Prepare for the Imam by serving others
“The expectation of God is that when you go through difficulty, you help other people who are also going through difficulty.”
During the occultation of the Twelfth Imam, believers should actively prepare for his universal reform by reforming themselves, serving others locally, enduring hardship, and restraining desires that produce oppression.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Defines intidhar al-faraj as active awaiting through personal reform aligned with the Imam’s goals.
- Extends responsibility to local action against poverty, discrimination, and corruption while helping sufferers regardless of religion.
- Urges families to consider socially beneficial professions and prepare children to serve as ambassadors of Islam.
- Calls believers to prepare for hardship through resilience, simplicity, altruism, and sharing resources.
- Explains how uncontrolled desires produce oppression, using the stories of Lut and Yusuf as Quranic examples.
- Recommends putting God first, lowering the gaze, monitoring media consumption, and delaying gratification.
In the khateeb's words
“This is not a passive waiting but it's an awaiting that is coupled with action and plans”
“Any change that we want to see has to begin within our own environment and in our own circles.”
“The expectation of God is that when you go through difficulty, you help other people who are also going through difficulty.”
“If God is not worth it, then we will not put in that effort. But if Allah is worth the effort, we will put in that effort.”
For the dinner table
Sheikh Jaffer reminded us that awaiting the return of the 12th Imam means preparing ourselves through actions and choices every day. We can begin close to home by helping our neighbors and working against poverty, discrimination, and corruption, whatever someone's religion may be. He encouraged us to think about how our future work can serve others as well as support ourselves. He also asked us to practice self-restraint and build the strength to share with others even during hardship. In the second sermon, he reminded us to examine our own desires, keep God at the center of our decisions, and practice care with what we watch and what we want.
- What is one thing our family could do this week to help someone in our neighborhood?
- How could a job you find interesting make life better for other people?
- What is something you could practice waiting for, and what might that teach you?
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