Fear No Future – A Khutbah By Imam Marc

The one who understands who Allah is and what Allah wants from them and what Allah has promised them, then the future holds no fear for them.

‏يقول الله تعالى‏:‏ أنا عند ظن عبدي بي، وأنا معه إذا ذكرني، فإن ذكرني في نفسه، ذكرته في نفسي وإن ذكرني في ملإٍ ذكرته في ملإٍ خير منهم

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah the Exalted says: ‘I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly.”

The one who understands who Allah is:

“I am as my slave thinks of Me…”

  1. First, Allah is (I am).
  2. Second, as my slave thinks, i.e., how. How do you think? How often do you think? In what situations and scenarios do you think of Allah?

What Allah wants:

We are so wrapped up in always wanting things ourselves we seldom pay attention to what our Creator wants from us.

وَاللَّهُ يُريدُ أَن يَتوبَ عَلَيكُم وَيُريدُ الَّذينَ يَتَّبِعونَ الشَّهَواتِ أَن تَميلوا مَيلًا عَظيمًا

“Allah desires to turn towards you, but those who pursue their lower appetites desire to make you deviate completely.” Qur’an, 4: 27

مَن كانَ يُريدُ حَرثَ الآخِرَةِ نَزِد لَهُ في حَرثِهِ ۖ وَمَن كانَ يُريدُ حَرثَ الدُّنيا نُؤتِهِ مِنها وَما لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِن نَصيبٍ

“If anyone desires to cultivate the Next World, We will increase him in his cultivation. If anyone desires to cultivate this world, We will give him some of it but he will have no share in the Next World.” Qur’an, 42: 20

What Allah Has Promised Us

It’s the ingrate, the kafir, who challenges Allah on keeping His promise.

Like a child in its parents’ house, surrounded by provision, protected from the environment, loved and cared for, in a room full of toys, crying and screaming about one more.

وَيَقولونَ مَتىٰ هٰذَا الوَعدُ إِن كُنتُم صادِقينَ

قُل لَكُم ميعادُ يَومٍ لا تَستَأخِرونَ عَنهُ ساعَةً وَلا تَستَقدِمونَ

“They say, ‘When will this promise come about if you are telling the truth?’ Say, ‘You have a promised appointment on a Day which you cannot delay or advance a single hour’.” Qur’an, 34: 29-30

Fear No Future

إِنَّ الَّذينَ قالوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ استَقاموا فَلا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ

“Those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then go straight will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.” Qur’an, 46: 13

وَما نُرسِلُ المُرسَلينَ إِلّا مُبَشِّرينَ وَمُنذِرينَ ۖ فَمَن آمَنَ وَأَصلَحَ فَلا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ

“We do not send the Messengers except to bring good news and to give warning. As for those who have iman and put things right, they will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.” Qur’an, 6: 48

وَقالوا لَن يَدخُلَ الجَنَّةَ إِلّا مَن كانَ هودًا أَو نَصارىٰ ۗ تِلكَ أَمانِيُّهُم ۗ قُل هاتوا بُرهانَكُم إِن كُنتُم صادِقينَ

بَلىٰ مَن أَسلَمَ وَجهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ

“They say, ‘No one will enter the Garden except for Jews and Christians.’ Such is their vain hope. Say, ‘Produce your evidence if you are telling the truth.’ Not so! All who submit themselves completely to Allah and are good-doers will find their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.” Qur’an, 2: 111-112

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