Jumuah Khutbah | Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi

Opening

And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and the consequences of our actions. Whomever Allah guides can never be misguided. And whoever is misguided cannot be guided except with Him. I bear witness and I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah Jalla Jalaluhu. And I bear witness and I testify that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is His final Prophet and His most perfect worshipper. As to what follows, know that Allah has commanded us in the Qur'an to be conscious of Him. When He says:

Breaking False Hierarchies

Dear Muslims, when our Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was sent to the people of Mecca, mankind was divided in false and arbitrary divisions. The people of Mecca primarily divided themselves upon ethnic and upon tribal lines. They had a pedigree, they had a hierarchy depending on whose lineage was the most pure in their eyes. And they also had a hierarchy based upon caste and creed, based upon the color of one's skin. And one of the primary messages of Islam was to break this false hierarchy and to destroy this false notion of superiority based upon one's lineage and background. Islam came with equality of all mankind. It doesn't matter who your ancestors were. It is but one thing that will identify you and that is your piety and taqwa.

And based upon that, Islam came with two fundamental messages. Number one, in terms of humanity we are all equal. It doesn't matter the color of your skin, the lineage, the tribe, we are all equally human. And number two, if there is to be a division, that division will be based upon a choice you make, not a choice that is beyond your control. You didn't decide where you were born, you didn't decide who your ancestors were, you didn't decide what caste, what clan, what creed, what tribe you belong to. What you have in your hands is the ideology you embrace. And therefore, if there is to be a division, and there is a division, that division will be based upon Iman and Islam. Those who choose to believe in Allah, because that is a choice you make. Those who choose to identify as Muslim, those people, they have a special bond with each other. And that is a choice we make, every one of us makes it.

That is a division that is rational and logical. It is a division based upon not the color of one's skin, not the language of one's birth, not the ancestry of one's parent, rather it is based upon a choice that is in my control and your control. Do you choose to submit to Allah or do you reject Allah? If you choose to submit to Allah, then welcome into a group that is called the Ummah. And there is no question that when you choose to be a part of the Ummah, there are perks, there are privileges that come. And if you choose to reject, well then that is your choice, and you have to deal with the repercussions in this world and in the next.

The Unity of the Ummah

So, when you are a part of the Ummah, then Allah has given certain privileges and certain perks to those that are a part of this Ummah. Our Prophet ﷺ commanded us to recognize those perks. Allah mentions in the Qur'an:

All of you who believe in Allah, hold on firmly, collectively, جَمِيعًا. All of you who believe in Allah, you are holding on to the same rope.

And remember Allah's favors upon you. You were all divided, you came from different groups, different tribes, and Allah united all of you in Islam. Allah blessed you all, oh people of different backgrounds, oh people of different races, oh people of different tribes, Allah blessed you all to be united and be brethren unto one another. When we believe in Allah, when we all unify in our iman, then we form ranks and ties with one another. And regardless of where we come from, we join the group of the ummah.

The Best of Nations

And it is not just any ummah.

You are the best of all ummahs. There is no ummah that is more blessed in the eyes of Allah than the ummah of the Prophet ﷺ. You are the best ummah that Allah has created for the people. Allah says:

This is how we have made you the elite nation, أُمَّةً وَسَطًا. وَسَطًا here means you are the middle and the high nation, i.e. you are the most respected, you are the most honorable nation that Allah has ever created for all of mankind. When you join the ummah, then you join a group that Allah has privileged. You join a group that Allah has shown favor to.

Rights and Responsibilities of the Ummah

And our Prophet ﷺ reminded us that with that ummah comes privilege and responsibilities. The Prophet ﷺ told us that all of the members of the ummah, we have rights, we have responsibilities to help one another. In fact, Allah Himself says so in the Quran. Allah says in the Quran:

All of the believers are like one family, one brethren, one group of brothers and sisters. All of the believers, they are like one large family.

And this is why Allah has forbidden us of the ummah to break apart. Allah has forbidden us to be fighting one another from within the ummah. Allah has forbidden us that we take the bonds of tribe and the bonds of lineage to be more important than the bonds of the ummah. We are not allowed to divide, to disunite, to break up. The ummah unites us all together and all other identities. They are allowed only if they do not clash with the ummah. If they do not clash with the ummah, then go ahead and belong to a tribe. Go ahead and belong to an ethnicity. Go ahead and take pride in your culture and heritage. But realize all of this is subservient to the ultimate label of being of the ummah of the Prophet ﷺ.

