Honor believers for taqwa, not ethnicity
“I do not want to be from amongst the people that elevate a person simply because they are from my people.”
Muslims must reject racism, tribalism, and selective concern by honoring believers for their taqwa and standing in solidarity with Muslims everywhere.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Recalls Islam’s rejection of tribal hierarchy through the Prophet’s community and Abu Bakr’s succession.
- Exposes anti-Black racism and tokenistic attitudes toward mosque leadership.
- Challenges selective concern for Gaza while neglecting crises affecting Sudan, Congo, Bangladesh, and others.
- Grounds universal solidarity in the sanctity of every believer’s life and dignity.
- Applies the same principle to marriage, lineage, and ethnic preferences.
- Closes by urging rejection of jahiliyyah and praying for the believers worldwide.
In the khateeb's words
“the only reason why he's here on the member the only reason why he's on the board is because we are trying to fight racism”
“i do not want to be from amongst the people that elevate a person simply because they are from my people”
“we would rather follow the liar from our people than the truthful one that came from other people”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminds us that Muslims should never treat someone as less worthy because of skin color, nationality, or family background. A believer’s dignity matters wherever that believer lives, not only when one crisis is in the headlines. At the mosque, we should greet people warmly, learn about other Muslim communities, and make room for qualified people from every background. When families think about marriage, taqwa, not ancestry, should be the standard. We are called to leave behind the tribal attitudes of jahiliyyah and strengthen one another as one ummah.
- How can we make someone from a different background feel truly welcome at the mosque?
- What is one Muslim community or crisis we should learn more about this week?
- Why should character and taqwa matter more than family background when judging people?
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