This deeply moving khutbah (sermon) calls upon believers to benefit from the blessings Allah has given before they are taken away. Life is fleeting, health is temporary, and every faculty we possess — our ears, our eyes, our tongues, our limbs — is a trust (amanah) from Allah that we will be questioned about on the Day of Judgment.
Use Your Blessings Before They Are Gone
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us to take advantage of five things before five others: our youth before old age, our health before sickness, our wealth before poverty, our free time before becoming busy, and our life before death. These are not mere words of advice — they are urgent warnings from the most truthful of creation.
“How can I use my ears to listen to that which angers the One who gave me those ears? How can I use my eyes to look at that which He told me not to look at? Every part of our body was given by Allah — and we will be asked about how we used each one.”
Practical Steps for Believers
- Guard your tongue: Open your mouth only to say beautiful words — words of peace, greetings of salam, and words that build rather than destroy
- Remember the tests are purposeful: Allah tests us not to break us but so that we may call upon Him and worship Him in a deeper way
- Correct your course now: Do not wait for a calamity to wake you up — the time to connect with Allah through prayer and good deeds is today
Every blessing we enjoy is an opportunity to earn the pleasure of Allah or a liability that will be held against us. The choice is ours, and the clock is ticking. May Allah grant us the wisdom to benefit from what He has given us before it is taken away, and may He make us among those whose every faculty is used in His service.
