Meet crises with patience and wise priorities
“Deal with everything one after the other.”
Muslims should respond to post-9/11 trauma and present burdens by knowing their limits, focusing on what they can do, trusting Allah’s help with patience, and embodying graciousness and unity.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Condemns attacks on innocents and recalls post-9/11 discrimination and hardships, especially for visibly Muslim women.
- Urges Muslims to recognize their boundaries and focus on immediate responsibilities rather than becoming overwhelmed by every crisis.
- Uses the story of Abraha and the Prophet’s grandfather to teach wise priorities and trust in Allah’s care.
- Explains that Allah’s help is near, comes with patience, and may appear in this life or the Hereafter.
- Calls believers to respond to public hostility with dignity, smiles, respect, and reassurance.
- Closes by urging unity beyond ethnicity, madhhab, and divisive opinions under the shahada.
In the khateeb's words
“we enjoin that which is right and we forbid that which is wrong exclusively for the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala”
“we have to know we don't have to change our identity but we need to know how to deal with the situation that we may be in”
“what it means is they believe that the help of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala came depending on His divine decree”
“deal with everything one after the other look out for what can help you and how it can help the umma and how it can be beneficial to humanity”
For the dinner table
The khutbah remembers the suffering and discrimination many Muslims experienced after the attacks 25 years ago, while condemning the killing of innocent people everywhere. It reminds us that we cannot control everything, so we should know our limits, focus on what is in front of us, and trust Allah with what is beyond us. The story of Abraha and the Prophet’s grandfather teaches wise priorities, while the Qur’an and Prophetic teachings promise that Allah’s help comes with patience and may appear in this life or the next. We should represent Islam with dignity by respecting women, making people feel safe, smiling, and responding to difficulty without losing our character. Finally, we should see one another as believers beyond ethnicity, school of thought, and divisive opinions.
- What is one situation where focusing on what is in front of you could help you respond better?
- How can our family make other people feel comfortable and safe?
- What does trusting Allah while being patient look like this week?
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