Hadith 10 — Purity of Provisions and Acceptance of Deeds

[Arabic,إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.]

Indeed, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our wrong actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone without partner, and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger.

Part One: The Foundation of Accepted Worship

Dear brothers,

Today we examine the tenth hadith from Imam Nawawi's collection—a hadith that reveals why our prayers, fasting, charity, and supplications may not be accepted by Allah.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Muslim 1015,"Allah the Almighty is Good and accepts only that which is good. And verily Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the Messengers. So the Almighty has said: 'O messengers! Eat from what is good and lawful, and act righteously. Indeed, I fully know what you do' [23:51]. And the Almighty has said: 'O believers! Eat from the good things We have provided for you' [2:172]. Then he ﷺ mentioned the case of a man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty, and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying, 'O Lord! O Lord!' while his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram, so how can his supplication be answered?"]

The Divine Nature of Purity

Brothers, let us first understand what the Prophet ﷺ means when he says "Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good." The Arabic word used here is "Tayyib"—which means pure, wholesome, clean, and lawful. Allah's names include At-Tayyib (The Good, The Pure). Everything about Allah is pure perfection—His essence, His attributes, His actions. There is no deficiency, no flaw, no impurity associated with Him.

And because Allah is perfectly pure, He only accepts what is pure. Think about this deeply. You cannot approach the King of Kings with filth. You cannot offer the Lord of the Worlds something tainted. Would any of you accept spoiled food as a gift? Would you wear dirty clothes to an important meeting? Then how can we think Allah, who is infinitely more pure and perfect, would accept impure earnings or worship tainted by haram sustenance?

This is why Allah tells us in Surat al-Maidah about the first offering in human history:

[Quran,5:27,"And recite to them the true story of Adam's two sons ˹Cain and Abel˺ when each offered a sacrifice: Adam's sacrifice was accepted from one of them but not from the other."]

Notice how from the very beginning of human history, Allah showed us that not all offerings are accepted. The difference wasn't in the ritual itself—both sons knew how to make an offering. The difference was in the purity of intention and the lawfulness of what was offered.

The Connection Between Prophets and Believers

Now observe something remarkable in this hadith. The Prophet ﷺ quotes two verses from the Quran. The first addresses the Messengers, and the second addresses the believers. Why does he connect these two? Let me recite them again:

[Quran,23:51,"O messengers! Eat from what is good and lawful, and act righteously. Indeed, I fully know what you do."]

Notice the order here—eating from the good and lawful comes BEFORE acting righteously. This is not coincidental. The Prophet ﷺ is teaching us that the foundation of righteous action is pure sustenance. Your body is the vehicle for your worship. If you fuel it with haram, how can it produce acts that are pleasing to Allah?

Then the second verse:

[Quran,2:172,"O believers! Eat from the good things We have provided for you. And give thanks to Allah if you ˹truly˺ worship Him ˹alone˺."]

By connecting these verses, the Prophet ﷺ is telling us that what was commanded to the Messengers—the best of humanity—is also commanded to us. There's no double standard. The same purity required of Prophets is required of every believer. This elevates the importance of halal income from being merely recommended to being absolutely essential.

The Tragic Example of Rejection

Now the Prophet ﷺ paints for us one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the entire hadith literature. Picture this man: He's traveled far from home—and travel in those days meant real hardship. He's disheveled and dusty—showing his desperation and humility. He raises his hands to the sky—the posture of sincere supplication. He calls out "Ya Rabbi! Ya Rabbi!"—"O my Lord! O my Lord!"—the most beautiful way to call upon Allah.

Everything about this man's external state suggests his dua should be answered. The Prophet ﷺ himself said:

[Hadith,Tirmidhi 3556,"Your Lord is Modest and Generous. He is ashamed to turn away His servant's hands when he raises them to Him empty."]

Yet despite all these factors that normally guarantee acceptance, the Prophet ﷺ asks rhetorically: "So how can his supplication be answered?" The Arabic phrase "fa-anna yustajaabu lahu" implies impossibility. It's as if the Prophet ﷺ is saying: "It's impossible for this man's dua to be answered!"

