FRIDAY KHUTBA OF TOKYO CAMİİ “A LIFE FULL OF CONTEMPLATION“

Honorable Muslims!
In the verse I have recited the Almighty Allah (swt) states, “And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter – that is the eternal life, if only they knew!”^[1]
In the hadith I have recited the Prophet Muhammad (saw) says, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler.”^[2]

Dear Believers!
We all have a limited number of days called life regardless of our current ages. One day that Allah knows only and not a moment earlier or a moment later than the predestined hour we all will leave this world after He takes our life entrusted to us. No other provision will we have than faith and a record of good deeds with us on our way to the place of resurrection where we will give an account for all we did in the world.
How lucky we are if we were able to know the value of time, the meaning of life, the importance of youth, and the gratitude for the blessings and health we have! Shame on us if we wasted our days, spent our wealth extravagantly, poisoned our mind or body, hurt our loved ones, and failed to properly perform our worships!
On these days with the beginning of a new year, by goes another year in our life, a step closer we are getting to our end. Then it is time for contemplation! Come, let us contemplate about what we have done in the previous year and about what spiritual abundances we have had and divine trials we have come through.

Dear Muslims!
Did we truly hold fast on to performing the prayers that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) called as “the light of my eyes”? Did we show true regret for our faults and sins and repent for them?

Did we truly offer help and solution to the problems of our oppressed and needy brothers and sisters through the year? Did we truly live by Qur’an? Did we truly maintain the spirit of giving charity and spending in the way of Allah through the year? Did we truly get happy when we shared out?

Dear Muslims!
The life in this world is a road to the Hereafter; the humans are travelers loaded with responsibilities; and the set number of days in this world is a challenging yet precious journey. Let us then not forget that we are merely travelers in this world. Let us live in a such a way as to value the worldly belongings as little as a traveler would need to, keeping in mind that our ultimate purpose is to enter heaven. Let us be aware of our life and the blessings in our possession. Let us spend every single day in such a way as would be approved by Allah (swt), doing useful deeds, with a good cause and without wasting the treasure of contemplation.

^[1] Ankabut, 29/64.
^[2] Bukhari, Riqaq, 3.