Friday khutba – April 17, 2026 (29 Shawwal 1447 AH)
This World Is Temporary, Not Everlasting
All praise is due to Allah. We worship Him and seek His help. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) is His servant and messenger. “O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and speak rightly. He will amend your deeds and forgive your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a great success.”
Almighty Allah has captured the essence of this worldly life in a few powerful words—glory be to Him: “Know that the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement, adornment, mutual boasting among you, and competition in wealth and children. It is like rain whose growth pleases the disbelievers, but then it withers—you see it turning yellow, and eventually it becomes dry debris. In the Hereafter, however, there is severe punishment, but also forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure. And the life of this world is nothing but a deceptive enjoyment.” (57:20)
Near the end of his life, the Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) stood upon the pulpit and addressed his companions. His words deeply moved them when he said:
“Allah gave one of His servants a choice between enjoying the delights of this world and what is with Allah—and he chose what is with Allah.”
Abu Bakr (radhia llahu anhu) wept, for he understood that the Prophet was speaking about himself.
Reflect on this moment. After twenty-three years of patience, hardship, exile, struggle, and nights spent in prayer until his feet were swollen, the Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) did not choose palaces or wealth. He chose what is with Allah. For the one who has tasted closeness to Allah, everything in this world becomes insignificant.
Throughout his life, his heart remained deeply attached to Allah, as expressed in the sacred hadith that reveals the utter dependence of creation and the absolute richness of the Creator: “O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I guide, so seek guidance from Me and I will guide you. All of you are hungry except those whom I feed, so ask Me for provision and I will provide for you. All of you are unclothed except those whom I clothe, so ask Me for clothing and I will clothe you.”
This is a call that strips away the illusion of this world. There is no salvation except through Allah, no fulfillment except by His mercy, and no guidance except through His light. It reminds us how insignificant this world is compared to His dominion:
“If the first and the last of you, humans and jinn alike, were to gather in one place and ask Me, and I gave each of them what they asked for, it would not diminish what I possess any more than a needle dipped into the sea diminishes it.”
So why the conflict? Why injustice over wealth that holds no value with Allah? The dawn prayer, the quiet prostration—these are the true currency that endures. They are better than this world and all it contains, for they are connected to eternity, while this world is bound to perish.
Allah says in the sacred hadith: “I record your deeds and then recompense you for them. Whoever finds (good), let him praise Allah; and whoever finds otherwise, let him blame no one but himself.”
Many of us came to this land in the prime of our lives, full of ambition to study and work. Yet time passed quickly, and before we realized it, we reached fifty or sixty years of age. Here arises a question that should shake every heart:
What have we prepared for the Hereafter?
Life passes, health fades, wealth comes and goes… But what have we saved for our meeting with Allah? Have we left behind a trace of goodness that reflects our faith? Have we raised righteous children who will pray for us after our death?
The Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) showed us how to make the most of our time before it is too late. He said: “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before old age, your health before illness, your wealth before poverty, your free time before busyness, and your life before death.”
Where do we stand in light of this advice? Those who have reached advanced age—what have you sown for your Hereafter? The mission Allah entrusted to us is not merely to accumulate wealth or build property, but to enrich this world with faith and righteous deeds.
True success lies in raising righteous offspring and leaving behind deeds that continue after our death. Allah says: “O you who believe, fear Allah. Let every soul consider what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah—indeed, Allah is fully aware of what you do.” (59:18)
That “tomorrow” is not any day of this world—it is the Day when we will stand before Allah. So let us treat this world as a place we are merely passing through: take from it what benefits us, and leave behind a good legacy.
Live in this world as strangers, always longing for your true home.
Our true home is Paradise, and the path to it is through piety and righteous action.
O Allah, place this world in our hands, not in our hearts, and do not make it our greatest concern. Grant us the ability to turn away from what perishes and to long for what remains. Make the best of our deeds those with which we conclude our lives, and the best of our days the day we meet You.
