https://www.khutbah.info/strength-in-worship/ Strength in worship is a favor that Allah Almighty bestows upon whom He wills among His servants. Those strong in acts of obedience are able to bear what others cannot, performing righteous deeds that groups of people are unable to accomplish. They have a wide portfolio of good deeds, such that they accumulate many good deeds and reap great rewards. Such people invest fruitfully in their worldly lives. Strength in worship is evidence of strength in iman (faith). This is what Allah Almighty commanded all of His messengers, peace be upon them. He said:
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
Strength in worship is a favor that Allah Almighty bestows upon whom He wills among His servants. Those strong in acts of obedience are able to bear what others cannot, performing righteous deeds that groups of people are unable to accomplish. They have a wide portfolio of good deeds, such that they accumulate many good deeds and reap great rewards. Such people invest fruitfully in their worldly lives.
Strength in worship is evidence of strength in iman (faith). This is what Allah Almighty commanded all of His messengers, peace be upon them. He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ-الْمُؤْمِنُونَ 51
Al-Mu’minun (23) 51: [Allāh said], “O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed I, of what you do, am Knowing.
When Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—revealed the Torah to Moses, He commanded him to take its rulings with strength. That is, to act upon it, comply with its teachings, and invite to it. Allah Almighty said:
وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُ فِي الْأَلْوَاحِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَوْعِظَةً وَتَفْصِيلًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ-الْأَعْرَافِ 145
Al-A’raf, 7:145: And We wrote for him on the tablets [something] of all things – instruction and explanation for all things, [saying], “Take them with determination.
Similarly, Allah Almighty commanded Yahya the son of Zechariah—peace be upon them both—to take the Scripture with strength. He said:
يَا يَحْيَى خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ-مَرْيَمَ 12
Surah Maryam (19) 12: [Allāh said], “O Yahya, take the Scripture [i.e., adhere to it] with determination.
Allah Almighty praised Dawood—peace be upon him—for his strength in worship:
وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ-ص 17
Sad (38) 17: And remember Our servant Dawood, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Allah].
Qatadah said, Dawood—peace be upon him—was given strength in worship and understanding in Islam. It has been mentioned to us that he—peace be upon him—used to stand [in prayer] for a third of the night and fast every other day.
Dawood’s strength in worship is affirmed in the authentic Sunnah, as in the hadith related by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As—may Allah be pleased with them both—that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him:
أَحَبُّ الصَّلَاةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلَاةُ دَاوُدَ -عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ-، وَأَحَبُّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ، وَكَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ، وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ، وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ، وَيَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا-رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ
The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of David—peace be upon him—and the most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of David. He used to sleep half the night, stand [in prayer] for a third of it, and sleep a sixth of it. He used to fast one day and break his fast the next. [Bukhari 3420 and Muslim 1159]
Allah Almighty commanded the believers to embrace Islam in its entirety, to act upon all its rulings, comply with its commands, and avoid its prohibitions. This is the strength in religion, which necessitates strength in worship. Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ-الْبَقَرَةِ 208
Al-Baqarah, 2:208: O you who have believed, enter into Islām completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
Allah Almighty commanded to hold firmly to all the bonds and ordainments of Islam, to act upon all its commands, and to leave all its prohibitions as much as they can.
And that they should not be among those who take their desires as their god- if a prescribed matter aligns with their desire, they do it, and if it contradicts it, they abandon it. Rather, their desires should follow the faith. One should perform all the good deeds that they are capable of and intend and commit to performing deeds that they are unable to do, so that they are rewarded for their intention. Since entering into Islam in its entirety is only possible by going against the ways of Satan, Allah Almighty said:
وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ
Baqarah (2) 208: And do not follow the footsteps of Satan.
That is, through committing acts of disobedience to Allah Almighty.
إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ
Baqarah (2) 208: Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
A clear enemy commands only evil and immorality, and that which harms.
Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the role model for the Ummah in worship. And what has been narrated about him reflects his strength in it. His strength in prayer, fasting, remembrance (dhikr), seeking forgiveness (istighfar), and recitation of the Qur’an has been conveyed to us.
