Friday Khutba of Tokyo Camii “Worship: Ease For The Soul, Peace For The Society”
Honorable Muslims!
In the verse I recited at the beginning of the khutbah, our Almighty Lord commands: “Worship your Lord until the inevitable comes your way.”1
In the hadith I mentioned, our Prophet (saw) says: “The right of Allah over His servants is that they worship Him and do not associate anything with Him. If they do this, then the right of the servants over Allah is that He will not punish them and will admit them into His Paradise.”2
Dear Believers!
Worship is a divine discipline that shapes a person’s character, matures the soul, refines morality, enlightens the heart, and grants tranquility. As stated in the verse, وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ “I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me”, worship is the purpose of our creation and the requirement of our servitude.
Esteemed Muslims!
Worship is not a burden imposed by Allah upon His servants, but a blessing. For worship teaches us patience and the wise use of time. It shields us from the stinginess of the nafs and instills in us the spirit of helping and sharing. It fosters our sense of belonging to the ummah and strengthens the bonds of brotherhood among us. In short, acts of worship transform us into people who are beneficial to our families, our communities, and society at large
Dear Believers!
Our religion calls us to live every moment of our lives with the awareness of worship. The Qur’an draws our attention to this matter, stating:
قُلْ اِنَّ صَلَات۪ي وَنُسُك۪ي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَات۪ي لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَم۪ينَۙ “Say, ‘Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are all for Allah—Lord of all worlds.’” Working diligently to earn a halal livelihood for ourselves and our families, without neglecting the acts of worship prescribed by Allah, is itself an act of worship. To work honestly, without deceiving others, without engaging in sins such as usury, falsehood, or hoarding, and without infringing upon the rights of individuals or the public, is also an act of worship.
Dear Believers!
On Fridays, our mosques are filled to capacity, alhamdulillah. Let us show the same dedication to our daily prayers, which restrain us from evil and guide us to good. Let us stand shoulder to shoulder in prayer in our mosques, which are symbols of peace, harmony, and brotherhood. Let us attend the mosque together with our families. Let us accustom our children to the mosque with kind words and gentle encouragement. Let us not forget that we have not been created merely to amass wealth, seek status and position, or spend a lifetime in play and amusement. Our faith will not reach perfection without worship. Our earnings will not be blessed. There will be no true peace in our homes. It is worship, adorned with good character, that gives meaning to our lives. This is precisely what renders us valuable in the sight of Allah. The warning of Allah the Almighty is perfectly clear:
قُلْ مَا يَعْبَؤُ۬ا بِكُمْ رَبّ۪ي لَوْلَا دُعَآؤُ۬كُمْۚ “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ ‘You ˹all˺ would not ˹even˺ matter to my Lord were it not for your faith ˹in Him˺.’”
[1] Hijr, 15/99.
[2] Muslim, Iman, 48; Bukhari, Jihad, 46.
[3] Dhariyat, 51/56.
[4] An’am, 6/162.
[5] Furqan, 25/77.
Friday Khutba of Tokyo Camii “Worship: Ease For The Soul, Peace For The Society” PDF
