Treasure blessings before they are gone
“Take advantage of 5 before 5.”
Because youth, health, wealth, free time, and life disappear or weaken, Muslims should treasure and use each blessing for worship, gratitude, and charity before its opposite arrives.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- The khutbah introduces the warning to spend from one's provision before death and the hadith of taking five blessings before five losses.
- It frames the Prophet's mission as renewing human character and explains ightanim as treasuring blessings.
- It examines youth before old age, urging worship habits and schedules while energy and consciousness remain.
- It turns to health before sickness, teaching gratitude for ease and remembrance of Allah before illness.
- It discusses wealth before poverty, balancing financial means with gratitude, charity, and guarding against arrogance.
- It closes with free time before busyness and life before death, warning against delay and ending with supplication.
In the khateeb's words
“Take advantage of 5 before 5. The word "Ightanim" is a very beautiful word because it doesn't just mean to take advantage.”
“making a schedule for yourself, a schedule of when you're going to work and when you're going to take breaks.”
“Because the moments that is lost, it never comes back. Even the most pious people on the Day of Judgment will be gray-haired”
For the dinner table
Allah gives us many blessings, and the khateeb focused on five: youth before old age, health before sickness, wealth before poverty, free time before busyness, and life before death. We should not wait until a blessing is gone to appreciate it. We can build worship into our schedules, remember Allah while healthy and comfortable, use wealth for charity, and spend free time well. These blessings are opportunities to grow in good character and worship. The khutbah ends by asking Allah to help us use these gifts before it is too late.
- Which blessing do you want to become more grateful for this week?
- What could we add to our family schedule to protect time for worship?
- How can we use one of our blessings to help someone else?
More on Gratitude
ICI · Irving, TX · Oct 24, 2026Thank Allah in ease and hardship“Even in moments of difficulty, when it feels like there's nothing going your way, there is always something to be grateful for.”
Either we're receiving a blessing, which calls for shukr, or we're going through a hardship, which calls for sabr.13:29Al-Ittehad · Vista, CA · Sep 19, 2026Gratitude and patience carry believers through life
Real gratitude is not a feeling.16:14London Muslim Mosque · London, ON · Sep 11, 2026Gratitude means using blessings well