Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Dec 5, 2025.
Worship must be sincere for Allah
HUSAINIYAH MASJID AND · Mehdi Raza Rizvi
“Ikhlas is the commodity that Allah wants from us.”
In one sentence
Allah requires worship to be performed with sincere intention for Him alone, because showing off can nullify its reward and turn a person’s effort into loss.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Opens with praise of Allah and reminders about mortality, death, and preparing righteous deeds.
- Presents ikhlas, or sincerity, as Allah’s central demand from worshippers and recalls Satan’s inability to mislead sincere servants.
- Relates Imam Hasan’s account of charity given with an added request for the recipient’s prayer, illustrating how mixed motives undermine sincerity.
- Explains riya, or showing off, and warns that even a small amount can invalidate worship and lead to spiritual loss.
- Concludes with encouragement to repent, trust Allah’s forgiveness, offer prayers, and attend the announced Arbaeen gathering.
Try this week
Perform worship and charity solely for Allah without seeking praise, thanks, or prayers from people.
Examine intentions for riya and avoid displaying religious practice to impress others.
Repent sincerely for past sins and seek Allah’s forgiveness.
Attend the announced Arbaeen program at Madinatul Ilm, beginning with Qur'an khawani at 6 p.m., followed by Maghribain.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 98Used to argue that worship must be offered sincerely for Allah alone.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“Riyah is if you are doing ibadah to show off or to show off people that I am humble or the one who do ibadah a lot.”
“And of course, it makes sense if you put your time and your physical energy in something, and in the end, you do not gain anything. And that is actually loss.”
Talk about it at home
For the dinner table
The sermon teaches that Allah wants our worship and good deeds to be sincere, done for Him alone. The speaker warned that showing off, even in a small way, can remove an action’s reward, using a story about Imam Hasan to show how seeking praise or a prayer can affect our intention. He encouraged us to examine our motives, repent for our sins, and trust Allah’s mercy. The gathering ended with prayers and an invitation to the speaker’s mother’s Arbaeen program.
- What is one kind thing you could do this week without telling anyone?
- How can you tell the difference between helping someone and seeking praise?
- What does it mean to ask Allah for forgiveness and start again?
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