Justice means fairness and civic responsibility
“Justice is required everywhere and by everyone.”
The khutbah argues that justice requires Muslims to practice fairness in daily life, participate in voting, understand and explain Sharia accurately, and build stronger relationships across faiths.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Justice is a comprehensive Quranic duty governing relationships, speech, and even nonverbal expression.
- Voting is presented as testimony and a responsibility to choose the best available option.
- Muslims are urged to overcome inherited political disengagement and respond to Islamophobia through civic participation.
- Sharia is explained as a holistic Muslim way of life, not merely a system of criminal law.
- Listeners are urged to deepen worship, engage non-Muslim neighbors, vote, and invite them to an open house.
In the khateeb's words
“Justice is required everywhere and by everyone, particularly in our interaction, dealing with the other people, starting with the family, neighbors, relatives, business partners, other fellow beings in the society and in the community.”
“And the Sharia is the Muslim way of life. And as we know, literally, it means the path or the water path which is in the desert.”
For the dinner table
Today's khutbah was about justice, or adl, which is one of the biggest themes in the Qur'an. Dr. Haq reminded us that justice isn't only for courtrooms. Allah asks us to be fair with family, neighbors and everyone else, even in our words, facial expressions and eye-rolls, and even with people we don't like. He said that when we see something unfair happening, we shouldn't just stay quiet. He also explained that scholars compare voting to giving testimony, so he encouraged everyone to vote early, starting this Monday. He said Sharia simply means 'the path to water,' the way of life that brings us closer to Allah, and that we should understand it well so we can explain it kindly to others. He ended with three steps: get closer to Allah through dua and dhikr, really get to know our non-Muslim neighbors, and take part in our community, including inviting friends to the open house at Masjid Abu Bakr on October 31st.
- Can you think of a time someone made a face or rolled their eyes at you? How did it feel, and why do you think Allah wants us to be fair even with our expressions?
- If you saw a classmate being treated unfairly, what is one thing you could do so you're not just a 'silent spectator'?
- Which neighbor or friend would you like to get to know better, and how could we do that as a family?
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