The Exclusive Path to Salvation | Jumuah Khutbah | Ustadh Mohamad Baajour | EPIC Masjid

EPIC Community Services Center Announcement

Mobile medical clinics, disaster relief support, adoptive street cleanups, and by opening our doors as a warming shelter for the past three winters through the Plano Overnight Warming Shelter Coalition, EPIC has consistently stepped forward to help those in need. Today EPIC is taking a bold step forward. We are honored to lead a new unified initiative, the EPIC Community Services Center, a place where compassion is organized, hope is accessible, and essential services are brought together under one roof.

This center will be located in downtown Plano, a location chosen with purpose. It is easily accessible to underserved families, low-income households, and our unhoused neighbors. It also lies within the city's established zoning and ordinances, making it the most strategic and compassionate place to serve those who need us most.

At the EPIC Community Services Center, hope begins with connection. Our transitional homeless services will provide safety, stability, and support, meeting individuals where they are and helping them take the next step toward housing, employment, and independence. For those without access to health care, the free medical clinic will be a lifeline, offering general health checkups, dental care, mental health services, and wound care. Compassionate treatment offered without cost, without barriers, and without judgment.

A hot meal can comfort the soul. Our soup kitchen will serve freshly prepared meals in a space where every guest is welcomed, respected, and treated with dignity. The food pantry will support families facing hardship with fresh produce, essential groceries, and culturally appropriate foods. A reminder that their community stands beside them.

A warm coat, shoes that fit, a clean outfit for a job interview. These small things restore confidence. The clothing closet will ensure every person has access to clothing that helps them move forward. For someone living without shelter, a shower can be life-changing. Our clean private shower facilities will offer comfort, hygiene, and a renewed sense of dignity.

In dangerous heat or freezing cold, the center will become a warming and cooling shelter, protecting vulnerable individuals when the weather turns life-threatening. With dedicated space for case managers, individuals will receive personalized support, from documentation assistance and benefits access, to employment guidance and long-term planning.

And while EPIC is honored to lead this effort, we do not stand alone. This project is a united initiative with the City of Plano, the Collin County Homeless Coalition, Hope Restored Mission, and a coalition of churches and nonprofit partners. Together we are building something extraordinary for our community.

As we finalize the home for this center, one truth guides us. Wherever it stands, it will be a place where every person is seen, valued, and supported. A place where compassion becomes action, and where lives can be rebuilt with dignity. EPIC Community Services Center, serving community with faith, compassion, and dignity, together. This is more than a project. It is a promise from all of us, to all of Plano.

Opening Greeting and Recent Events

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. اللهم حرم هذه الوجوه الطيبة عن النار. May Allah keep all these beautiful faces away from the hellfire. Ameen, ya rabbal alameen.

My dear brothers and sisters, as you have seen what happened two Saturdays ago. There was a group of protesters standing outside, and they were saying inappropriate things about our deen, and about our messenger, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And with the help of Allah Azza wa Jal, after we put our complete trust in him, and we took by all the means, wallahi subhanAllah, it was probably one of the best things that ever happened to EPIC. They miserably failed. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala made EPIC more successful, more spoken about all over the world, about the services of EPIC.

One of the headlines in one of the newspapers, it says a January 6 rioter interrupts EPIC's weekly food pantry. Allahu Akbar, this is, you could tell that you are doing something good when the other side is praising you.

EPIC's Current Services

So ya akhwan, all these services that you have seen, we are already doing them at EPIC, but what we decided right now is to combine them all under one roof. Overnight shelter, free medical clinic, soup kitchen, clothing, showers, everything under one roof. Because the only way to fight Islamophobia is by what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala ordered us, repel with what's the best.

You do not know how many people benefit every single week, come any Saturday between 1 and 2. Lines of non-Muslims, no questions asked, only one question, open your trunk. One order, open your trunk and they will get food. This has been running for five years, every single Saturday.

Our warming shelter, this Monday is going to be freezing. If you come at night or if you come in the morning, you will see in the back our gym where our children are benefiting and having fun. It will be closed to serve the community. Free medical clinic, five days a week, our beloved doctors are volunteering to serve everybody, Muslim or non-Muslim. No insurance, no problem, subhanAllah.