But when you take a label, when you take a lineage, when you take an identity and you make it your primary one over and above the ummah, then you have disobeyed Allah and you have gone against the Qur'an and you have broken the covenant with our Prophet ﷺ. Allah says in the Qur'an:

Do not be like those who divided amongst themselves and disunited after Allah's revelation came down. Allah says in the Qur'an:

Allah has legislated for you what we told Nuh to do and what we told all of the Prophets to do, which is what? Unite upon the religion, establish the religion and do not divide based upon the religion. Do not break up once you have united upon the religion. What unites us as the Deen of Allah, what unites us as the Ummah of the Prophet ﷺ is far more important than our petty differences amongst us.

Unity Transcends All Divisions

In fact, this unity is so powerful. Allah reminds us, it doesn't matter your background, it doesn't even matter your gender, men and women, we are one Ummah.

The believing men, the believing women, they are helpers and protectors of one another. It transcends not just gender, it transcends generation. Generation, we are told to love and respect people of the Ummah from all generations. We are told to make dua for those of our Ummah, we never met them, we never saw them, we don't even know their names, but simply because they were part of our Ummah, we're supposed to love and make dua for them.

Those that come after, they will make dua to Allah, O Allah, forgive all of our brothers and sisters who came before us. We make dua, even though we've never met them, we don't know their names, but the kalima unites us all. The kalima brings a sense of love and compassion.

The Ummah Beyond Humanity

In fact, one of the most powerful indications of how strong the kalima is and how strong the bonds of the kalima are is that the Ummah transcends the human species. I repeat, the concept of the Ummah transcends even humanity. There's only one other species that willingly embraces the kalima and that is the jinn. And our Prophet ﷺ, he called the Muslim jinn, he called them our brothers and sisters. He called them ikhwanuna, our brothers and sisters. When the Muslim of the jinn, when the jinn embraces the kalima, when the jinn accept Islam, they become a part of the Ummah. It even transcends the reality of being human. That is how powerful the kalima is.

Our Prophet ﷺ in a hadith that is in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it's a long hadith and a phrase in it, he talks about us taking care to not pollute bones, to not make bones dirty, but rather to throw them away in a dignified manner, to not pollute them with najas. He said, because I made dua to Allah that every single animal bone that you sacrifice properly, I made dua to Allah that that bone, it will nourish your brethren from the jinn, ikhwanikum minal jinn. So do not harm your brethren of the jinn by polluting that bone. He reminded us of the ties of the Ummah that transcend even humanity. When the jinn say the kalima, they become a part of the Ummah. And we have to care for them. We have to show concern to them.

Our Duties to the Ummah

SubhanAllah, brothers and sisters, if we are told to think of our brethren of the jinn, how about our brethren in Gaza? How about the rights of our brothers and sisters that are starving right now in Gaza? If the Ummah transcends place and time, if we're supposed to make dua for those we've never seen, how about those whose images are constantly in our feed? Those whose children we are seeing suffering, dying because they do not have the basics of medicine, the basics of food, the basics of milk. Where are the rights of the Ummah when it comes to this reality?

O Muslims, realize that the Ummah, the concept of Ummah, the reality of Ummah obligates upon us that we have rights and responsibilities to everybody who is a part of that Ummah. And Allah has mandated that obligation.

The Rights of the Ummah

What are the rights of the Ummah? First and foremost, to have a genuine sense of love. Like brethren, they are family. This is what Allah says in the Qur'an. The Muslims are one family. They are brothers and sisters of one another. So everybody who is a part of the Ummah is a part of an extended family. We have a special love for them.

Secondly, we follow what is happening to them. Just like we keep in touch with our cousins, our uncles, our relatives. You know what is happening. If they're going through a distress, you should be aware of it. It's the minimum of being a part of the family. So too, when the Ummah is in distress, you should be understanding what is going on.

Thirdly, help them out in whatever way possible. Whether it is financial, whether it is political. And at times if the need calls it, even in a military manner as we're gonna come to. All of these realities, whatever allows, whatever we're allowed to do, we help the Ummah out. But at the very least, we help them out with our love, with our duas, with our beseeching Allah. We always help the Ummah in our dua to Allah.

Iman and Concern for the Ummah

And oh Muslims, the truthful fact of the matter, I'm gonna say this as bluntly as I can. If you do not have a concern for the rest of the Ummah, this means you do not have strong Iman in your heart. Iman in the heart automatically translates as concern for the Ummah. Iman in the heart automatically brings about love for the people of Iman. When you have Iman, you will love the people of Iman. And when you don't have Iman, you will feel nothing towards the people of Iman.

But the question arises, what is to be done when the concept of the Ummah at times clashes with other loyalties. Loyalties of nation-state, loyalties of tribe, loyalties of treaties, such as what we are seeing right now.

