3:22 But the physical life…11:19 if Allah guide one…30:22 take advantage of your…
Death & the hereafterFrom the masjid's own video, Nov 3, 2025.

Make your deeds outlive your brief life

El-Zahra · Moutaz Charaf

“Take advantage of your health before your sickness.”

The khateeb, at 30:22

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Because physical life is brief and cannot be extended, Muslims should build lasting life through sincere, impactful good deeds and act today rather than postpone repentance and service.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Physical life ends for everyone, and returning to Allah cannot be postponed.
  2. True longevity is measured by sincere good deeds and positive influence, not years lived.
  3. Teaching, charity, service, and good examples can continue earning reward after death.
  4. Sincerity, hardship, and helping others in difficult times increase the value of deeds.
  5. Neglecting time and repeatedly saying “tomorrow” waste life's only opportunity.
  6. The sermon closes with prayers for guidance, the oppressed, Gaza and Palestine, and the deceased.
Try this week
Do righteous deeds now rather than postponing tawbah, charity, or service.
Increase prayer, fasting, remembrance, charity, teaching, helping, giving, and sacrifice.
Create lasting benefit through ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, righteous children, or guiding someone to Allah.
Use health, youth, wealth, and free time before sickness, old age, poverty, busyness, and death.
Make today the priority instead of repeatedly promising to act tomorrow.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 2People’s desire for extremely long life illustrates attachment to worldly life.
Surah 67Life and death are created as a test of whose deeds are best.
Surah 63Listeners should spend and act righteously before death, because no delay is granted.
Surah 57Sacrifice and struggle under hardship carry greater rank, while all sincere efforts are rewarded.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“But the physical life is limited. We cannot increase it. When the time comes, the time comes.”
El-Zahra · Midland Park, NJ
Play from 3:22
“if Allah guide one person through you it's better for you than owning the whole earth”
El-Zahra · Midland Park, NJ
Play from 11:19
“take advantage of your health before your sickness your life before your death your money before your richness before your poverty”
El-Zahra · Midland Park, NJ
Play from 30:22
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Imam Dr. Moutaz Charaf reminded us that our physical lives are short and that every person will return to Allah. He said our lasting life is measured not by years but by sincere, beneficial deeds and the people those deeds help. Prayer, charity, teaching, service, and good examples can keep bringing reward after we die, while harmful examples can keep spreading sin. He warned us not to waste the present or keep saying “tomorrow,” because health, time, money, and youth are temporary. Our family can respond by choosing one good thing to do today and doing it sincerely.

  1. What is one good deed you can do today that might help someone else?
  2. What does “tomorrow” make you postpone, and how could you start today?
  3. How could our family leave a good legacy that helps people after we are gone?
Where it was given

The masjid

El-Zahra Islamic Center218 Irving Street, Midland Park, NJ 07432Jumu'ah 1st 1:00 to 1:45 PM (streamed to YouTube) · 2nd 2:00 to 2:30 PMKhateebMoutaz CharafMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at El-Zahra48 khutbahs
Keep listening

More on Death & the hereafter

All on this topic
Fit your schedule around your prayer.18:56ICN-BM · Bellevue, TN · Oct 17, 2026Use your limited time before judgmentThe currency in the hereafter is your good deeds.15:14IMAAM Center · Silver Spring, MD · Oct 17, 2026Protect your good deeds by righting wrongsThe truth does not give us permission to spread unverified claims.25:09Masumeen · Brampton, ON · Oct 17, 2026Why the afterlife makes justice necessary