Why? The Prophet ﷺ lists four barriers this man has built between himself and Allah's mercy:

His food is haram
His drink is haram
His clothing is haram
He was nourished with haram

Notice the progression. It's not just what he's currently consuming—even his past nourishment was haram. The scholars say this indicates that haram income has a cumulative effect. It builds up in your system, poisoning your spiritual state over time.

The Deeper Implications

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said something that should terrify us all:

[Quote,Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal,"If you want your dua to be answered, then purify your income, and do not let any haram enter your stomach."]

Think about what this means practically. How many of our problems remain unsolved despite constant dua? How many of our prayers seem to hit a ceiling? How many times have we wondered why Allah isn't responding to our calls? This hadith gives us the answer—perhaps the problem isn't with the dua itself, but with what's fueling the one making dua.

The great scholar Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali commented on this hadith:

[Quote,Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali,"This shows that pure lawful income is a condition for the acceptance of dua and all other acts of worship."]

But it goes even deeper. The Prophet ﷺ once said:

[Hadith,Tabarani,"When a morsel of haram enters the stomach of a servant, his deeds are not accepted for forty days."]

Forty days! From a single morsel! Imagine the state of someone whose entire diet, entire wardrobe, entire lifestyle is funded by haram. How can such a person have any relationship with Allah?

This is why Allah warns us in Surat al-Baqarah with a direct command:

[Quran,2:168,"O humanity! Eat from what is lawful and good on the earth and do not follow Satan's footsteps. He is truly your sworn enemy."]

Notice how Allah connects eating haram with following Shaytan's footsteps. When you consume haram, you're not just disobeying Allah—you're actively following your sworn enemy. Every bite of haram food is a step away from Allah and a step toward Shaytan.

Categories of Halal and Haram

To understand this topic properly, we must know that the scholars have divided all things into five categories:

Halal (Permissible) - This is the default state of things unless proven otherwise
Haram (Forbidden) - Explicitly prohibited by Quran or authentic Sunnah
Makruh (Disliked) - Better to avoid but not sinful if done
Mustahabb (Recommended) - Rewarded if done but not sinful if left
Wajib/Fard (Obligatory) - Must be done, sinful if abandoned

When it comes to income and consumption, we're primarily concerned with distinguishing between halal and haram. Allah makes this distinction crystal clear in Surat al-Baqarah regarding the most destructive form of haram income:

[Quran,2:275,"Those who consume interest will stand ˹on Judgment Day˺ like those driven to madness by Satan's touch. That is because they say, 'Trade is no different than interest.' But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden interest. Whoever refrains—after having received warning from their Lord—may keep their previous gains, and their case is left to Allah. As for those who persist, it is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever."]

Look at the vivid imagery Allah uses—those who consume riba (interest) will stand on Judgment Day like madmen. Why such a severe description? Because riba corrupts the very foundation of economic justice. It makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. It destroys the blessing (barakah) in wealth.

Common Sources of Haram Income

Let's be clear about the sources of haram income that we must avoid:

1. Riba (Interest) Whether giving or receiving, interest is absolutely haram. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Muslim 1598,"Allah has cursed the one who consumes riba, the one who gives it, the one who records it, and the two witnesses to it."]

All participants in an interest-based transaction are equally cursed. There's no excuse of "I had no choice" or "Everyone does it." If everyone jumped into the Fire, would you follow?

2. Theft and Deception This includes not just outright stealing, but also:

Lying about qualifications to get a job
Claiming benefits you're not entitled to
Cheating in business transactions
Not giving full measure or weight

Allah condemns this practice severely in Surat al-Mutaffifin:

[Quran,83:1-3,"Woe to the defrauders! Those who take full measure ˹when buying˺ from people, but give less when they measure or weigh for buyers."]

