Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Jul 25, 2026.
Knowing Allah makes the first step meaningful
“The first step to start getting closer to Allah.”
In one sentence
The first step toward Allah must be taken consciously, by truly knowing Him through understanding the meanings of dhikr like SubhanAllah (raising Allah above all deficiencies), which removes the inner obstructions that keep a servant from drawing near.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Opening khutbah formula and the hadith qudsi: 'Whoever comes to Me walking, I come to him running'
- The first step to Allah requires moving consciously, since love flows from knowing the beloved's attributes
- The dialectic of dhikr: the tongue reflects meaning in the heart, and the tongue's dhikr builds meaning in the heart
- Arabic root sin-ba-ha (per Fairuzabadi's dictionary): moving smoothly and effortlessly without obstruction, as in swimming
- The shar'i meaning of tasbih: raising Allah above all deficiencies and imperfections
- Who attributes deficiency to Allah: Quranic examples of the Jews and Christians, and our own hesitation to give charity
- Surah an-Nasr, the seven surahs opening with tasbih, and the application: mindful post-salah dhikr and better khushu' in prayer
Try this week
Say the post-salah adhkar (SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar 33x) with conscious reflection on their meanings rather than mechanically
When reading Quran, study the seven surahs that begin with tasbih and identify what negative thought about Allah each one corrects
Work on khushu' in salah, be present before Al-Azim instead of thinking about work, money, and family, and resolve to pray better next time
Give in charity when asked, even a small amount, trusting Allah's promise to replace what is spent
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 36:40Cited to show the root s-b-h as smooth, unimpeded motion, applied to celestial bodies
Quran 73:7A metaphorical use of the s-b-h root for moving through one's daily life
Quran 5:64Examples of attributing deficiency to Allah, the opposite of tasbih
Quran 3:181Examples of attributing deficiency to Allah, the opposite of tasbih
Quran 9:30Affiliating a son to Allah as a failure to raise Him above deficiency
Quran 7:143Musa's 'Subhanaka' after the mountain collapsed, raising Allah above the imperfection of being seen
Quran 110:1-3Where logic expects thanks after victory, Allah commands tasbih and istighfar instead
Quran 34:39Allah's promise to replace charity, used to argue that withholding a donation reflects attributing deficiency to Him
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“If he remembers me in himself I will remember him in myself”
“and if he comes walking to me I would come running to him”
“My topic today is around the first step to start getting closer to Allah”
Keep listening
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