Obligatory worship brings us closer to Allah
“No servant of mine can come closer to me through anything more beloved than what I have obligated him to do.”
Closeness to Allah is achieved by faithfully fulfilling obligatory worship, holding to the Qur'an and Sunnah, continuing to learn, and trusting Allah.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Urges particular care with the five daily prayers and sincere payment of zakah.
- Encourages holding firmly to the Qur'an and Sunnah while trusting Allah as guardian and helper.
- Uses a Hadith Qudsi to explain that obligatory deeds are the primary path to becoming close to Allah.
- Encourages being a basic Muslim by maintaining salah, zakah, fasting, and hajj while continuing to learn.
- Delivers Arabic exhortations about tawhid, taqwa, perseverance, and obedience.
- Praises the Prophet and Companions, prays for Muslims and the oppressed, and leads the Friday prayer with Quranic recitations.
In the khateeb's words
“Let us discharge our zakah with this intention that it is for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Not that it is a tax.”
“That no servant of mine can come closer to me through anything more beloved than what I have obligated him to do.”
“Like one scholar says, he says, be that basic Muslim. The one who ensures that all of his salah is intact, his zakah is intact, his saum is intact, his hajj is intact.”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that striving for Allah begins with caring for our five daily prayers and fulfilling our responsibilities. He encouraged us to give zakah for Allah’s sake, rather than thinking of it as a tax. He also urged us to hold firmly to the Qur’an and the sunnah of the Prophet. When this feels difficult, we can begin and put our trust in Allah, our guardian and helper. Drawing close to Allah starts with being faithful to our basic obligations and learning how to please Him.
- What could we do as a family to help each other pray consistently?
- How could remembering Allah change the way we feel about giving?
- What is one small step you could take this week to strengthen your practice of Islam?
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