3. Selling Haram Products This includes:

Alcohol and drugs
Pork products
Gambling services
Any business that promotes fahisha (indecency)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Abu Dawud 3488,"When Allah prohibits something, He also prohibits its price."]

4. Bribery and Corruption The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Ahmad,"Allah's curse is upon the one who gives a bribe, the one who takes it, and the mediator between them."]

5. Working in Haram Establishments If your job directly involves haram—like serving alcohol, working in a conventional bank's interest department, or promoting gambling—the entire income becomes doubtful at best.

The Concept of Doubtful Matters

Between the clearly halal and clearly haram lies a gray area—the doubtful matters (shubuhat). The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Bukhari 52,"The halal is clear and the haram is clear, and between them are doubtful matters that many people do not know about. Whoever avoids the doubtful matters will protect his religion and his honor."]

Notice the Prophet ﷺ says "many people do not know about them"—not "no one knows." This means scholars might know the ruling, but the general public might not. When you encounter something doubtful:

Ask people of knowledge
If still uncertain, err on the side of caution
Remember that leaving the doubtful is a sign of taqwa

Part Two: Living Examples and Our Reality

Brothers,

Now that we understand the categories and sources of haram, let me show you through real examples how seriously our righteous predecessors took this matter—and how far we've fallen from their standard.

Imam Ahmad narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Ahmad,"A time will come upon people when they will not care whether what they consume is halal or haram."]

We are living in that time, brothers. But let me share with you stories from our righteous predecessors to show you how they viewed even the smallest amount of haram.

The most striking example is Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the best of this Ummah after the Prophet ﷺ. Once his servant brought him some food, and Abu Bakr ate from it. After eating, the servant said, "Do you know where I got the money to buy this?" Abu Bakr asked, "Where?" The servant replied, "Before Islam, I once did some fortune-telling for people, though I wasn't good at it—I just deceived them. They recently paid me for that, and I used that money to buy this food."

Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr immediately put his fingers down his throat and forced himself to vomit everything he had eaten. He kept trying until he had thrown up every morsel, even though people said to him, "May Allah have mercy on you! All of this over one bite?" Abu Bakr replied, "If this bite would only come out with my soul leaving my body, I would still do it. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: 'Every body that is nourished by the haram, the Fire is more worthy of it.'"

Subhanallah! This is Abu Bakr—the one whom the Prophet ﷺ said if his faith was weighed against the faith of the entire Ummah, his would be heavier. Yet look at his fear of even a morsel of doubtful food!

Another example: Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, the righteous Caliph, had two lamps in his house. One was bought with state funds for official work, and one was bought with his personal money. When someone would come to discuss state matters, he would light the state lamp. The moment they finished and began personal conversation, he would extinguish the state lamp and light his personal one. He refused to use even the oil from a state lamp for personal benefit!

Why Their Status Was So High

Brothers, these stories reveal to us why Abu Bakr, Umar, and the early generations achieved such tremendous status with Allah. It wasn't just their prayers or fasting—though they excelled in those too. It was their absolute commitment to purity in every aspect of life.

They understood that spiritual elevation requires:

Purity of intention - Constantly renewing and checking their niyyah
Purity of income - Ensuring every penny was halal
Purity of consumption - Being vigilant about what entered their bodies
Purity of heart - Keeping it free from envy, hatred, and disease
Purity of tongue - Speaking only truth and benefit
Purity of actions - Ensuring every deed was for Allah's sake

This is why Allah praised them in the Quran:

[Quran,9:100,"As for the foremost—the first of the Emigrants and the Helpers—and those who follow them in goodness, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. And He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. That is the ultimate triumph."]

Look at us now, brothers. We struggle to avoid the clearly haram, while they wouldn't even tolerate the doubtful. We make excuses for our sins, while Abu Bakr forced himself to vomit food bought with doubtful money from years before Islam! This shows us how much work we have ahead of us.

The path to their level begins with two things:

Constantly renewing our intentions - Before every action, asking ourselves: "Is this for Allah?"
Purifying everything in our lives - Our income, our food, our relationships, our entertainment, our thoughts

Only then can we hope to follow in their footsteps, even if from a great distance.