Fundraising for the Community Center

So ya akhwan, we had a fundraising on last Saturday and alhamdulillah, I mean we were able to raise 1.5 million, but the cost of this building, just the cost before fixing it, is around 2.5. So just, I'm gonna go with a very quick fundraising right now. I want to take advantage because many people were not in the fundraising or were not able to participate. So we're gonna do a quick fundraising inshallah, so everybody will get the ajr and the benefit of being part of something so great.

So the concept is 184 for 24, 184 dollars for 24 months. Raise your hand. Dr. Ahmed Habibi, 184 for 24. Raise your hand, brothers will give you the pledge card, make sure you fill it clearly, right there. 184 for 24, mashallah, right there. Who's over there? Habib. Keep your hand raised until they give you the card. Sisters, please do the same. 184 for 24. If we have a hundred people like that, you know what we will have? Two hundred thousand dollars and in 24 months.

184, yallah ya shabab, you know, this is our masjid, this is our community. They have united against us. Let's unite and show them what Islam is. They have united from everywhere. 184 dollars. Raise your hands, ya shabab. Here behind you, Qasim. Dr. Qasim, 184. Two more people. Barakallah fiqh. One more, just one more, brothers. One more, just one more. Mashallah. Doctor, right here. Habib, right here.

184 divided by two, 92 dollars. 92 dollars, ya khwan. 92 dollars per month for your masjid, for your children, because most of us probably we're not gonna witness this community center. We're doing it for our future generations to come. 92 dollars a month. Anybody for 92? Anybody? There's a lot of people are visiting. Take advantage of your visit and invest with Epic. Mashallah. 92? Raise your hand. Brothers in the back, I do not see you but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sees you. Mashallah, Allahi barak fiqh. Sisters, please, you have sisters upstairs, raise your hand, be generous.

And the last number, $45. $45 a month. You should have at least 50 people, ya khwan. You're gonna hear the khutbah today and you're gonna say, I wish I raised my hand. Barakallah fiqh. Right here. $45 a month? Huh? $5,000? Allahi barak fiqh, Habibi. Brother Khalid, $5,000? SubhanAllah, that is more than $45 a month. $45 a month? If anybody would like to give a lump sum amount, just also raise your hand. Barakallah fiqh, Habibi. Our new brother's just arrived to the community, he's raising his hand. Yalla ya shabab, $45 a month? $45? Sisters? Raise your hand right there. Mashallah.

By the way, ya khwan, I cannot afford $45. Any amount, any amount, just be part of this khayr. Allah ya khwan, subhanAllah. There will come a time, there will come a time Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, He told us, ya Allah bring me back. Ya Allah, Allah told us in the Quran, ya Allah bring me back. What do you wanna do? Fa as-sadaq. I wanna give sadaqa ya Allah, just bring me back. Wa akum minas salihin. May Allah make us all from the salihin. May Allah accept from all of us. Please like I said, any amount on your way out, put $10 a month, $25 a month. Just feel like you know what, I'm not only hearing this, I'm applying. Because since you are here and you heard, you will be questioned.

The Tools of Salvation

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.

From that accountability, it's either heaven or hell. It's not death or being in the hospital for a while. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said:

Allah azza wa jalla, there is no god except Him. لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ He will 100% gather you on the day of judgment. There is no doubt about it. And who is more truthful than Allah azza wa jalla?

So we all know that this day is coming. And we have to prepare. Wallahi, it should not leave our mind. How can we be saved on that day? What are the tools of salvation on that day? That should be constantly, constantly our main thought. For COVID, we did so many things. But this day, I don't know how much effort are we putting to prepare to be saved on that day.

يَوْمٌ عَظِيمٌ وَمَقَامٌ خَطِيرٌ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَىٰ For the people who have done evil, they will see the reward of their evil. And for the people who do good, they will only get good.

So, what are the tools to be saved on that day? What are the tools of salvation? Wallahi, this is one of the most important khutbas.

