Use what Allah gives in His service
“We want to do something that's going to be a benefit to those that are left behind us, and it will continue to give us blessings in the hereafter.”
True taqwa comes from recognizing Allah as the owner and source of all finite resources, then using time, wealth, and energy sincerely in His service with gratitude and patience.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- The story of the man with two gardens warns against boasting and attributing prosperity solely to oneself.
- The gardens' destruction awakens recognition that Allah alone gives and removes blessings.
- The believer responds to blessings with gratitude and hardship with patience, building taqwa.
- Time, money, energy, and influence are finite, while Allah is eternal; modern distractions can obscure this truth.
- Prayer and sujood can reset one's perspective and place human plans beneath Allah's authority.
- Listeners are urged to serve Allah sincerely, help others, and pursue benefits that continue after their deaths.
In the khateeb's words
“He just didn't bring about all this good situation by himself.”
“He didn't realize that the only thing that is infinite is Allah.”
“What we want to do is we want to do something that's going to be a benefit to those that are left behind us, and it will continue to give us blessings in the hereafter.”
“We don't allow our mistakes to keep us, just keep going, doubling down and tripling down and going down this road.”
For the dinner table
Imam Elijah reminded us that our time, energy, money, and abilities are gifts we can use to serve Allah. He told the story of a man with two gardens who took credit for his success and recognized his mistake after losing what he had. The khutbah encouraged us to practice gratitude when things go well and patience when things are difficult, strengthening our relationship with Allah. It also called us to help others in ways that leave lasting benefits, with sincere intentions rather than a desire for praise. When we make mistakes, we can turn back, learn, and keep working together to do better.
- What is one gift from Allah that you feel thankful for today, and how could you share its benefit?
- What could our family do this week that would keep helping someone afterward?
- When you make a mistake, what helps you learn from it and try again?
More on Repentance & taqwa
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