Blessings test whether we stay grateful
“You should never look down on anybody else.”
Every blessing, wealth, health, guidance, is a test from Allah, and passing it requires gratitude, contentment, purifying the soul, and spending from what Allah gave you rather than letting blessings breed arrogance and self-attribution.
The khutbah in 9 steps
- Opening khutbah formulas and taqwa verses in Arabic
- The hadith of the three men (leper, blind man, bald man) tested then blessed with wealth
- Wealth is a test many fail: the two men attributed their success to themselves and forgot their former state
- Everything is a test, poverty and riches alike; material blessings do not mean Allah is pleased with you
- Never look down on others' struggles; everyone has a different test
- Be content with what you have; do not let blessings or even guidance make you self-righteous
- Tazkiyah of the soul: Surah al-Shams' long chain of oaths emphasizes purifying the soul
- Give from Allah's wealth that He gave you (Surah an-Nur); you are only a temporary caretaker
- Gratitude is shown by using every blessing, wealth, knowledge, in pursuit of Allah's pleasure
In the khateeb's words
“you should never look down on anybody else and say oh that's not a big deal you don't know what other people are going through”
“the wealth that you have ultimately it doesn't belong to you everything belongs to Allah”
“to show gratitude is to use to use these blessings in a way that pleases Him”
For the dinner table
The khateeb told the story of three men, a leper, a blind man, and a bald man, whom Allah healed and then blessed with wealth. Two of them became arrogant, claimed the wealth was their own, and lost everything, while the blind man stayed grateful and kept his blessings. The lesson is that both hard times and good times are tests, and having money or success does not mean Allah is pleased with us. Everything we own really belongs to Allah; we are just taking care of it for a while. Real gratitude means using what Allah gave us, money, knowledge, anything, in ways that please Him. The khateeb also reminded us to be content, to purify our hearts, and never to look down on other people's struggles.
- What is one blessing in your life that might actually be a test?
- Why do you think the two rich men in the story forgot where their wealth came from?
- What is one way our family could use a blessing we have to help someone else this week?
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