Our Situation in Prison

Brothers, I understand our situation here presents unique challenges, though I acknowledge that through the chaplain's efforts, accommodations are made to ensure you have access to food you can eat according to your religious requirements:

The Food Situation: While the chaplain works to provide religiously appropriate meals, we still face challenges:

Questions about meat preparation and sources
Concerns about cross-contamination in kitchens
Limited variety in alternatives

The scholars have given guidance based on the principle of necessity (darura):

Make your best effort - Choose the most halal option available, and alhamdulillah for the chaplain's assistance in this
Avoid the clearly haram - If you know something contains pork or alcohol, avoid it completely
Use available resources - Take advantage of the religious diet options provided through the chaplain
Make istighfar - Seek forgiveness for what you cannot control
Make intention - Intend to eat only pure halal when you have complete freedom to choose

Remember what Allah says:

[Quran,2:173,"He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine, and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."]

The Work Situation: Prison jobs may have limited options, but apply these principles:

Choose jobs that don't directly involve haram
If forced to work in the kitchen with haram meat, your income is not haram as you're under compulsion
Use your earnings for good purposes
Plan for halal employment upon release

The Power of Sincere Repentance

For those who have consumed haram in the past, know that Allah's door of mercy is always open:

[Quran,39:53,"Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ 'O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah's mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'"]

The conditions for repentance from consuming haram:

Stop immediately - Cease the haram practice
Feel remorse - Genuine regret for past actions
Seek forgiveness - Make constant istighfar
Resolve never to return - Firm determination to avoid it
Return rights - If you took someone's property unjustly, return it or seek their forgiveness

The Sweetness of Halal

Let me share with you the beauty of living on halal. Imam al-Ghazali said:

[Quote,Imam al-Ghazali,"Halal income is the foundation of all acts of obedience to Allah."]

When you eat halal:

Your dua is more likely to be answered
Your worship has more weight
Your heart becomes softer to Allah's remembrance
Your children are blessed
Barakah enters your life

The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Tirmidhi 2389,"No one gives charity from pure earnings—and Allah only accepts what is pure—except that the Most Merciful takes it with His right hand, even if it is a date. Then it grows in the hand of the Most Merciful until it becomes larger than a mountain."]

Imagine—a single date given from halal income grows larger than a mountain in reward! While millions given from haram might not equal even a penny in Allah's sight.

Practical Steps Forward

So what should we do, brothers? Here's a practical action plan:

1. Audit Your Current Situation

Examine your income sources
Identify any haram or doubtful elements
Make a plan to eliminate them gradually if you can't do so immediately

2. Educate Yourself

Learn the basics of halal and haram in trade
Understand the rulings about food
Know your rights and obligations

3. Plan for Your Release

Start thinking now about halal employment
Learn skills that will help you earn halal
Connect with brothers who can help you find halal work

4. Support Each Other

Share halal food with brothers who are struggling
Advise each other about doubtful matters
Create a culture that values halal over haram

5. Make Constant Dua The Prophet ﷺ taught us this beautiful dua:

[Hadith,Tirmidhi 3563,"O Allah, suffice me with what You have made halal so that I may not need what is haram, and make me independent of all besides You."]

"Allahumma akfini bi-halalika 'an haramika wa aghnini bi-fadlika 'amman siwaka"

Make this dua regularly, especially after salah.

The Test of Halal Income

Know that choosing halal over haram is often a test from Allah. The haram might seem easier, more profitable, more available. But Allah reminds us in Surat al-Maidah of a crucial reality:

[Quran,5:100,"Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ 'Good and evil are not equal, though you may be dazzled by the abundance of evil. So be mindful of Allah, O people of reason, so you may be successful.'"]

Notice—"though you may be dazzled by the abundance of evil." Haram often appears abundant, easy, and attractive. Halal might seem scarce, difficult, and limiting. But this is the test! Will you choose the pleasure of Allah over immediate gratification?

