Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Aug 28, 2025.

Protect your heart to strengthen faith

“Indeed in the body is a morsel of flesh.”

The khateeb, at 5:27

In one sentence

Because the heart governs the body and faith rises or falls with it, Muslims must protect and purify their hearts through tawhid, sound belief, and obedience to Allah.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Establishes that humanity was created to worship Allah and uphold tawhid.
  2. Uses hadith to explain that Allah assesses hearts and actions, and that the heart governs the body.
  3. Presents the Prophet and his Companions as examples of pure hearts.
  4. Explains that iman fluctuates, increasing through obedience and decreasing through sin.
  5. Defines iman as belief in the heart, speech on the tongue, and action through the limbs.
  6. Reviews the six pillars of iman and warns against corrupting beliefs and harmful influences.
Try this week
Reflect on the purpose of your creation and single out Allah in worship.
Guard your heart from false beliefs and harmful influences on social platforms.
Increase iman through obedience to Allah and avoid sins that weaken it.
Learn and uphold the six pillars of iman.
Sources the khateeb cited
Sahih MuslimArgues that Allah looks at people's hearts and actions rather than appearance or wealth.
Sahih al-BukhariUses the heart as the morsel whose condition determines the condition of the whole body.
Musnad AhmadSupports the teaching that iman increases and decreases.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“Indeed in the body is a morsel of flesh. If it is that the morsel of flesh is good. Then all of the body is good.”
Dar Al-Istiqamah · Brooklyn, NY
Play from 5:27
“So if it is that the king is upright and correct. Then know that the soldiers are going to be upright and correct.”
Dar Al-Istiqamah · Brooklyn, NY
Play from 9:21
“The heart it wavers according to the actions of the human being.”
Dar Al-Istiqamah · Brooklyn, NY
Play from 10:35
“that the Iman it increases with the obedience of Allah and it decreases when it is that an individual he falls into sins.”
Dar Al-Istiqamah · Brooklyn, NY
Play from 12:28
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khateeb reminded us that Allah created us to worship Him alone. He explained that Allah looks at our hearts and actions, rather than our appearance or wealth. Our hearts are like a king whose soldiers are our body parts, so what we nurture inside influences what we say and do. He also reminded us that iman grows through obedience to Allah and decreases through sins, so caring for our faith takes daily effort. He spoke about Allah’s beautiful names and His mercy, including the mercy that reaches all His creation.

  1. What is one everyday thing you could do with the intention of worshipping Allah?
  2. How could you care for your heart when you feel jealous or angry?
  3. What reminded you of Allah’s mercy today?