True Islam means submitting to Allah
“Their submission to Allah was being tested.”
True Islam is sincere submission to Allah's commands in heart and action, not merely finding legal loopholes to keep our own desires, and this submission orders our lives and brings divine peace and provision.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- The Sabbath-fish story as a warning against using legal tricks (hiyal) to get around Allah's command
- Salah, zakat, and other acts of worship as tests that force the soul to submit rather than follow convenience
- The meaning of Islam as submission, exemplified by Umar kissing the Black Stone solely because the Prophet did it
- The hadith contrast between making the Hereafter one's intention and making the dunya one's main concern
- A closing call to make 'I have submitted to the Lord of the Worlds' today's motto, followed by supplication
In the khateeb's words
“Why did the fish show up only on that day? Because their submission to Allah was being tested They were supposed to say, we hear the command and we obey”
“They looked for a way without technically breaking the command To still take what they wanted So they're looking for a way around the command of Allah”
“But I'm doing it Because I know it came from Allah Or it came from the Messenger of Allah”
For the dinner table
Today the khateeb reminded us that being Muslim means truly submitting to Allah, not just finding clever ways to obey the rules while still getting what we want. He used the story of the fish that came only on the Sabbath to show how people tried to get around Allah's command, and warned us not to do the same with prayer, zakat, or earning money. True submission means doing what Allah and His Messenger asked because they asked, even when we do not see all the wisdom. When the Hereafter becomes our real goal, Allah brings peace and order into our lives; when this world becomes our main worry, we feel scattered and never satisfied. He ended by encouraging us to make 'I have submitted to the Lord of the Worlds' our motto for the day.
- Can you think of a rule at home or school you try to get around without technically breaking it?
- When you feel upset or tired, what do you usually turn to for comfort?
- What do you think it means to say, 'I have submitted to the Lord of the Worlds'?
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