15:06 if you're not mad at…16:58 am I only worshipping…22:54 we must understand…
Patience & trialsFrom the masjid's own video, Jan 2, 2026.

Worship Allah for who He is

MIC · Abdulmuizz Malimar

“Am I only worshipping Allah because I want something from Him or am I worshipping Allah because of who He is?”

The khateeb, at 16:58

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Worship Allah for who He is rather than treating faith as a transaction, especially through hardship, while strengthening faith through mentorship, accountability, disciplined speech, and service.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Explains the Qur’anic warning against worshipping Allah only while life is easy and abandoning faith during trials.
  2. Uses Prophet Ayyub’s patience to show that hardship can carry wisdom, mercy, and elevation in the Hereafter.
  3. Argues that believers should worship Allah for His sake, not merely for health, wealth, or answered prayers.
  4. Recommends finding a spiritual mentor and an honest accountability friend.
  5. Calls for guarding the tongue and apologizing to people who have been harmed.
  6. Connects righteousness with local hunger relief, volunteering, and charitable service.
Try this week
Find a trustworthy spiritual mentor and learn from both their knowledge and character.
Choose one honest accountability friend and mutually keep each other in check.
Guard the tongue, especially in phone and online conversations.
Apologize to anyone harmed by your words or actions.
Volunteer at the January 10 hunger-relief meal-packing event or donate through the mosque kiosks if unable to attend.
Regularly ask whether your worship remains connected to Allah’s sake during hardship.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 22Warns against worshipping Allah conditionally, only while circumstances are favorable.
Surah 21
Surah 2Frames fear, hunger, and losses of wealth, life, and crops as tests.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“if you're not mad at me if you're not angry at me then I'm okay with all these tests”
MIC · Cordova, TN
Play from 15:06
“am I only worshipping Allah because I want something from Him or am I worshipping Allah because of who He is”
MIC · Cordova, TN
Play from 16:58
“we must understand that what we say has a lot of weight to it”
MIC · Cordova, TN
Play from 22:54
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah teaches that Allah should not be worshipped only when life feels rewarding. Prophet Ayyub stayed connected to Allah through loss, illness, and grief, showing that hardship can carry wisdom and raise a person’s rank. For the new year, the speaker recommends finding a trustworthy spiritual teacher, choosing an honest friend for accountability, and guarding our tongues. He also urges us to apologize when our words cause harm and serve hungry neighbors through volunteering or giving. The central question is whether we worship Allah for who He is, even when life is difficult.

  1. What does it look like to stay close to Allah when something difficult happens?
  2. Who is someone who helps you become better, and how do they help?
  3. How can we use our words to repair hurt instead of causing more of it?
Where it was given

The masjid

Memphis Islamic Center10299 Humphrey Road, Cordova, TN 38018Jumu'ah 1:00 PMKhateebAbdulmuizz MalimarMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at MIC35 khutbahs
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