Central Khutbah: “Let Us Make Use of Life in Obedience to Allah”

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the One who has granted man reason, free will, and the opportunity to choose the path of good or evil. May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad, upon his noble family, his companions, and all those who follow them until the Day of Judgment.

Brothers and sisters in Islam,

This worldly life is but a temporary stop. It is a field of trial where we have the opportunity to perform deeds – good or bad. The Hereafter is the place of final judgment, where every action will receive its outcome – reward or punishment. Allah, exalted is He, says in Surah An-Najm:

“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, so that He may requite those who do evil with what they have done, and reward those who do good with the best reward.” (An-Najm, 31)

Allah, exalted is He, has subjected to man a multitude of His creations so that he may benefit from them – not in heedlessness and sin, but in obedience to Him. He says:

“Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and has lavished upon you His favors, both apparent and hidden?” (Luqmān, 20)

And also:

“Allah is the Creator of the heavens and the earth; He sends down rain from the sky and brings forth thereby fruits for your provision; He has subjected to you ships that sail through the sea by His command, and rivers; He has subjected to you the sun and the moon, both constant in their courses, and the night and the day. And He has given you of all that you asked of Him. And if you were to count the blessings of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, man is truly unjust and ungrateful.” (Ibrāhīm, 32–34)

Brothers and sisters,

This world is like a field. Whoever sows good deeds will reap the harvest in the Hereafter. Whoever follows the straight path will find peace in this life and eternal happiness in the next.

Blessed is the one who makes use of life in obedience to Allah. These are the ones who follow the last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He said:

“The most beautiful speech is the speech of Allah, the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the worst matters are newly invented things in religion, and every innovation is misguidance.” (Muslim)

Whoever wishes to follow the Prophet must know his life and his Sunnah. The companions used to say:
“We used to teach our children the biography of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as we taught them the Qur’an.”

Brothers and sisters,

Let each of us look into our heart and ask: How sincere am I in my worship? How much effort do I exert in supporting the religion of Allah? Am I steadfast in my faith? And let us compare this with the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and everything will become clear.

Our stay in this world is short. Therefore, let us beware of laziness, heedlessness, superficiality, and procrastination when it comes to good deeds and beneficial knowledge. Sadly, due to modern technology, many – especially the youth – become spiritually empty. Days are wasted in idleness, and nights in wakefulness. Day turns into night and night into day. The consequences are laziness, stress, academic failure, and broken family ties.

That is why we must first remind ourselves, and then others – especially the youth. For no one knows when death will come. Lost are those who come before Allah with a long life but few good deeds. Saved are those who make use of life in obedience.

Finally, let us remind ourselves how worthless this world is, and how precious the Hereafter is. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“On the Day of Judgment, a man destined for Hell – one who had enjoyed every pleasure in the world – will be brought forth. He will be dipped once into Hell, then taken out, and Allah will ask him: ‘My servant, did you ever experience any good in the world?’ He will say: ‘By You, my Lord, never have I experienced any good in my life.’
Then a man destined for Paradise – one who had suffered the most in the world – will be brought forth. He will be dipped once into Paradise, then taken out, and Allah will ask him: ‘My servant, did you ever face any hardship in the world?’ He will say: ‘By You, my Lord, never have I faced any hardship in my life.’” (Muslim)

So, brothers and sisters, let us be patient in trials, steadfast in good deeds, and constant in striving. Let us make use of life in obedience to Allah. Whoever neglects this will one day regret it – but then it will be too late, and regret will be of no use.

O Allah, help us to be among those who live sincerely in obedience to You, who use this world for the Hereafter, and who do not waste their time on vain pursuits. Keep us firm upon the Straight Path, forgive us our sins, and admit us into Paradise without reckoning.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on May 9 2025, at the “Association Islamique Ihsan” in Dudelange)