Closeness to Allah is true worth
“The only thing that makes one person better than another person is his or her closeness to Allah.”
Believers must reject the feeling and speech of being better than others, measure superiority by lasting closeness to Allah, and show humility through worship, conduct, and service.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Urges believers to remove “I am better than you” from their vocabulary and links it to Shaytan’s arrogance.
- Distinguishes healthy appearance from sinful pride, defining arrogance as rejecting truth and belittling people.
- Teaches that lasting closeness to Allah, not race, wealth, lineage, education, or strength, is the true measure of worth.
- Uses the scales of deeds and the hadith of the bankrupt person to warn that mistreating others can consume one’s worship.
- Illustrates hidden piety through the poor man’s spiritual worth and urges character that guides others toward Islam.
- Concludes with the Prophet’s humble example and practical warnings about speech, prayer, and phone distractions.
In the khateeb's words
“The only thing that makes one person better than another person is his or her closeness to Allah. Not wealth, not lineage, not education.”
“We pray five times a day. Not because Allah needs us to pray five times a day. Because we need it five times a day.”
“So watch the statements that come out of your mouth and that come off your tongue.”
For the dinner table
The khateeb urged us to remove “I am better than you” from our speech and our hearts. He explained that arrogance means refusing the truth and looking down on people, and that money, looks, family background, and education do not make us closer to Allah. Our prayers, fasting, and charity matter, and we must also take care not to hurt others with our words or actions. He reminded us that a small gift can involve a great sacrifice and pointed to the Prophet's choice to be a servant messenger as an example of humility. We can practice these lessons by serving others, letting prayer bring our attention back to Allah, and asking His forgiveness when we speak wrongly.
- What could you say when you disagree with someone that would help them feel heard?
- What is something you could give or do for someone that would take real effort from you?
- How could our family help each other put down our phones when it is time to pray?
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