Remember the hadith Qudsi where Allah says:

[Hadith,Muslim 2577,"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you."]

Allah is ar-Razzaq—The Provider. He has guaranteed your provision. Your job is not to secure provision by any means necessary. Your job is to seek it through halal means and trust Allah for the results.

Stories of Barakah in Halal

Let me share a contemporary example. A brother I know was offered a job with excellent pay, but it involved working for a company that dealt with interest. He refused. His family pressured him—they needed the money. He remained firm. Within a month, he found a halal job that paid even more, with better benefits and shorter hours. This is the barakah of choosing halal.

Another brother used to sell drugs before prison. He made thousands daily. When he got out, he took a minimum wage halal job. He tells me now: "I have less money but more peace. My children respect me. My wife trusts me. I can pray without feeling like a hypocrite. The little I have now has more barakah than all those thousands ever did."

A Warning About Judgment Day

Brothers, on the Day of Judgment, every single penny will be questioned. Allah warns us in Surat at-Takathur:

[Quran,102:8,"Then, on that Day, you will definitely be questioned about ˹your worldly˺ pleasures."]

The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Tirmidhi 2417,"The feet of the son of Adam will not move on the Day of Resurrection until he is questioned about five things: about his life and how he spent it, about his youth and how he utilized it, about his wealth and how he earned it and where he spent it, and about what he did with his knowledge."]

Notice—two of the five questions are about wealth: how you earned it AND how you spent it. Even if you earn halal, spending it on haram makes you accountable.

The Law of Spiritual Agriculture

Brothers, let me share with you a fundamental truth that many of us ignore. You cannot plant corn and harvest wheat. You cannot plant thorns and gather grapes. You cannot plant poison and expect medicine. This is a law Allah has established in His creation, and it applies just as strongly to our spiritual lives.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Bukhari 6491,"Actions are but by their endings."]

Think about this deeply. A man who lives his entire life consuming haram, dealing in haram, surrounding himself with haram—and then at the end expects his du'a to be answered, expects to die upon La ilaha illallah, expects to enter Jannah. This is like a farmer who plants weeds all season and then stands confused when harvest time brings no fruit.

I've seen brothers here who wonder why their lives are so difficult, why their families are broken, why peace eludes them—yet they refuse to examine what seeds they've been planting. Every haram dollar you earned, every haram morsel you ate, every haram relationship you maintained—these were seeds. And now you're harvesting the crop.

You can't plant peach seeds and expect apple trees. You can't plant evil every day and expect barakah. You can't water your life with haram and expect it to bloom with blessings. This is not how Allah's universe works.

The famous scholar Ibn al-Qayyim expressed this same reality when he said:

[Quote,Ibn al-Qayyim,Al-Fawa'id,"The one who plants the tree of sins will harvest the fruit of regret and loss."]

You Cannot Negotiate with Reality

Brothers, you cannot live a life of disobedience and expect the death of the righteous. You cannot walk the path of Shaytan and expect to arrive at the destination of the prophets. This is not pessimism—this is reality.

Allah makes this connection clear in Surat Yunus:

[Quran,10:7-8,"Indeed, those who do not expect to meet Us, being pleased and content with this worldly life, and who are heedless of Our signs, they will have the Fire as their home because of what they used to commit."]

Look at the connection—those who are pleased with worldly life, who don't think about meeting Allah, who are heedless of His signs—their ending is the Fire. The ending matches the journey. The destination reflects the path taken.

How many of us are trying to serve two masters? We want the barakah of halal while keeping one foot in haram. We want our prayers answered while our income is cursed. We want our children to be righteous while we feed them from corruption. Brothers, this is delusion!

The Time for Change is NOW

Every single day you continue in haram, you're watering those poisonous seeds. Every moment you delay your repentance, those roots grow deeper. The scholars say that sins create a darkness in the heart that eventually blocks out all light. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Ibn Majah 4244,"When a servant commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents, it is polished away. But if he continues, it increases until it covers his entire heart."]

