Strive for what truly benefits you
“I'm going to struggle more for the sake of Allah.”
A believer must abandon the victim mindset (dahiyyah) for the mission mindset (risalah): true strength is strength of iman, shown by ardently striving for what benefits you, seeking Allah's help, refusing helplessness, and accepting Allah's decree without 'if only.'
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Two mindsets contrasted: victim/siege mentality with an external locus of control vs. mission mindset with internal agency
- Quran's language of racing and striving (saari'oo, saabiqoo, al-saabiqoon) proves Islam demands purpose and effort
- The Sahih Muslim hadith 'the strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer', strength means strength of iman, not physical muscle
- Word one: ihris, ardent desire, but only 'ala ma yanfa'uk (for what genuinely benefits you), not fame, wealth, or entertainment
- Word two: wa ista'in billah, seek Allah's help; striving without it means being deserted, and la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah is a treasure of Paradise
- Word three: wa la ta'jiz, never be helpless when you have the ability to act (e.g., salat al-tawbah after sin)
- Word four: when afflicted, say 'qaddarallahu wa ma sha'a fa'al', saying 'if only' opens the door to Shaytan's work
- Second khutbah: Allah will not change a people's condition until they change what is in themselves; if Allah wants good for someone He grants him understanding of the deen
In the khateeb's words
“He says the strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer.”
“I'm going to wake up earlier than other people. I'm going to stay up later than other people. I'm going to read more. I'm going to struggle more for the sake of Allah.”
“Tie it up first. Then put your tawakkal. Your trust on Allah Ta'ala Azzawajal.”
“That Allah will not change the status of a people. Until they change the status of what is inside of themselves.”
For the dinner table
Today the khateeb taught us about two ways of thinking: a victim mindset that blames everyone else, and a mission mindset where we take responsibility because Allah gave us agency. He built the whole khutbah on one hadith from Sahih Muslim: the strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, and strong means strong in faith, not in muscles. The Prophet told us to eagerly chase what truly benefits us, to ask Allah for help in everything, to never sit back helpless when we can act, and when hardship comes, to say 'Allah decreed it' instead of 'if only.' He even reminded us that this applies to small things like what we eat, how we sleep, and what we watch. The message: stop waiting for the world to change, start with your own heart, your own prayers, your own effort, and trust Allah with the rest.
- What is one thing you do every week that you could check against the question 'does this benefit me?'
- When something goes wrong for you, what do you usually say first, 'if only' or 'qaddarallahu wa ma sha'a fa'al'?
- If you woke up earlier than everyone else tomorrow for Allah, what would you do with that time?
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