Resist desire and prepare for the hereafter
“He lowered his gaze and he went to a different part of the river.”
Imam Ali's warning against two dangers, following one's desires and harboring extended worldly hopes, means believers must prefer Allah's will over their own and prepare now for the hereafter, trusting that Allah then protects and provides for them.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Opening with taqwa exhortation and introduction of Imam Ali's hadith on two fears
- First khutbah: following desires (ittiba'u al-hawa) leads away from truth
- Hadith qudsi: Allah swears He disorders the affairs of one who prefers his own desire, but sends angels and rizq to one who prefers Allah's will
- Story of young shaheed Nayyari lowering his gaze at the river and hearing creation praise Allah
- Second khutbah: extended hopes (tul al-amal) make one forget the hereafter and delay tawbah
- Imam Khomeini's analogy of the unprepared traveler; Imam Ali's lament over scarce provisions for the long journey
- Contemporary application: Gaza/Minab genocide, society's apathy, the Calgary boy's death, and Imam Hussein's words on truth not acted upon
- Closing salawat, dua, and Surah an-Nasr recitation
In the khateeb's words
“innama akhaafu alaykum isnatain I am afraid for you oh my Shia oh umah of Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa sallam I am afraid for you regarding two things ittiba'u al-hawa wa toul al-amal following your desires and having extended hopes”
“but Nayyari over there when he could have sinned he didn't sin he lowered his gaze and he went to a different part of the river”
“if you just stroll in the graveyard and look at the dates there”
For the dinner table
The khateeb shared a hadith from Imam Ali, who said he fears two things for his community: following our desires, and having extended hopes, tul al-amal. Following whatever the heart wants pulls us away from truth, while assuming we have endless time makes us forget the hereafter, like a traveler who never packs for a journey that could begin any moment. He told the moving story of Shaheed Nayyari, a young teenager who lowered his gaze when no one was watching, wept from the struggle, and was rewarded by hearing all of creation praising Allah, proof that when we choose Allah over our nafs, Allah's help comes. He reminded us that work, school, and family duties are good when done for Allah, but they cannot become what we live for. And he called us to one moral standard of compassion: a child lost in Calgary and the children of Gaza and Minab are equally innocent, and we must never let the world make us forget or grow numb.
- Shaheed Nayyari did the right thing when nobody was watching, what's a moment like that for you?
- What's one thing you've been telling yourself 'I'll do it later' that you could actually start this week?
- The khateeb said 'a child is a child', why do you think people find it easier to care about some kids than others?
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