First Khutbah
Indeed, all praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, we seek His help and we ask His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and from our bad deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whomever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًۭا سَدِيدًۭا﴾
“O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.”
Dear brothers and sisters, we live in an age that is constantly telling us we do not have enough. Every advert, every feed, every glimpse into someone else's holiday, house or car whispers the same message: your life is lacking. Many people today have more than their grandparents could ever have imagined, and yet they feel poorer, more anxious and less satisfied. The cure the Qur'an and Sunnah offer for this sickness is a quality called qana'ah — contentment.
Where real wealth is found
The Prophet ﷺ redefined what it means to be rich: “Wealth is not in having many possessions, but rather (true) wealth is feeling sufficiency in the soul” [Sahih al-Bukhari 6446].
There are people with millions who are poor in their hearts — always anxious, always wanting the next thing. And there are people with very little who are rich, because their hearts are at rest. The Prophet ﷺ described this success: “He Is successful who has accepted Islam, who has been provided with sufficient for his want and been made contented by Allah with what He has given him” [Sahih Muslim 1054].
He also described a person's life in simple terms that put our worries in perspective: “Whoever among you wakes up in the morning secured in his dwelling, healthy in his body, having his food for the day,then it is as if the world has been gathered for him” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2346, graded hasan by al-Albani]. Safety, health and today's food — if you have these three, you have been given the world.
The trap of comparison
Why do so many of us lack contentment? Very often, because we are looking in the wrong direction. Allah tells His Prophet ﷺ:
﴿وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًۭا مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ ۚ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰ﴾
“And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.”
And the Prophet ﷺ gave us a simple instruction that protects the heart: “Look at those who stand at a lower level than you but don't look at those who stand at a higher level than you, for that is better-suited that you do not disparage Allah's favors” [Sahih Muslim 2963].
Today, most of our looking upwards happens on a screen. We see the best moments of other people's lives, edited and filtered, and compare them with the ordinary moments of our own. Then we wonder why we feel ungrateful. Allah also says:
﴿وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ﴾
“And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others.”
The endless appetite
Without contentment, desire has no ceiling. The Prophet ﷺ said: “If Adam's son had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two valleys, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him” [Sahih al-Bukhari 6439]. And Allah warns:
﴿أَلْهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ * حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ ٱلْمَقَابِرَ﴾
“Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you Until you visit the graveyards.”
But listen to the promise for the one whose aim is the Hereafter: “Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah makes his heart rich, and organizes his affairs, and the world comes to him whether it wants to or not” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2465, graded sahih by al-Albani].
I say these words and I ask Allah's forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness; indeed He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
All praise is due to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, his family and his companions.
Dear brothers and sisters, contentment does not mean laziness, and it does not mean we stop working or stop asking Allah for more. Allah Himself tells us, in the same verse that forbids envying others: ﴿وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ﴾ [An-Nisa 4:32] — “And ask Allah of his bounty.” The Prophet ﷺ also encouraged earning and self-reliance: “whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient” [Sahih al-Bukhari 1427].
Contentment means that we work with our hands, but our hearts rest with Allah. We strive, but we are not crushed when something passes us by:
﴿لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا۟ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ﴾
“In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you.”
Some practical steps:
- Count before you compare. Each night, name three blessings you had today.
- Limit what feeds your envy — the accounts, shows and conversations that leave you resentful.
- Spend on others. Giving is the quickest way to realise how much you have.
- Remember that your provision is written. ﴿وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا﴾ [Hud 11:6] — “And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision.”
Allah has commanded us to send blessings upon His Prophet:
﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا﴾
“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.”
As the Prophet ﷺ taught us to say: “O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious. O Allah! Send Your Blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent your Blessings on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious” [Sahih al-Bukhari 3370].
The Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge with the words: “O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the withdrawal of Thine blessing and the change of Thine protection (from me) and from the sudden wrath of Thine, and from every displeasure of Thine” [Sahih Muslim 2739]. O Allah, make us content with what You have given us, bless us in it, and make our hearts rich. Forgive the believing men and women, the living and the dead.
﴿رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةًۭ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ﴾
“Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Servants of Allah, remember Allah and He will remember you; be grateful to Him and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.