The Hadith of Uthman and Abu Bakr

Uthman radiallahu anhu is narrating and the hadith is in Musnad Ahmed. He said, I was sitting, he said, after Rasulallah ﷺ passed away, many sahaba بدءوا يوسوسوا. Many of the sahaba, many of the companions of Rasulallah ﷺ were very devastated. And they started imagining things. And they started being distracted. وَأَنَا مِنْهُمْ And I was one of them.

So one day, I was sitting under the shade. And Umar passed by and he said salam. And I was not aware of Umar's salam. When Umar saw that he went to Abu Bakr, the khalifa of the time. Note on the side, imagine I did not reply the salam, it is reported to the khalifah.

Umar went to the khalifah and he said, Ya Abu Bakr, can you imagine I said salam to Uthman and he did not reply to me. Abu Bakr said, bring Uthman here, look at this, look at this Kabira that they have committed. Bring Uthman here.

Ya Uthman, Umar is saying that he saw you said salam to you and you did not reply. He said this did not happen. Umar said, Wallahi it happened. So Abu Bakr said, Ya Umar, Uthman is not lying. Ya Uthman, were you thinking of something? Are you worried about something?

He said, yes Ya Abu Bakr. Probably Umar said the salam to me but I was not focusing because my mind is occupied. How did Rasulullah ﷺ die and I forgot to ask him, how can I be saved on the Day of Judgment?

Abu Bakr said, don't worry Ya Uthman, I did it. I went to him and I asked him, I said, Ya Rasulullah, how can we be saved on the Day of Judgment? I asked him that question and Rasulullah ﷺ he said, Whomsoever accept what my uncle rejected, he will be saved on the Day of Judgment. Whomsoever accept what my uncle rejected will be saved on the Day of Judgment.

The First Tool: La Ilaha Illa Allah

So the first tool for salvation is La Ilaha Illa Allah, Kalimat Tawheed. Not just uttering lip service. La Ya Ikhwan, living by La Ilaha Illa Allah, dying on La Ilaha Illa Allah, you talk to please Allah, you stop talking to please Allah. Every act is for the pleasure of Allah. I have nobody in my mind except Allah.

Sincerity in every amal that I do. I'm only doing it. I'm only donating for the pleasure of Allah. I'm only praying for the pleasure of Allah. I'm fasting for the pleasure of Allah. I am volunteering in the masjid for the sake of Allah. Every amal I'm doing sincerely for the sake of Allah. That is what it means believing and living La Ilaha Illa Allah.

My weddings are according to La Ilaha Illa Allah. The funerals are according to La Ilaha Illa Allah. The way I raise my children is according to La Ilaha Illa Allah. The way I treat my spouse is the way is according to La Ilaha Illa Allah.

Living by La Ilaha Illa Allah

All my life, listen to this, when we have this ayah engraved in our heart and applied by our limbs, tell them that my salat, my sacrifice, my life and my death is for Allah. When we get to that level, we are living by لا إله إلا الله.

And one of the worst things that we could ever do is commit shirk. And every time we say the word shirk, many people think, oh who's now worshipping, making sujood to an idol. Ya habibi, there are so many forms of shirk that many people are doing and they do not know it's shirk. When we go make tawaf around the graves, this is an act of shirk. When we ask a dead person to help us have a boy or a girl, that's a form of shirk. When I fear anyone other than Allah, this is shirk. When I love anyone more than Allah, this is a form of shirk. Supposed to be the only one, now I have partners with Him. I fear Him and I fear the police.

Listen to what Allah told Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم:

Ya Muhammad, it has been revealed to you and to every messenger before you. If you commit shirk, all your a'mal are multiplied by zero. So number one, just because of the time, لا إله إلا الله, living by لا إله إلا الله, raising my children on لا إله إلا الله.

Following the Sunnah of Rasulullah

Second, my brothers and sisters, is the application of the Sunnah of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Allah سبحانه وتعالى told us very clearly:

If you obey him, you will be rightly guided. And listen to the honor, listen if there's no bigger honor than this:

And whosoever obeyed Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, he has obeyed Allah. Allahu Akbar.

So ya ikhwan, we pray. The Sunnah came and told us how to pray. We pay zakat. The Sunnah came and told us how much is zakat. We go to Hajj. The Sunnah came and told us about the details of Tawaf and Sa'i. So they go hand in hand.