Examples of his strength in prayer include what was narrated by Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:
أنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ كانَ يَقُومُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ حتَّى تَتَفَطَّرَ قَدَمَاهُ
The Prophet ﷺ used to stand [in prayer] at night until his feet cracked. [Bukhari 4837]
Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
قَامَ النَّبِيُّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- حَتَّى تَوَرَّمَتْ قَدَمَاهُ
The Prophet ﷺ stood [in prayer] until his feet swelled. [Bukhari 4836 and Muslim 2819]
He prayed with Hudhayfah once and recited in one unit of prayer (rak’ah) the chapters of Al-Baqarah, Al-Nisa’, and Al-Imran, as recorded in Sahih Muslim.
There are numerous reports about his lengthy prayers.
Examples of his strength in fasting include the hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him. When he was asked about the Prophet’s ﷺfasting, he replied:
كَانَ يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ، وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا”(رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
He used to fast so much (during a month) that we thought he would not abstain from fasting during any of it, and he would abstain from fasting (during a month) to the point that we thought he would not fast during any of it. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 769, Grade: Sahih]
An example of his strength in the remembrance of Allah include the hadith narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ أَحْيَانِهِ-رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ
The Prophet ﷺ used to remember Allah at all times. [Muslim 373]
An examples of his strength in seeking forgiveness (istighfar) include the hadith narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
إِنْ كُنَّا لَنَعُدُّ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ الْوَاحِدِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
We used to count that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say in one gathering one hundred times: ‘My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance; indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. [Sunan Abi Dawud 1516, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
An example of his strength in reciting the Qur’an include the hadith narrated by Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- لَمْ يَكُنْ يَحْجُبُهُ عَنِ الْقُرْآنِ شَيْءٌ لَيْسَ الْجَنَابَةَ
Nothing would prevent the Prophet ﷺ from reciting the Qur’an except being in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah). [Sunan an-Nasa’i 265, Grade: Hasan]
Therefore, the believers should emulate the Prophet ﷺ in firmly adhering to the religion and in exhibiting strength in worship, so that they may be among the successful.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
The righteous predecessors had many examples of strength in worship. Among these is the statement of Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah. He said that Al-A’mash lived nearly seventy years without missing the first Takbir (opening ‘Allahu Akbar’) of the congregational prayer. I accompanied him for close to two years, and I never saw him make up a single Rak’ah (unit of prayer).
Yahya ibn Ma’in said thar Yahya ibn Sa’id spent twenty years completing the entire Qur’an every day and night, and for forty years, he never missed being in the mosque at midday.
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i said that the ability to perform lengthy prayers has left me, and I have become weak. Yet, when I pray, I do not recite while standing except Al-Baqarah and Al-Imran (the second and third chapters of the Qur’an).
Al-‘Ala’ ibn Salim al-‘Abdi reported that Abu Ishaq became weak two years before his death. He could not stand up unless he was helped. When he was stood upright, he would recite one thousand verses while standing. At that time, he was ninety-one years old. He used to advise the youth to make the most of their strength in worship, saying, O youth, capitalize upon your youth and strength! Rarely did a night pass by me except that I recited a thousand verses in it, and I would recite Surah Al-Baqarah in one Rak’ah…’
How admirable were those people! Whoever is sincere with Allah Almighty and shows goodness within themselves, Allah strengthens them towards the good that they desires. Therefore, we must strive in worship, for strength in worship is among the qualities that Allah Almighty loves from His servants.
So strive in your lives by performing deeds that you will find after your passing. Indeed, this worldly life is the place of deeds, trials, and passing away, while the Hereafter is the abode of recompense and permanence. Allah Almighty says:
لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ وَلَا يَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌ وَلَا ذِلَّةٌ أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ كَسَبُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ جَزَاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ بِمِثْلِهَا وَتَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ مَا لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍ كَأَنَّمَا أُغْشِيَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ قِطَعًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُظْلِمًا أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ-يُونُسَ:26-27
Yunus (10) 26-27: (26) For them who have done good is the best [reward] – and extra. No darkness will cover their faces, nor humiliation. Those are companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally (27) But they who have earned [blame for] evil doings – the recompense of an evil deed is its equivalent, and humiliation will cover them. They will have from Allāh no protector. It will be as if their faces are covered with pieces of the night – so dark [are they]. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
We ask Allah Almighty to grant us sincerity and strength in worship. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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