12:51 What does this mean…18:14 Make the hijrah from…23:22 Trust me. Rely upon…
Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Sep 6, 2025.

Trust Allah and leave what distracts

Middle Ground

“Make the hijrah from your phone to Allah.”

The khateeb, at 18:14

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In one sentence

Staying on the straight path requires trusting Allah enough to leave whatever circumstances, attachments, or distractions obstruct worship, while acting with faith, patience, and focus on the Hereafter.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Revisits Sirat al-Mustaqim as Allah’s path requested in Surah al-Fatihah.
  2. Uses the hostile Meccan context of Surah al-Ankabut to frame spiritual obstacles.
  3. Explains expansive earth, death, and hijrah as calls to prioritize worship over attachments.
  4. Applies hijrah to modern distractions such as phone scrolling, Netflix, and late nights.
  5. Connects faith with deeds, patience, reliance on Allah, and confidence in divine provision.
  6. Reframes education, money, and health as instruments for worship rather than ultimate goals, then closes with supplications.
Try this week
Read the Quran with contemplation and attention to its original context.
Identify the attachment or circumstance keeping you from worship and make a deliberate hijrah away from it.
Reduce phone scrolling, binge-watching, and late-night media use so Fajr and other worship are protected.
Treat education, money, health, and other worldly gifts as tools for worship rather than goals.
Strive, practice patience, and rely on Allah while pursuing the ultimate goal of the Hereafter.
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 1:6Used to establish that believers are asking Allah to guide them along His straight path.
Quran 29:56-64Used to connect expansive earth, death, striving, patience, provision, and the temporary nature of worldly life.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“What does this mean about Sirat al-Mustaqim? It means do not allow your circumstances to take you from the Sirat al-Mustaqim.”
Middle Ground · Upland, CA
Play from 12:51
“Make the hijrah from your phone to Allah. Make the hijrah from Netflix to Allah. All of us have some Medina to go to.”
Middle Ground · Upland, CA
Play from 18:14
“Trust me. Rely upon me. Persevere for my sake. Work for the goal that you know is the ultimate end. This life is not the end.”
Middle Ground · Upland, CA
Play from 23:22
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khateeb reminded us that when we ask Allah to guide us to the straight path, we are asking for guidance that should shape our daily choices. He explained how the early Muslims faced the difficulty of leaving familiar places and possessions so they could worship Allah. Our blessings are gifts on loan, and remembering that we will return to Allah can help us put them in perspective. For us, a step toward Allah might mean changing a habit, like staying up on our phones until we struggle to wake for Fajr. Faith calls us to act, persevere, and trust Allah, using our time, health, and money to worship Him and prepare for the hereafter.

  1. How could you use something Allah has given you to help someone this week?
  2. When something feels hard, how can our family help you keep trying and trust Allah?
Where it was given

The masjid

Middle Ground Muslim Center870 N Mountain Ave, Suite 102, Upland, CA 91786Jumu'ah Khutbah 1:00 PMArchiveAll khutbahs at Middle Ground29 khutbahs
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