For all these people, the new group that is coming out, "Quran is sufficient by itself." Ya habibi, the one who revealed the Quran told you:

The one who revealed the Quran said, whatever Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم came with, take it, grab it, and whatever he told you stay away from, stay away from.

So second, the obedience of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Imitate him in the way you speak, in the way you eat, in the way you treat your enemy, in the way you treat your spouse, in the way you treat your neighbor, in the wala, in the bara, in every step of our way.

Fulfilling the Obligations

Third, doing the obligations. My habibi, how is your Salat? How is your Salat? Do you pray on time or you pray whenever you feel like praying? Allah ya ikhwan, 25 minutes, all the Salawat, out of 24 hours, just to say thank you ya Allah. Thank you for choosing me to be a Muslim. Thank you for giving me parents. Thank you for my health. Countless ni'm, la tu'ad wa la tuhsa.

Please, please, your Salat. A man came to Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and he said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 15)

Ya Rasulullah, if I pray my five daily prayers, and I stay away from haram and I do everything that is halal, will I enter Jannah? He said, نعم, 100% you will enter Jannah.

So second tool is, or third tool, focusing on the obligation by Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

The Path to Salvation

Uqbah ibn Amir رضي الله عنه وأرضاه, one of the greatest sahabah and the servants of Rasulullah ﷺ. He came and straightforward came to Rasulullah ﷺ and he asked him the question on everybody's mind. Ya Rasulullah, ما النجاة؟ What is the salvation? How can we be saved on the Day of Judgment?

Rasulullah ﷺ, he did not say salvation is to go to Jannah and be saved from the Hellfire, because this is obvious. No, he gave him details. Listen, ya ikhwan, three things. He said:

(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2406)

He told him three things. Control your tongue and let your house suffice you and cry, cry over your sin. Let's take them one by one quickly.

Control Your Tongue

You see this small organ? It never gets tired. And it could be a reason to enter Jannah and the same organ, a reason to enter the Hellfire. It depends how do we use it.

Ya ikhwan, before we speak, the solution is very easy. Before I speak, I ask myself, is this statement good? If it is, Bismillah. If it is not, stop.

Tell my ibad to say the best. When I wanna talk, when I wanna reply, it has to be the best. Because it's an order from Allah. When I wanna comment, it has to be the best. When I wanna reply to the text, it has to be the best. وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ Why Allah? إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ Because shaytan is creating fitna and problems between them.

And tell others, mankind, speak to them gently.

Ya ikhwan! Sometimes you see a brother or a sister. Completely impossible to do alcohol or riba or zina or any of the major sins. But when it comes to backbiting, it's very easy on their tongue. When it comes to slandering, it's very easy on their tongue.

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2501)

Whomsoever is quiet, silent, he is saved. Because this tongue, sometimes the stuff is very juicy. You want to spread rumors against your brother. You want to tell everybody what he has done or what she has done. And you start telling yourself, "Yeah, I can tell him in his face." Ya habibi, he is not here. She is not here. Go tell them in their face.

Backbiting is giving your hard-earned hasanat on a golden platter to the person you hate. On the Day of Judgment, I cannot give my mother one hasanat, but I will give this guy thousands of hasanat. Because I was spreading rumors against him in this dunya.

Ya Rasul Allah! Aisha رضي الله عنها When Safiyyah left the room, she said, in one hadith, she gestured. In another hadith, she said, قَصِيرَة She is short. One hadith, she just gestured. قَصِيرَة Ya Aisha, listen ya ikhwana. My sisters, ya Aisha, you have said a word. If it was mixed with the ocean, it will become contaminated. قَصِيرَة قَصِيرَة

We sit down in our gathering and we have a list. Yalla, let's start with Abdullah. And Ahmed and Mahmoud. And then yalla, we start talking about them. As if it's the fruits of the gathering.

Be Content with Your Home and Make Tawbah

أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ لِسَانَكَ وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ And be satisfied and be content with what Allah has given you. And if you ever commit a sin, make tawbah and make a lot of istighfar. Make tawbah and make a lot of istighfar. Subhanallah.

