8:31 Protect God and God…14:39 When is the last time…19:15 However, your actions…22:50 Watch the World Cup.…
Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Jun 19, 2026.

Make love for Allah your priority

ICNVT · Omar Popal

“Prioritize God and God will protect you.”

The khateeb, at 8:31

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

The khutbah urges believers to make love for Allah their highest priority, testing that claim against their time, knowledge, excitement, and recreation while keeping permissible activities from displacing prayer and worship.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Introduces Ibn Abbas's counsel to prioritize Allah and trust Him through life's tests.
  2. Explains that true believers love Allah more than everything else.
  3. Uses World Cup fandom to examine whether time, knowledge, excitement, and family gatherings reveal misplaced priorities.
  4. Contrasts a halal-and-haram checklist mentality with worship rooted in love.
  5. Grounds the message in Quranic warnings, Judgment Day accountability, the Prophet's example, and the sweetness of faith.
  6. Concludes that recreation is permissible when it never displaces prayer, sunnah, Fajr, or Allah's priority.
Try this week
Prioritize prayer and do not miss it for sports or entertainment.
Do not stay up late enough to miss Fajr.
Gather with family for Quran, dhikr, dua, or congregational prayer.
Learn about Allah, the prophets, the Quran, and the religion.
Use recreation as a test of priorities rather than allowing it to displace worship.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 9Warns against loving family, homes, and businesses more than Allah and His Messenger.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“Protect God and God will protect you. Prioritize God and God will protect you.”
ICNVT · Fairfax, VA
Play from 8:31
“When is the last time you did that? In private. With no one around. When is the last time you were that happy with Allah?”
ICNVT · Fairfax, VA
Play from 14:39
“However, your actions speak louder than your words and your thoughts.”
ICNVT · Fairfax, VA
Play from 19:15
“Watch the World Cup. No problem. Because you are going to watch it. But Allah is priority.”
ICNVT · Fairfax, VA
Play from 22:50
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Today's khutbah reminded us to put Allah first and let our actions show our love for Him. The khateeb used the World Cup as an example: enjoying sports can be permissible, but our enjoyment should not push prayer or our relationship with Allah aside. He encouraged us to think beyond what is allowed or forbidden and find love and joy in worship. As a family, we can make time to read Quran, remember Allah, make dua, and pray together. He also reminded us that putting Allah first does not remove every hardship, but Allah can give us the ability to get through it. Loving people for Allah's sake means caring about them because they are His creation, beyond what they do for us.

  1. How could we plan our favorite games or activities around prayer?
  2. What could you do this week to care for someone without expecting anything back?
Where it was given

The masjid

Islamic Center of Northern Virginia Trust4420 Shirley Gate Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030Jumu'ah 11:30 AM · 1:15 PM · 2:15 PMKhateebOmar PopalMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at ICNVT108 khutbahs
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