Sheikh Sudais Jumuah Khutbah ( Green Lane Masjid)

Opening Praise and Supplication

The Brotherhood of Believers

The Muslims are brothers, and the believers are allies of each other. And if this mission is obligatory on Muslims at all times and places, then why should it exist in a time of challenges, in a time of conflicts, in a time of multiple sects, in a time of changes — and in a country of the world where Muslims are the most eager to meet and hold fast to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

The example of the believers in their affection, in their compassion, is like the example of one body. When a member of it complains, the rest of the body calls to him in sleeplessness and fever.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6011; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2586)

Islam: A Religion of Justice, Mercy and Coexistence

The Ummah of Islam — this religion has come with justice, and it has come with truth, and it has come with kindness, and it has come with forgiveness and tolerance, and it has come with dialogue, and it has come with cooperation, and understanding, and co-existence among all the children of man.

This is the approach that the Muslims should follow in these times, in which those who have deviated from the middle path and moderation have been found. There is arrogance, terror, extremism, and being away from the path of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

Those who are committed to forgiveness, tolerance, goodness, bringing about good deeds, and fulfilling the objectives of the people in preserving their religion, themselves, their minds, their wealth, and their ethnicity. And there are people who are defeated, who have lost their values and principles, and they have not established their religion, and they have not been proud of their Islam.

And Allah, Almighty, says:

Islam Is Free from Terrorism

The world should know that the religion of Islam is innocent of what is known today as terrorism, and the killing of innocent souls, even if they were not Muslims. Whoever kills a Mu'ahadah (a person under treaty), he has not left the fragrance of Paradise, as the Chosen One — may his father and mother be ransom for him — peace and blessings be upon him, said.

For this reason, Allah revealed:

Islam has come with security, stability, and world peace, so that all humanity can live in purity, and live in peace. And this is not strange for the Ummah of Islam. The community of Muslims was found in the city of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and there were Muslims and non-Muslims. And non-Muslims did not find a more just Shari'ah, a more merciful Shari'ah, or a better Shari'ah than the Shari'ah of Islam, because it protects the rights of man and honors them.

So fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and hold fast to the Book of your Lord, and the Sunnah of your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. And the last of this Ummah will not be reformed except with what its first Ummah was reformed.

May Allah bless me and you in the Great Qur'an, and benefit me and you with the guidance of the Master of the Messengers. I say this, and I ask forgiveness of Allah, the Great, for me and for you, and for the rest of the Muslims from every sin. So ask forgiveness of Him and repent to Him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Second Part of the Khutbah

As for what follows: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah. And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah, then every soul will be fully compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.

And know that the most truthful of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And the worst of affairs are those newly invented, and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

Then know, O servants of Allah, that it is obligatory upon a Muslim at all times and in all places to reflect a correct, positive image of his creed, his religion, his country, and his community. For a Muslim is ever conscious of the watchfulness of Allah in every place:

So it is obligatory upon the Muslim to hold firmly to his religion, especially in a land such as this — a land in which Islam is in a state of ghurbah (strangeness), and in which worldly temptations and allurements are many. So fear Allah — fear Allah — in remaining firm upon the religion and holding fast to it, and in safeguarding the self through care, review, and self-accountability.

Raising the Next Generation

And then comes the upbringing of the children, the generation, the women, and the family upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him:

The scholars of Islam said: meaning, discipline them and teach them. So how much more so in a community like these communities, in which temptations may be many? Therefore, it is our duty, O servants of Allah, to hold firmly to our religion, to care for our children and families, to raise them with a sound upbringing, to raise them upon good character, and to deal well with non-Muslims so that this may become a call to Allah through good words, kind speech, and exemplary conduct — without deceit, fraud, deception, lying, oppression, or harm. For all of that is prohibited in the Shari'ah of Islam.

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 2340; also reported in Muwatta Imam Malik)

This Shari'ah has come to bring about benefits and ward off harm. And Allah, Almighty, says:

To all people — all people — regardless of how different their religions, creeds, values, and inclinations may be. It is indeed obligatory upon us to look for the common ground among all people, to nurture it, and to be keen on realizing it. For that, in and of itself, is a call to the religion of Allah — the religion of tolerance, goodness, and happiness for all of humanity.