Ali رضي الله عنه, he said:

I'm surprised from someone who has perished and salvation is with him. They said, ya ameer al-mu'mineen, what is the salvation? He said, al-istighfar. أَكْثِرُوا مِنَ الْاِسْتِغْفَارِ A lot of istighfar. Especially before fajr and the last third of the night, make a lot of istighfar.

Making Du'a for Protection

Ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى for najat. Make du'a. Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, after he finished durood in the salat, إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ Some of the sahabah used to say, we thought it's a fard. He used to make this du'a and seek refuge from four things:

He used to make this du'a before taslim. And we all know that this part of the salat, the du'a is mustajab before the taslim. So seek refuge with Allah from these four. From the punishment of jahannam, from the punishment of the grave, from the fitna of life and fitna of death, and from the fitna of the Masih al-Dajjal.

Or simply:

Every salat, ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

The Reality of Death

Allah ya ikhwan, you know, those three sahabah that were discussing this matter, they are all mubashshareen bil jannah and they are worried about najat. I am mubashshareen with nothing. And I hardly think about it. They are guaranteed jannah. And all they're thinking about, how can I be saved on the Day of Judgment? We are guaranteed nothing. And it hardly cross my mind. All my thoughts is about the dollar and this and that and the business. That's all we think about.

And even though, just last week, just last week, between 19 years old to 105, we buried. Five people between the age of 19 and 105. A hundred percent, you belong in between. وَمَنْ مَاتَ فَقَدْ قَامَتْ قِيَامَتُهُ And whomsoever dies, his qiyamah started.

So don't say, "Oh, this khutbah is for the Day of Judgment." This khutbah is for tomorrow. It's for five minutes later.

My brothers and sisters:

Allah سبحانه وتعالى in Surah Luqman, He said, "O Mankind! Have Taqwa of Allah and fear a day where a father can do nothing to his child and a child can do nothing to his father." You see, those children that we give them the best. We sacrifice our health and our wealth and our time and everything for them. And we should. On the Day of Judgment. Don't be deceived. The owner of the Dunya is telling me do not be deceived by this Dunya. Do not be deceived by this Dunya.

Practical Steps for Salvation

Ya ikhwan! This question should be constantly on our mind: How can I be saved on the Day of Judgment? Because my Qiyamah could be tomorrow.

Pray your prayers on time. My sister put the right Hijab. Get rid of all the deals with Riba. Stop selling Haram. Stop selling smokes. Stop disobeying your parents. Give in charity as much as you can. Wallahi, invest as much as you can before you leave. Do not count on your children to invest for you. How much you have invested for your parents?

After one week I see them in the grave all the time. "Ya Shaykh, please give me an idea. I want to give so much to my parents. I want to build a Masjid. I want to dig a well. I want to open an orphanage." One week later. He stopped answering the phone. Khalas. They're going to forget us.

Invest in a Sadaqah Jariah. You, for yourself. If they did, Allahu Akbar. It's a bonus. It's an extra. But make sure you invest in whatever. Whatever. Orphan, widow, school. Anything. For this Deen. Before the time comes they will announce: "Ya Jama'ah, tomorrow is the Janazah of Ustadh Baajour."

Closing Du'a

And whosoever does that, it is they who are the losers. And spend out of what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you. And he will say, My Lord, why did You not delay me for a near term? So give charity and be of the righteous. And Allah does not delay a soul when its term has come. And Allah is Aware of what you do.

اللَّهُ أَكْبَر Allah is Great. سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَن حَمِدَه Allah hears those who praise Him.

سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَن حَمِدَه

Du'a Request

There was a request for du'a. One of our sisters, her husband, Sayyid Zain Al-Abideen, he is very sick in the ICU. We ask Allah Azza wa Jalla to give him complete shifa.

We ask Allah the Great, the Lord of the Great Throne, to heal him. We ask Allah the Great, the Lord of the Great Throne, to heal him. O Allah, heal our sick and the sick of the Muslims. Have mercy on our dead and the dead of the Muslims.

Another brother, brother Mahmood Hassan, he said, SubhanAllah, two of his cousins died in Bangladesh on the same day. One from heart attack and one from sickness. We ask Allah Azza wa Jalla to give them the highest place in Jannah and forgive their sins and give patience to their families.

Jazakumullah Khair. As-Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.