This is why some people reach a point where they cannot even recognize haram anymore. Their hearts have become so dark, so diseased, that evil appears good to them and good appears evil. Allah describes such people in Surat Fatir:

[Quran,35:8,"How can you compare the one whose evil deeds are made so appealing to them that they consider them good? Surely Allah leaves to stray whoever He wills and guides whoever He wills. So do not grieve yourself to death over them. Certainly Allah is All-Knowing of what they do."]

Evaluate Everything—Leave No Stone Unturned

Brothers, I'm calling you today to conduct a complete audit of your life. Not just your income, but everything:

Your Daily Routine:

What do you do when you wake up? Do you remember Allah or reach for distractions?
How do you spend your free time? In dhikr or in idle talk?
What do you watch, read, listen to? Does it bring you closer to Allah or push you away?

Your Relationships:

Who are your companions? Do they remind you of Allah or help you forget Him?
What influence are you having on others? Are you a door to good or to evil?
How do you treat your family? With the kindness of the Prophet ﷺ or with harshness?

Your Income and Spending:

Is every penny accounted for in halal?
Where does your money go? To please Allah or to feed desires?
Have you returned what you've taken unjustly?

Your Worship:

Is it sincere or for show?
Is it consistent or sporadic?
Is it with presence of heart or mere movements?

The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Muslim 2564,"The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in both. Be eager for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not be helpless."]

Don't be helpless! Don't say "This is just how I am" or "I can't change." Every moment is an opportunity to plant new seeds, better seeds, pure seeds.

The Ultimate Success

Let me conclude with a profound reminder. Allah tells us in the opening of Surat al-Mu'minun about the people who will achieve the ultimate success:

[Quran,23:1-11,"Successful indeed are the believers: those who humble themselves in prayer; those who avoid idle talk; those who pay alms-tax; those who guard their chastity except with their spouses or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, for then they are free from blame, but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors; ˹the believers are also˺ those who are true to their trusts and covenants; and those who are ˹properly˺ observant of their prayers. These are the ones who will inherit al-Firdaus (the highest level of Paradise). They will be there forever."]

Notice that among the qualities of the successful believers is being "true to their trusts"—this includes financial trusts, earning honestly, and consuming only what is rightfully theirs. But look at the complete picture—every aspect of their lives is pure. Their prayers, their speech, their wealth, their relationships—all of it is clean. This is what we must strive for.

Brothers, you cannot plant seeds of darkness and expect to harvest light. You cannot walk the path of haram and expect to reach the gardens of Paradise. The time to change your planting is now, while you still have time, while the soil of your heart can still receive good seeds.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from the Fire that is fueled by those who consume haram.

O Allah, provide us with halal sustenance and make it sufficient for us.

O Allah, bless us in what You have given us and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

O Allah, make us among those whose provisions are pure, whose deeds are accepted, and whose duas are answered.

O Allah, forgive us for what we have consumed unknowingly from haram, and protect us from consuming it knowingly.

O Allah, open our eyes to see the reality of our choices before it's too late to change them.

O Allah, help us plant seeds of righteousness in every aspect of our lives—our earnings, our consumption, our relationships, our worship.

O Allah, purify our hearts from the darkness that haram creates, and fill them with the light of Your guidance.

O Allah, when we leave this place, guide us to employment that is pleasing to You and income that is blessed by You.

O Allah, make us examples for our families in seeking halal and avoiding haram.

O Allah, grant us the strength to uproot the poisonous trees we've planted and replace them with gardens of good deeds.

O Allah, do not let us die except in a state that is pleasing to You, with pure provisions and accepted deeds.

We ask Allah to make us firm upon His straight path, to guide us and not let us go astray, to have mercy on us and forgive us.

Whatever good was said in this khutbah is from Allah alone, and whatever mistakes or errors are from myself and from Shaytan. I ask Allah to forgive me and you for any shortcomings.

I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and you all. Seek His forgiveness—indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[Arabic,أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ.]