10:37 So birr al-walidain…11:07 Loyalty is that when…17:21 To have somebody…24:47 He said, your jihad,…
Family & marriageFrom the masjid's own video, Sep 3, 2025.

Serving parents is a form of jihad

ICCP

“Your jihad, your struggle is in serving your parents.”

The khateeb, at 24:47

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Honoring and serving one's parents through respect, loyalty, sacrifice, companionship, and prayer is a central act of worship that extends to honoring elders and shaping the whole community, while faith limits obedience in matters of disobedience to Allah.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. The khateeb introduces birr al-walidayn, or honoring parents, through a scholar's emotional response to his mother.
  2. Qur'anic teaching forbids even minor disrespect and frames parental honor as a major ethical obligation.
  3. Honoring parents demands time, money, patience, loyalty, companionship, and gratitude for their sacrifices and prayers.
  4. Examples of elder teachers and famous scholars show how respect for elders and mothers transmits wisdom and blessing.
  5. Even with non-Muslim, difficult, or deceased parents, listeners should remain kind, avoid disobedience in matters of shirk, and pray for them.
  6. The khutbah closes by extending parental respect to community life and praying for families, the sick, schools, worship spaces, and people affected by a shooting.
Try this week
Avoid even small signs of disrespect, such as rolling your eyes, talking back, yelling, or harming parents.
Give parents time, money, effort, patience, companionship, and loyalty, especially in old age.
Make dua for living or deceased parents, including the named supplication during sujood or before salam.
Honor older people as you would an uncle or aunt, and seek their company and wisdom.
Model respect for parents and elders so children and the wider community learn it.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“So birr al-walidain also requires sacrifice of your time, of your money, of your effort to sit and to be patient.”
ICCP · Potomac, MD
Play from 10:37
“Loyalty is that when things, when the stuff hits the fan, you're there. When things go south, you're there for your friends, for your family.”
ICCP · Potomac, MD
Play from 11:07
“To have somebody believe in you when you are young when no one believes in you. That is the greatest gift.”
ICCP · Potomac, MD
Play from 17:21
“He said, your jihad, your struggle is in serving your parents.”
ICCP · Potomac, MD
Play from 24:47
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah reminds us that honoring our parents is a central part of worship and good character. It means giving them time, patience, companionship, loyalty, and gratitude for the sacrifices they made. Even when parents are not Muslim, are difficult, or have passed away, we should remain kind, pray for them, and avoid obeying anything that contradicts faith. By treating our parents and elders with respect, we teach our children how to build a caring and faithful community.

  1. What is one kind thing you could do for a parent or grandparent this week?
  2. Who is an older person whose story or advice you would like to hear?
  3. How can our family show loyalty when someone is having a difficult time?
Where it was given

The masjid

Islamic Community Center of Potomac10601 River Rd, Potomac, MD 20854Jumu'ah Adhan 1:15 PMArchiveAll khutbahs at ICCP96 khutbahs
Keep listening

More on Family & marriage

All on this topic
Don't let a moment of disagreement turn into conflict where years of good are forgotten like that.14:45IAR Atwater · Southwest Raleigh, NC · Oct 31, 2026Protect relationships when disagreements ariseEPIC · Plano, TX · Oct 30, 2026Honor your mother while you still can“Call sometimes just because you want to hear her voice.”We cannot have disrespectful parents disrespecting each other in the presence of their kids.22:41UMMA · Southfield, MI · Sep 19, 2026Faith shows in how we treat family