Unity and Action in Times of Crisis

Because we are a part of the Ummah, and our hearts are sympathetic to what is happening in Gaza. But at the same time, there are problems, political issues, military issues. We are members of nation-states. Those nation-states have treaties, they're doing this, they're doing that. What is to be done then? Much can be said. But in a nutshell, we thank Allah, that Allah has understood and realized, and made Islam something that is reasonable and practical for the entirety of the Ummah.

In Surah Al-Anfal verse 72, Allah says, and go back to this verse, and go back to the tafsirs. And I will point out here for the record, I am well aware there's a lot of controversy regarding whether this verse applies in our particular context or not. And I respectfully say it does apply, but I know other scholars say it does not apply, and I respect their position as well. Allah says in the Quran:

If your Muslim brethren ask you for help based upon your common deen, you are Muslim, they are Muslim. وَإِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ If they call you to help them militarily, فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ You must help them militarily. But then Allah makes an exception. إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ Except if they're calling you against a tribe, against a nation state, that you have a treaty with them. In this case, you are not obliged to militarily help. But you should help in other ways, whether it is financial, whether it is via aid, whether it is via dua. But Allah allows that when politics is there, then sometimes you cannot militarily aid.

Lessons from the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah

And anybody who disagrees with this interpretation, I remind you, the Prophet ﷺ himself demonstrated it in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Go back to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Go back to when Muslims were being persecuted in Mecca. Go back to when the Prophet ﷺ with his own eyes, he saw the Muslims being persecuted. He saw Abu Basir, and he saw the marks of torture on his body. And yet the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah forbade the Muslims of Medina from militarily helping the Muslims of Mecca. It was forbidden in the treaty.

And the Prophet ﷺ himself, and he is Rasulullah ﷺ. All he could do was make dua. And he did make dua. He made dua for those persecuted Muslims. The treaty did not allow military help. So even he, he made dua that may Allah make a way out for you. And Allah answered that dua. And a way out was made. And on the political side, engagements happened that allowed those Muslims to be freed.

So the seerah teaches us, O Muslims, the seerah teaches us that at times we cannot help militarily. That is the reality. But our aid in dua, and our aid in negotiation, and our aid in trying to help must always remain. Each one must do according to what we are allowed to do.

Our Responsibilities and Duties

And also, O Muslims, another thing needs to be said here. And I quote a hadith of the Prophet ﷺ in Sahih Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said in an authentic hadith that Allah loves for you three things. Number one, you worship Him and don't worship other than Him. Number two, you collectively hold on to the rope of Allah together. You unite upon one ummah. And number three, you give sincere advice to those whom Allah has put in charge over you.

(Sahih Muslim)

So number one, worship Allah alone. Number two, unite the ummah. And number three, be sincere to those whom Allah has put in charge over you. Your people in charge of the Muslim ummah, be sincere to them. Be honest with them, and speak to them wanting good for the ummah.

So based upon this hadith, we worship Allah alone. And we unite together entirely on this earth as one ummah. And especially in light of Gaza, we unite. And then we also say, even if I individually as a single Muslim am not allowed to do something other than speak and preach, how about those whom Allah has allowed the opportunity to become politically engaged, to enact treaties, to get involved militarily, to help in all types of aid. I cannot do that as an individual. But there are those who should and who have that authority.

So I have been given the pulpit. I will do what I can with this pulpit. And I will address my concerns to you and to those whom Allah has placed in charge of the ummah. And I say to them, and I say to you, and I say to myself, exactly as the Prophet ﷺ said, every one of us is a shepherd. And every one of us will be asked about our flock. And then the Prophet ﷺ said, and so the ruler of the Muslims is a shepherd for the lands of Islam. Allah will ask him about all of that. And the person in charge of his family is responsible for his family. Allah will ask about that. Every one of us is a shepherd. And every one of us will be responsible to Allah for our flock.

A Message to Those in Authority

So we say to those whom Allah has put in charge of the affairs of the ummah, like I will have to answer Allah on the day of judgment for what I have done. So too will you have to answer to Allah for what you have done and what you have not done. And this needs to be said, especially in light of the reality of our current situation. Even as the images of Gaza are reaching all of us. Even as we see children starving. Even as we hear the genocide taking place.

SubhanAllah, on the other side we find the exact opposite. Pompous ceremony, jubilation. The very people that have enabled this genocide are being welcomed and celebrated in the lands of Islam. And to Allah we complain. To Allah we complain. To Allah we complain. It is a tragedy. It is a sadness of the highest magnitude. How low have our affairs gone that there doesn't seem to be any concern for what is happening. The same day that a hospital is bombed. The same time frame that a hundred people are killed and massacred. And you have dances welcoming those people who are enabling this genocide. وإلى الله المشتكى. We complain to Allah and then we say to those people in charge, you will have to answer to Allah for what you have done and for what you have not done.

