Disciplining The Self

About this lecture

In this khutbah, Sheikh Abdulrahman Murphy draws on the Quranic story of Fir'awn in Surah an-Nazi'at and the moving account of Abu Mahdura — the young boy who mocked the adhan and became the mu'adhdhin of Masjid al-Haram — to explore the theme of self-discipline and its central role in Islamic practice. He argues that the nafs within each of us behaves like a child, and that true strength lies not in worldly power but in one's ability to restrain the self and do what Allah commands even when it is difficult. The lecture concludes with a call to empathy and action in support of oppressed Muslims around the world, reminding the congregation that privilege carries responsibility.