Servanthood to Allah should shape every life
“You are who you are because of the decisions that you've made by the tawfiq of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.”
Muslims should make servanthood to Allah the center of their lives, allowing sacrifice, worship, and purposeful excellence to shape their families, careers, and service to society.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- The Prophet’s mission is introduced through Khadijah’s support and the sacrifices of Sumayyah and her family.
- Sacrifice transforms initial motivation into lasting purpose through repeated choices of patience, love, sincerity, and loyalty.
- Muslims in the West are challenged not to become slaves to careers, consumerism, and material comfort.
- Ethical excellence in professional and public life should make Muslims lanterns of guidance beyond the masjid.
- Spiritual formation is described through outward awareness, inner purification, acceptance of the past, and preparation for meeting Allah.
- The khutbah closes with a call for ambition, hope, prayer, remembrance, and ubudiyyah as the community’s central aim.
In the khateeb's words
“you are not who you are by coincidence you are who you are because of the decisions that you've made by the tawfiq of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala”
“slavery to everyone but Allah slavery to everything but Allah at some point we have to ask ourselves are we okay with this?”
“if someone asks me this question what is the one thing all of our Muslim institutions should be collectively leading towards in guiding the ulmah I would say it is in one word ubudiyyah”
For the dinner table
The khutbah reminded us that Islam spread through the Prophet’s steadfast character and the tremendous sacrifices of believers such as Sumayya and her family. Our small, repeated choices, especially when patience, loyalty, and comfort are tested, gradually shape who we become. Work, education, homes, and careers can be valuable, but they should serve our purpose as servants of Allah rather than become our masters. Muslims should pursue excellence, live by halal ethics, and bring guidance into society through sincere character. Remembering that Allah is greater than everything occupying our minds helps us accept the past, prepare for the akhirah, and make the present moment count. The khateeb encouraged us to have ambition, recognize our greater purpose, and deepen ubudiyyah, our loving servitude to Allah.
- What is one choice you made this week that is shaping the kind of person you are becoming?
- How can you be excellent at school or work while still remembering that you are serving Allah?
- What is one thing occupying your mind that feels smaller when you remember Allahu Akbar?
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