This khutbah (given at the Islamic Foundation of Lincoln on 3/3/12) is a reflection on some of the challenges that we face in establishing an authentic sense of brotherhood, and a couple of simple ways that we can move toward that goal. We all understand in theory that we are brothers and sisters, and while we practice some aspects of it, we struggle in others!

Our Challenge_ Real Brotherhood

I ask Allah to increase our sense of brotherhood and to help us identify, admit and rectify our shortcomings through His Mercy and Forgiveness!

This is an MP3 of the Khutbah given today at the Islamic Foundation of Lincoln. The subject is “I’m Better Than You”, a reference to the ayah in Surah Al A’raaf (7:42) and Surah Saad (38:76). Arrogance can come in unexpected ways, but we have to fight to maintain and develop a spirit of brotherhood and humility. May Allah accept our efforts!

_I’m Better Than You!_ – Friday Sermon

One of the practices recommended in a recent khutbah here in Lincoln was to establish a family halaqah, or study circle, for at least 10 minutes per week. I love this idea and will reflect upon it briefly. The khateeb lamented a condition where too many of us rely on our understanding of Islam based on what we have understood from our family or culture, with no connection to the primary sources of Islamic knowledge (Qur’an and Sunnah). Someone may ask us what we believe and we reference our parents or country, which makes us no different than anyone else! If we open the Qur’an and read for a few minutes and take a narration from a book such as Riyad As-Saliheen to share with our families, we can introduce our young and old alike to the concept of seeking knowledge and studying Islam from authentic sources. This is particularly important in an era where many hostile sources seek to define Islam for us. We need to be able to articulate the message of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in an informed and confident manner, and ensure that our children, wives, husbands, and other family members are able to do the same. I challenge myself and anyone reading this to establish a regular time in the home to learn together as a family. We need not (nor should we) attempt to go into academic issues beyond our scope. Just take time to read Allah’s words and reflect upon the wisdom of the Sunnah, and seek out a scholar or imam if questions come up that are outside our capabilities to answer. May Allah help us to love his religion and love to know more about it, ameen.