6:42 when your identity…24:22 the only thing that…25:42 do you want to be…
Community & unityFrom the masjid's own video, Oct 17, 2025.

Faith matters more than race and status

MIC · Abdulmuizz Malimar

“The only thing that makes one of us better than the next is not your color, it's not your language, it's not where you're from.”

The khateeb, at 24:22

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Muslims should place faith and taqwa above race, nationality, ego, and status while actively building a supportive and united community for Allah's sake.

The khutbah in 7 steps

  1. The opening emphasizes taqwa, truthful speech, noble character, and obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
  2. The khutbah challenges racial prejudice and excessive national identity through examples involving Bilal and Abu Dhar.
  3. It contrasts loyalty to the ummah with attachment to sports teams, flags, and family lineage.
  4. The story of Khalid ibn al-Walid teaches humility, obedience, and putting the mission above personal reputation.
  5. The speaker identifies individualism and gatekeeping as barriers to Muslim unity and urges mutual support.
  6. Listeners are told to spread salam, build relationships, share skills, support cross-ethnic marriages, and reject excessive nationalism.
  7. The closing emphasizes that Allah judges taqwa, and that isolated personal piety is insufficient without benefiting the wider community.
Try this week
Greet fellow Muslims with salam and get to know them beyond a brief greeting.
Notice when community members are absent and reach out to ask whether they need help.
Share skills, talents, resources, and experience instead of gatekeeping them.
Support compatible cross-ethnic marriages and resist family prejudice based on tribe or nationality.
Balance personal worship with active service to the wider Muslim community.
Prioritize taqwa and sincere private character over social status, wealth, followers, or appearance.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 4Establishes shared human origin and responsibility toward family and community.
Surah 33Supports truthful speech, righteous conduct, forgiveness, and obedience.
Surah 49Argues that human diversity exists for mutual understanding and that taqwa determines honor.
Surah 21Presents believers as one united ummah under one Lord.
Surah 24Calls believers to repent collectively.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“when your identity becomes your country more than your religion this is a big problem right”
MIC · Cordova, TN
Play from 6:42
“the only thing that makes one of us better than the next is not your color it's not your language it's not where you're from”
MIC · Cordova, TN
Play from 24:22
“do you want to be somebody now in this dunya and be a nobody in the akhira or do you want to be a nobody now and then in the akhira everyone recognizes you as someone of piety”
MIC · Cordova, TN
Play from 25:42
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah reminded us that Muslims come from many races, countries, languages, and cultures, but our faith should be our deepest identity. We can appreciate our food, traditions, and heritage without allowing them to divide us or make us look down on others. True unity requires greeting people, noticing when they need help, sharing our abilities, and serving the wider community. The story of Khalid teaches that good leadership means putting Allah's mission above personal status. In the end, Allah values taqwa and sincere character more than appearance, popularity, wealth, or nationality.

  1. How can our family welcome someone who feels like an outsider?
  2. What skill or resource could we share with another family this week?
  3. How can we be proud of our culture while keeping faith first?
Where it was given

The masjid

Memphis Islamic Center10299 Humphrey Road, Cordova, TN 38018Jumu'ah 1:00 PMKhateebAbdulmuizz MalimarMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at MIC35 khutbahs
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