Train your mind to anticipate worship
“Look forward to the next salah, look forward to the next jiz' of Quran that you're reading, look forward to the next a'mal that you do.”
Muslims should redirect the mind’s tendency to anticipate entertainment toward salah, Quran, dhikr, fasting, and other deeds that provide genuine benefit and closeness to Allah.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Modern shows, games, and notifications exploit the mind’s attraction to unfinished stories and rewards.
- Entertainment can act as a placebo while damaging sleep, relationships, and spiritual priorities.
- The Quran and Sunnah offer lasting benefits through prayer, dhikr, worship, and attachment to the masjid.
- Believers should distinguish wholesome enjoyment from addictions and honestly assess their own limits.
- Listeners are encouraged to build anticipation for worship and apply disciplined success habits to their deen.
In the khateeb's words
“So it goes back to what's in our heart is we're going to be focused on it. And then the mind finds a way to get trapped and stuck with it.”
“So you have to know yourself also, how you can control yourself and what you can do. if you give it, it will control you.”
“The formula to achieving success in this world is the same formula to achieving success in the deen. It's not that complicated.”
“See if you can create something in your mind that gets you to, oh, look forward to the next salah, look forward to the next jiz' of Quran that you're reading, look forward to the next a'mal that you do.”
For the dinner table
The khutbah explains that shows, games, and phones often keep us hooked by making us wait for the next episode, level, or notification. Entertainment is not automatically wrong, but each person should know their limits and step away from things that take over sleep, relationships, or worship. The speaker encourages us to build the same anticipation around salah, Quran, dhikr, fasting, and other good deeds, including regular bedtime remembrance and occasional voluntary fasting. Our real success is returning to Allah, so we should choose what truly benefits us and make worship something our hearts look forward to.
- What app, game, or show most easily keeps you watching or playing longer than planned?
- What good deed could you make easier to look forward to this week?
- What phone or gaming boundary would protect your sleep, prayer, or family time?
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