Channeling Our Efforts Productively

Allah has given certain people and certain entities the power to negotiate. If they do not negotiate, then that is on them. But I still say to me and you, there's only so much good we do to spout our anger towards them. Because that is just a valve. That's just a pressure valve. It's not gonna do anything. We are all frustrated. We are all angry. But in the end of the day, Allah will ask you what you did and Allah will ask me what I did. So along with that anger, our main anger should be challenged towards productivity, towards realism. What exactly can we do?

And without a doubt, oh brothers and sisters, as I have said for the last year and a half now, it has been more than a year that this is a long term, this is a long term battle. And subhanAllah if you look at it, no matter how desperate the situation is becoming, still I say what I said a year and a half ago, in the global scale, it is obvious that this is a lost battle. In the global scale, it is obvious the tide has changed. Even in this country of ours, a vast majority of younger Americans are now sympathetic to what is happening to Palestine and Gaza. Even in this country, across campuses, our youth are energizing Muslim and non-Muslim. Every single ethnicity, they understand what is going on.

And even amongst those of the Jewish people, many youngsters amongst them are understanding that Zionism goes against Judaism. Some of the best voices that criticize Zionism are coming from the next generation of those who believe in the Prophet Musa, those who follow the Judaic law. We should encourage those people to stand up. We should support them, because they are the ones who are demonstrating that Zionism is not the same as Judaism, and our problem is with the Zionism project.

We say, and we say again, oh Muslim, that a part of being in the ummah, a part of this reality, is that our hearts, our loyalties, that our uhuwa should transcend, and we should constantly be aware. But at the same time, لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها. Allah will not burden a soul with more than what that soul is able to do. And you and I, we cannot, and we should not get involved in beyond what we can do. But what we can do, raise our voice, raise awareness, fundraise wherever possible, make sure we put pressure internally, because without a doubt, when we collectively do that, slowly but surely, and again the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah is an example.

One of the reasons why the Quraysh flipped was because of PR. One of the reasons why the Quraysh changed their minds was because so much negative was said about them. They couldn't stand it, they didn't like it, so they decided to change their policy. Nobody likes negative PR. And I know it is frustrating, that's all we can do, but there is no alternative. And those of us who have power, their alternatives, Allah will ask them about.

Oh Muslims, remember the people of Gaza in your duas. Oh Muslims, no matter how much your heart is bleeding, no matter how depressing the situation is, be optimistic in the long run that Allah will bring about a change. أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ Indeed, the Nasr and the victory of Allah is close.

May Allah bless me and you with him through the Qur'an, and may he make us of those who his verses they understand, and applies halal and haram throughout our lifespan. Ask Allah's forgiveness, you as well ask him for he is the Ghafoor and the Rahman.

The Sacred Days of Dhul-Hijjah

We are about to begin the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah. And the month of Dhul-Hijjah is the month of Hajj. It is the month where the pilgrims go to Mecca. And for those of them that are going, for those of us that are going, may Allah make that journey blessed and easy, and may you return back from Hajj having had your sins forgiven, and having had your good deeds accepted, and may you return safe and sound as you have gone.

For those that are not going, and that is the majority, realize these are the most blessed days of the year. All too often, we think that Ramadan is the only holy season. And this is a mistake. Ramadan is one holy season. Ramadan is one blessed time. And no doubt Ramadan is its own blessings. However, the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah are the most blessed day times of the whole year. And the last 10 nights of Ramadan are the most blessed nights of the year. The 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah are the most blessed 10 days of the entire year.

The Value of Good Deeds in These Days

There are no days in which good deeds are magnified, in which the smallest of deeds it may is larger than these 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. And therefore, those of you that are not going for Hajj, do not think there's nothing I can do. On the contrary, this is your time to invest in the akhirah. This is your time to accrue as much wealth as you can in the eyes of Allah. The wealth not of money and dollars and cents, the wealth of hasanat, the wealth of khairat, the wealth of dhikr, the wealth of dua, the wealth of Quran, the wealth of udhiyah.

One of the greatest actions is udhiyah on these days and to feed the poor. So go ahead and sponsor as many of the udhiyah as you can. Yes, we know the minimum that is sunnah or wajib depending on which school you follow is one. But if Allah has blessed you to afford more, given the reality of the ummah, then go ahead and be generous. Go ahead and give more. Just like our Prophet ﷺ, in these days, he commissioned 100 animals to be distributed to the poor on the Eid that he did, Eid al-Adha, when he was in Mecca. 100 animals he did as an act of gratitude, as an act of shukr to Allah.