GratitudeFrom the masjid's own video, Sep 3, 2025.
Gratitude must shape how we live
“Islam is a way of being.”
In one sentence
Jumu'ah is the Muslim community's weekly Eid, reminding believers that gratitude must become lived submission, sacrifice, Quranic learning, and service rather than mere identity.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Jumu'ah is framed as a weekly Eid and communal Thanksgiving centered on praising Allah through hardship.
- Alhamdulillah and tasbih are distinguished, with gratitude affirming Allah's wisdom in creation.
- Human diversity in appearance, language, and culture is presented as a divine sign meant to foster mutual understanding.
- Eid must express lived submission and sacrifice, following the examples of Ibrahim, Yaqub, Ismail, and Hajar.
- Identity and ancestry cannot replace deeds; trials reveal sincerity and believers must produce Quran-rooted people and service.
- The rain-and-land parable and Quran-school story show how knowledge should take root, benefit others, and transform lives.
Try this week
Praise Allah in every circumstance, including discomfort, trials, and hardship.
Use Jumu'ah to return to the community, learn about others, and appreciate cultural and linguistic differences.
Treat Islam as lived submission by making difficult choices and sacrifices for religious principles.
Raise children through Quranic education, morally grounded teachers, supportive friendships, and strong character.
Study the Quran through memorization, meanings, and tajweed, then turn that knowledge into service and benefit for others.
Examine what kind of spiritual 'land' you are and work to retain and share beneficial guidance.
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 17:44All created things glorify Allah, supporting the call to praise Him in every circumstance.
Sahih MuslimThe statement that Alhamdulillah fills the scale emphasizes the weight of gratitude.
Quran 49:13Human diversity into peoples and tribes is meant to enable mutual knowledge and appreciation.
Quran 2:132-135Ibrahim's legacy defines religion as submission, not merely an inherited label or identity.
Quran 29:2-3Trials test and reveal the sincerity of professed belief.
Quran 2:214Trials test and reveal the sincerity of professed belief.
Quran 2:134Past communities receive what they earned, while each present generation is responsible for its own deeds.
Quran 2:141Past communities receive what they earned, while each present generation is responsible for its own deeds.
Sahih al-BukhariThe rain-and-land parable illustrates how people differ in receiving, retaining, and transmitting guidance.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“It is a day where we return to the masjid as a community. And we remind each other of several things.”
“Islam is not an identity Islam is a way of being and It's a state of being. It's submission.”
“We can't be those people just because we did the symbolic things in the religion. We assume that we've done our job. Now the job is to Produce!”
Talk about it at home
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that Jumu'ah is our weekly Eid, a time to gather and thank Allah even when life is difficult. He encouraged us to appreciate our different colors, languages, and cultures as signs of Allah and opportunities to know one another. Through the example of Ibrahim and his family, he explained that faith involves trust, patience, and actions that show our submission to Allah. He reminded us that we are responsible for our own deeds and cannot depend only on the achievements of earlier generations. Like soil that receives rain and grows useful plants, we can let the Quran shape our lives so that others benefit from what we learn.
- What is something you want to thank Allah for this Friday, and how could you show that gratitude?
- What would you like to learn about another family's language or culture?
- What is one thing you learned today that you could put into practice before next Jumu'ah?
Keep listening
More on Gratitude
ICI · Irving, TX · Oct 24, 2026Thank Allah in ease and hardship“Even in moments of difficulty, when it feels like there's nothing going your way, there is always something to be grateful for.”
Either we're receiving a blessing, which calls for shukr, or we're going through a hardship, which calls for sabr.13:29Al-Ittehad · Vista, CA · Sep 19, 2026Gratitude and patience carry believers through life
Real gratitude is not a feeling.16:14London Muslim Mosque · London, ON · Sep 11, 2026Gratitude means using blessings well