Worship is tested by how you treat people
“Look at how you're doing outside the masjid.”
True Islam joins worship of Allah with fulfilling the rights of His creation, and the quality of one's worship is tested by how one treats people outside the masjid.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Defines the rights owed to Allah, including belief, tawhid, prayer, zakah, and fasting.
- Explains huquq al-ibad through responsibilities toward family, business partners, plants, animals, water, and the environment.
- Argues that worship should transform conduct outside the masjid, especially by preventing dishonesty, backbiting, cursing, and anger.
- Frames difficult people and circumstances as tests from Allah designed to expose and improve personal weaknesses.
- Encourages listeners to assess their character through the experiences of family, coworkers, bosses, and others.
- Closes with a call to taqwa, fulfilling people's rights before Judgment, masjid announcements, and prayers for ill community members.
In the khateeb's words
“One of the goals of Islam is to not just improve a person as a worshipper of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, but rather to improve that person in their interaction with the creation of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala as well.”
“What good is that Islam that you pray five times a day, you follow the sunnah, you know, miswaq and this and that. And then when you leave the masjid, you cheat, you lie, you backbite, you curse, you get angry.”
“You want to know how well you are worshipping Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? How good that's going? Look at how you're doing outside the masjid.”
For the dinner table
Islam is not only about what we do in the masjid; it is also about how we treat Allah's creation. The khutbah explained that we owe rights to parents, children, people we do business with, and even animals and the environment. Difficult people and frustrating circumstances can be tests from Allah, so our response matters. A good way to check our worship is to notice how our family, coworkers, and others experience us, and to seek guidance if our salah is not changing us. We should strive to live with taqwa, fulfill people's rights, and pray for those who are ill and for the wider Muslim community.
- What is one way we can show someone's rights at home this week?
- What situation pushes your buttons, and how could you respond differently?
- How can our salah show up in the way we speak and act outside the masjid?
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