True brotherhood means loving others as yourself
“Let's give one another 70 excuses so that we don't fall into these sins that can really harm the brotherhood.”
True brotherhood in Islam means genuinely loving for others what you love for yourself, modeled by the Prophet's pairing of the Muhajirin and Ansar, and it requires purging jealousy, mockery, and individualism from our hearts, families, and communities.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Opening with Surah al-Hujurat and the theme of true brotherhood
- The Prophet united the warring Aws and Khazraj upon faith
- Al-Muakha: the Ansar hosted the Muhajirin as honored guests, not second-class refugees
- Abdul Rahman bin Auf's example: the Muhajirin worked to stand on their own feet
- Loving for your brother what you love for yourself; purging jealousy and envy from the heart
- The prohibition of mocking, belittling, and name-calling, including cyberbullying and social media culture
- Tolerance and forgiveness: the story of Zainab's slip and the Prophet's forgiveness; giving others 70 excuses
- Rejecting individualism: brotherhood starts in the family, checking on siblings and serving parents
In the khateeb's words
“None of you will become a true believer except that he loves for his brother, Muslim brother, not blood brother, just any Muslim brother, what he loves for himself.”
“Because I can get away with it in the dunya does not mean I can get away with it in the akhirah.”
“Let's give one another 70 excuses so that we don't fall into these sins that can really harm the brotherhood.”
“How can a community thrive and flourish while everybody just thinks about themselves?”
For the dinner table
Today's khutbah was about true brotherhood in Islam. The imam reminded us how the Prophet brought together two tribes in Medina who had been fighting for years and united them on faith, and how the people of Medina welcomed the migrants from Mecca as honored guests, sharing their homes and wealth. He warned us against jealousy, mocking others, and the habit of putting people down, even as a joke, because Allah and His Prophet called that evil. He also told us to forgive each other's mistakes, just as the Prophet forgave his wife Zainab when her words slipped out. Finally, he said real brotherhood begins at home: checking on our brothers and sisters, helping our parents, and refusing the selfish 'me, myself and I' attitude that society teaches.
- Who is someone at school or in the community you could check on or help this week?
- Why do you think jokes that make fun of someone became so normal, and how can we be funny without hurting people?
- What is one chore you could do for mom or dad without being asked?
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