8:41 you want everybody…13:28 you make a pledge you…
Character & conductFrom the masjid's own video, Nov 7, 2025.

Righteousness is faith put into action

Islamic Center of

“When the righteous make a pledge, they fulfill.”

The khateeb, at 13:28

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

True righteousness (birr) is not a secondary outward form but an integrated life of sound faith, sincere worship, generous service, trustworthy conduct, and patient obedience to Allah.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Uses Surah al-Baqarah 2:177 to distinguish righteousness from disputes over qibla direction.
  2. Defines birr as faith expressed through thoughts, feelings, actions, and beneficial conduct.
  3. Explains belief in Allah, the Last Day, angels, Books, and prophets as the foundation of purpose and accountability.
  4. Applies righteousness to giving cherished wealth, caring for others, establishing prayer, and paying zakat.
  5. Emphasizes fulfilling promises with friends and opponents to build a high-trust society.
  6. Calls for patience during hardship, lawful perseverance, and self-assessment against the Quranic standard.
Try this week
Avoid creating community division over secondary disagreements such as precise qibla angles.
Give from what you love, beginning with family, then neighbors and people in need.
Establish prayer by bringing body, mind, and soul together and preparing beforehand.
Pay the obligatory 2.5% zakat and add voluntary charity beyond it.
Keep promises and pledges with both friends and opponents.
Remain patient in hardship, pursue lawful income, and avoid haram solutions.
Measure your character and actions against the standards in Surah al-Baqarah 2:177.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 2Defines righteousness through faith, charity, prayer, zakat, fulfilled pledges, and patience.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“you want everybody else to be better than you that's what a righteous person is”
Islamic Center of · West Chicago, IL
Play from 8:41
“you make a pledge you don't lie that's the righteous when the righteous make a pledge they fulfill”
Islamic Center of · West Chicago, IL
Play from 13:28
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Today’s khutbah teaches that righteousness, or birr, is much more than outward direction or secondary religious disputes. It begins with faith in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Books, and the prophets, then appears in generous care for family, neighbors, and people in need. Righteousness also means establishing prayer with body, mind, and soul; paying zakat; keeping promises; and remaining patient without turning to haram. We should give from what we love and measure our character and actions against these standards. A righteous community grows when people trust one another and genuinely want good for others.

  1. What is something you love that you could share this week?
  2. How can we prepare to pray with our body, mind, and soul?
  3. Why does keeping promises help a community trust one another?
Where it was given

The masjid

Islamic Center of Western Suburbs (ICWS)28W774 Army Trail Rd, West Chicago, IL 60185Jumu'ah “Khutbah 1 | 1:05 | pm; Jamaat 1 | 1:25 | pm; Khutbah 2 | 1:35 | pm; Jamaat 2 | 1:55 | pm” (Bartlett location). “Khutbah | 1:15 | pm; Jamaat | 1:35 | pm” (West Chicago location).ArchiveAll khutbahs at Islamic Center of48 khutbahs
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