep actions within halal and haram boundaries and aligned with the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Make family outings and spending acts of worship by intending to care for and please your family for Allah's sake.
Avoid making weddings, funerals, and gatherings primarily about people's praise.
Attend the weekly Sira lecture after Isha and support the masjid.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 18Used to establish that deeds must be righteous and free from associating partners with Allah.
Sahih MuslimUsed to teach that Allah rejects deeds performed partly for anyone besides Him.
Sunan an-Nasa'iUsed to show that striving mixed with a desire for fame earns no reward.
Sahih MuslimUsed to explain that Allah's love brings the love of angels and people.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“whatever we say, whatever we do, must be for the sake of Allah alone. Not for dunya, not for fame, not for people, not for anything else but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.”
“for the Muslim, whatever he does, whatever he likes, whatever he enjoys, has to be done within the limits of his deen.”
“This beautiful, good intention will make you rewarded for what you are doing. But if there is no intention behind it, it will be just, okay, something nice.”
Talk about it at home
For the dinner table
The khutbah teaches that good deeds are accepted when they follow Allah's guidance and are done sincerely for Him. A sincere intention can transform ordinary activities, such as caring for family, into rewarded worship. We should not let people's praise or criticism control our choices. Instead, we should keep our actions within Islam's limits and seek Allah's acceptance. The sermon closes with a prayer for sincerity, blessing, and accepted deeds.
- What ordinary family activity could become worship through a better intention?
- When might we care too much about what other people think?
- What helps us remember to do good deeds for Allah alone?
Keep listening
More on Prayer & worship
The remembrance of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is something very powerful.9:18ISCN · Corona, CA · Oct 24, 2026Knowing Allah makes worship joyful
Ali Khan Center · Suitland, MD · Oct 10, 2026Give the weekly prayer your full attention“Don't just time it so you get maybe five-minute kutbah and a five-minute salat, and you're out in 10 minutes.”
Don't set your floor at your peak time, like in Ramadan.19:52Al-Noor · Santa Clara, CA · Oct 24, 2026Build a sustainable spiritual floor