Remember the past and pray for justice
“We learn from the good of the past.”
The Quran teaches believers to remember and pray for those who came before them, honor sacrifices, cleanse their hearts of rancor, learn from past injustice, and respond to present suffering with justice, dua, and patience.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- The sermon begins by attributing guidance, faith, family, and every blessing to Allah, emphasizing the Quran as a book for reflection.
- It explains the Quranic prayer for earlier believers through the example of the Muhajireen and Ansar, stressing forgiveness and freedom from rancor.
- It discusses the prayer for parents as recognition of their nurturing, protection, and role in preserving faith.
- It argues that reflecting on history teaches believers what to do and avoid, using Srebrenica and the suffering of Uyghurs as examples.
- It calls believers to stay informed, remember victims of genocide and oppression, and make dua for them.
- The account of Hunayn and Musa concludes the khutbah with lessons about divine justice and patience under accusation or hardship.
In the khateeb's words
“Allah is saying, "Drop all of your pretenses." What you may know about someone, what you may have heard about someone, What may have occurred in the past, you forget it, you wipe it clean.”
“We learn from the good of the past. And we also learn from the bad of the past. about what not to do and how to conduct our affairs. Today!”
“And so brothers and sisters, we are the ones, believers, have to be informed of what happens and what's going on in the world today.”
For the dinner table
Shaykh Zahir reminded us that our faith, our blessings, and the people who help us grow are gifts from Allah. He encouraged us to pray for believers who came before us and remember their sacrifices, including the care of parents and grandparents. He explained that dua for our parents is also a chance to reflect on how they nurtured us and to thank Allah for them. He urged us to ask Allah to keep hatred from taking root in our hearts. Remembering the victims in Bosnia and others facing suffering, he called us to stay informed, pray for them, and seek justice and fairness. He ended with the example of the Prophet remembering Musa’s patience, encouraging us to remain patient through hardship.
- Who has helped you become kinder or grow in faith, and what would you ask Allah to give them?
- How could we help someone new feel welcome in our community this week?
- Who beyond our family could we remember in our duas tonight?
More on the ummah & current events
Islam belongs to all of humanity.16:15FIC · Swartz Creek, MI · Oct 10, 2026Dawah must serve all of humanity
EPIC · Plano, TX · Aug 3, 2026The ummah must serve humanity“We have to engage the greater society and we have to better the greater society.”
18:19ICRR · Round Rock, TX · Aug 1, 2026Liberation depends on the next generation“The success of a project is not dependent on the physical completion of it, but it's dependent on if the next generation inherits your legacy or not.”