The happiness of Islam and its radiant lights are not exclusive to Muslims alone. Rather, they shone upon the world in the era of the Islamic conquests. So how befitting it is that we spread them through sound da'wah, wisdom, good words, and excellent conduct — so that this may be more conducive to the acceptance of Muslims and non-Muslims alike: Muslims in their adherence to their religion, and non-Muslims being invited to the upright religion of Allah.

The Example of the Prophet in Dealing with Non-Muslims

Such was the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He dealt with non-Muslims in the finest manner. He visited his Jewish neighbor. He passed away while his shield was pledged with a Jew. He engaged with them in buying and selling, and there is no shame in that. He was the very embodiment of truthfulness and trustworthiness — may my father and mother be ransom for him, peace and blessings be upon him.

So these dealings are not a flaw upon the Muslims; rather, they were a means among the means of calling to the religion of Allah. Many lands were opened through the excellent conduct of Muslims with others in the realm of their trade and commerce. So those who live in lands such as these must abide by the systems and laws that do not contradict our Shari'ah, and they must be exemplary in integrity, cleanliness, trustworthiness, fulfillment of the mission, and in refraining from lying, cheating, fraud, harm, and oppression toward anyone. This is how our Shari'ah was — and through it, Allah opened all lands, far and near.

As for today, many Muslims have fallen into error in their dealings with Muslims and with non-Muslims alike. And this is nothing but the result of weakness in religiosity and weakness in understanding the religion of Allah and in truly knowing the Shari'ah of Islam.

Yet, despite all these challenges and tribulations, we find — and all praise and gratitude belongs to Allah — the sons of the Muslims everywhere, and these mosques and centers serving as beacons of light, illuminated lanterns, and edifices of knowledge, da'wah, goodness, security, and peace for all people. And our brothers here — and all praise and gratitude belongs to Allah — have set a magnificent example in preserving their religion and holding fast to their Shari'ah. And this blessed gathering in this blessed mosque is but one example from the many glad tidings of the victory of the religion of Allah, by the praise of Allah.

Closing Du'a

English Translation — Summary by Brother Bilal Philips

All praise is due to Allah. He gave us advice and direction to improve our condition and to find a path for us. He gave us, firstly, the opportunity of the fear of Allah — the fear of Allah. This is the most important thing that we can attain from this life.

He described the foundations of Islam as a belief system which was completed by Allah in the time of the Prophet himself, peace and blessings be upon him. These foundations are for all times. And we as Muslims believe in a unified message from all of the Prophets of Allah. And the essence of that message is to worship Allah alone in His oneness.

At the same time, that message contained mercy. As Allah described the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saying:

That he was sent as a mercy to all nations. And this is founded in the Shari'ah. It is a legal system which calls for mercy, balance, gentleness, and wisdom. And at the same time, it calls on the Ummah to argue with those who have another belief system, but to do so in a constructive manner. It brought about stability to human society, and it commands us to follow the example of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, which he left behind.

The Ummah today, as he pointed out, is in need of this stability. At a time where societies have changed, Muslims are no longer ascendant, we find amongst us extremism on one hand, and inferiority complexes on the other. And we have been accused of terrorism when Islam is free from it. Islam prohibits the killing of anyone with whom we have treaties and are not engaged in battle. Human rights were preserved by Islam, and we are called to hold on firmly to the Qur'an and Sunnah, because the end of this Ummah will not be corrected except by what corrected its beginnings.

And in the second half of the khutbah, the Shaykh pointed out the importance of reflecting Islam — that we should be examples in this world, in this country, among non-Muslims. We should be examples of Islam. And to do that, we have to raise our children properly Islamically, protect our families, and be an example of goodness as opposed to examples of deception and cheating. We are commanded by the Prophet's saying: لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ — we should neither harm others nor harm ourselves.

And we are known for our righteousness in the past — righteousness in all of our dealings — which caused the spread of Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to visit his Jewish neighbors, and we are invited to treat those around us regardless of their beliefs in a good way. And it is through that goodness that Islam spread.

So Muslims today face a series of challenges, and we have the duty of spreading the awareness of Islam throughout the world. We are blessed with Islam, and we are blessed with the example of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his companions. And we need to hold firmly to that way, and to the way of all those who followed it in righteousness.

And he closed with a du'a for the Ummah, for the Muslims, that Allah gives success in their struggles and that they adhere to the religion, and that Allah forgive our dead, our families, and guide them. بَارَكَ اللهُ فِيكُم — and that they accept our tawbah, our repentance. بَارَكَ اللهُ فِيكُم — make du'a for the Shaykh, as he makes du'a for all of us.