Let your heart tremble before Judgment Day
“May Allah allow our hearts to shake now so that we avoid the punishment of that shaking on that day.”
The earthquakes we witness are reminders of the final quaking of the Hour, so Muslims should let their hearts tremble with God-consciousness before that Day arrives.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Recitation of Quranic verses describing the final earthquake and people appearing intoxicated from terror
- Explanation that increased earthquakes are signs of the Hour and the final zalzalah will shake all creation
- Reflection on Surah Az-Zalzalah: the earth will expel its treasures and expose the emptiness of worldly competition
- Reference to Surat An-Nazi'at: hearts will tremble along with the earth on that Day
- Warning against belittling small sins, which become grave when taken lightly
- Use of recent earthquakes in Tokyo, Venezuela, and the Pacific coast as contemporary warnings
- Reflection on the fragility of wealth, homes, health, and status
- Call to remind family and to let hearts shake now in order to avoid punishment then
In the khateeb's words
“what they should have been ready to risk it all for was not money not fame not property but rather the pleasure of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala”
“show the most arrogant pompous person we know in our family the one who has a million excuses not why he doesn't pray but why he looks down at you for being religious”
“may Allah allow our hearts to shake now so that we avoid the punishment of that shaking on that day”
For the dinner table
The khutbah reminded us about the final shaking of the earth and the seriousness of standing before Allah. On that day, money, fame, property, and other things people fight over will no longer matter; only seeking Allah's pleasure will matter. Recent earthquakes show how quickly the safety and stability of worldly life can disappear. We should be grateful for our blessings, care about those suffering, and pay attention even to sins we might consider small. The khateeb encouraged us to remind ourselves and our families so our hearts turn to Allah now.
- What is one blessing of safety or stability that you want to thank Allah for tonight?
- What is one small good habit you could strengthen this week?
- How can our family support people who have lost their homes or loved ones?
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