Allāh, Allāh, Allāh.
We thank our host and his family for taking us into their homes and feeding us. May Allāh be pleased with you, grant you what you wish, and give you the best in both worlds. We also thank those who arranged this trip to DC. This is the last event for now, though we can repeat it again.
Thank you for attending as well. Without you, I would be speaking to the walls—and they would say, “You’re crazy.” At least you are sitting in front of me, so whatever I say, someone can say, “He’s not that crazy.” Alḥamdulillāh. May Allāh forgive us.
We were speaking with Ḥasan, and he pointed out something very important. Every Friday, he begins by reciting two verses. He reminds people, because nowadays many don’t know why they exist. Why am I living? Why am I on earth?
Allāh has explained this in the Holy Qur’ān:
﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ﴾
“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Sūrat adh-Dhāriyāt 51:56)
This is a clear verse. Scholars like Shaykh Nāẓim used to recite it to remind people: you were created for worship. What is your responsibility? To worship. What is Allāh’s right upon you? Worship.
You must devote yourself to obedience and worship, striving to reach the highest ranks. Human life should be spent in obedience to the Lord of the heavens.
Then comes the continuation:
**﴿مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَن يُطْعِمُونِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلرَّزَّاقُ ذُو ٱلْقُوَّةِ ٱلْمَتِينُ﴾**
“I do not ask them for provision, nor do I ask them to feed Me. Indeed, Allāh is the Provider, the Possessor of strength, the Firm.” (Sūrat adh-Dhāriyāt 51:57–58)
Allāh is the One who provides. He gives sustenance. So what is His responsibility? To provide for you. You worship—He will provide. Do not worry about your sustenance. Do not be anxious. That is His responsibility.
Allāh has clearly stated this. He takes care of what He created.
So why does the human heart become restless and turbulent? Because of a reversal of roles. The human neglects worship and becomes obsessed with provision. This causes anxiety and instability.
The heart becomes turbulent because man forgets:
“I am here to worship, and Allāh will provide.”
That is the promise—and Allāh fulfills His promises.
So keep your covenant, and He will keep His. Provision will come to you. Your duty is worship.
A man who converted to Islam, knowledgeable in previous scriptures, mentioned a passage attributed to earlier revelation:
يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، خَلَقْتُكَ لِعِبَادَتِي فَلَا تَلْعَبْ، وَقَسَمْتُ لَكَ رِزْقَكَ فَلَا تَتْعَبْ.
“O son of Adam, I created you for worship, so do not be heedless.”
This doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy permissible things. Clean enjoyment is allowed. The ego needs some room—it cannot be restricted completely. But don’t become heedless of your purpose.
Allāh has forbidden excess and harm, but He allows balance. Your purpose remains worship.
The passage continues:
يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، لَا تُتْعِبْ نَفْسَكَ فِي طَلَبِ مَا قَدْ كُفِيتَهُ، فَإِنْ رَضِيتَ بِمَا قَسَمْتُ لَكَ أَرَحْتُ قَلْبَكَ وَبَدَنَكَ، وَكُنْتَ عِنْدِي مَحْمُودًا.
“I have apportioned your provision, so do not exhaust yourself in anxiety over it.”
Do we exhaust ourselves over money? Yes, constantly. We worry: where will it come from? How will I manage?
But Allāh says: that is not your job.
He has promised provision. You worship Him, and provision is upon Him.
Do not be greedy. Do not think you can obtain more than what is written for you. What comes to you is from Allāh. Neither more nor less will reach you than what has been decreed.
So what should you do? Do your work—but do not depend on the outcome. If it comes, it was meant for you. If it doesn’t, it wasn’t.
This understanding recalibrates the heart. It puts it back in its proper place. You are here to worship. Yes, you have responsibilities, but Allāh has already promised your sustenance.
The passage continues:
“If you accept what I have given you, I will grant rest to your heart and body, and you will be praiseworthy in My sight.”
But:
وَإِنْ لَمْ تَرْضَ بِمَا قَسَمْتُ لَكَ، سَلَّطْتُ عَلَيْكَ الدُّنْيَا، فَتَرْكُضُ فِيهَا رَكْضَ الْوَحْشِ، وَلَا يَأْتِيكَ مِنْهَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبْتُ لَكَ.
“If you do not accept, I will set the world upon you. You will chase it endlessly and never be satisfied. Yet in the end, you will receive only what was written for you.”
So either you accept and find peace—or you chase endlessly and still end up with the same portion.
Then it says:
يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، أَنَا خَلَقْتُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَكَ، أَفَيَعْجِزُنِي رِزْقُكَ؟
“I created the heavens and the earth for you. Is it difficult for Me to provide you with a loaf of bread?”
Allāh created the rain, the earth, the crops—everything. Is it difficult for Him to sustain you?
Yet today, people are not satisfied even with simple sustenance. They want more and more.
There is a story of Ibrāhīm ibn Adham. When he was a king, he saw a poor man eating dry bread with water. The man said, “Alḥamdulillāh,” and slept peacefully.
The king did not have that peace.
True contentment is not in wealth—it is in accepting what Allāh gives.
The passage continues:
يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، أَنَا أُحِبُّكَ، فَبِحُبِّي لَكَ أَحْبِبْنِي.
“O son of Adam, I love you—so love Me.”
As the Qur’ān says:
﴿يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ﴾
“He loves them, and they love Him.” (Sūrat al-Mā’idah 5:54)
Allāh’s love comes first. Then He asks for your love in return.
Love originates from Allāh. He placed it in your heart so you may return it to Him.
So what does this teaching give us?
* Trust in Allāh
* Contentment with what He gives
* Freedom from anxiety
* Love for Allāh
Your body works in this world, but your heart rests with Allāh.
Your body belongs to the earth, but your heart belongs to your Lord.
So let your heart remain with Him.
Whatever comes your way, accept it. Say Alḥamdulillāh. Be content. Allāh will make you praiseworthy in His sight.
Learn to trust Him. Learn contentment. And the fruit of all creation is love— مَحَبَّة
Allāh created everything so you may reach that love.
Follow the path that leads to the love of Allāh.
Do not be anxious. Continue in worship and obedience. Allāh will take care of you.
If you accept what He has given you, He will grant your heart and body rest—and you will be praiseworthy in His sight.
May Allāh grant us that state. آمِينَ Ameen.