Pleasure is a means, not our purpose
“Our purpose is to worship Allah.”
Islam teaches believers to enjoy worldly blessings within halal boundaries and moderation while refusing to let desire, addiction, or pleasure replace the purpose of worshipping Allah.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Calls listeners to taqwa and worship as means of seeing beyond worldly desire.
- Uses Adam and Hawwa's temptation to explain Shaytan's manipulation of pleasure and the weakening of resolve.
- Explains how unchecked desires can enslave people, rationalize sin, and corrupt faith.
- Links contemporary addictions and social crises to prophetic warnings about the end times.
- Presents Islam as a middle path that permits lawful enjoyment, family, work, rest, and marriage.
- Concludes that pleasures are means, not the purpose; pursue halal in moderation and avoid disobedience.
In the khateeb's words
“So that you may have taqwa So that you may become God conscious So that you may see beyond the veils of the world And the veils of your desires And the veils of the pleasures”
“The pleasures of this world are means to fulfilling our purpose. Our purpose is to worship Allah.”
“Do not commit haram. Do not disobey Allah to seek wealth. Do not disobey Allah to seek a partner. Do not disobey Allah to satisfy your desires.”
“And pursue only the halal. And pursue it in moderation. And ultimately, do not forget your purpose is to worship Allah, not to seek the pleasures and fulfillment of one's desires.”
For the dinner table
Our desires are part of being human, but they can pull us away from what matters. The khutbah teaches that Allah wants us to enjoy His lawful blessings without letting money, pleasure, status, food, or technology become our purpose. We should notice how temptation can make forbidden things look attractive and protect our hearts through taqwa, remembrance, and self-control. Islam calls us to a balanced life that includes worship, work, rest, family, and wholesome enjoyment. This week, we can choose halal paths, avoid what Allah has forbidden, and remember that our deepest purpose is to worship Allah.
- Where do you see people being tempted to think haram will make them happier?
- What is one blessing we can enjoy without letting it control us?
- What would moderation look like in our family this week?
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