Do not rejoice in another’s misfortune
“When your brother succeeds, be happy for him; when he receives a blessing, ask Allah to bless him; when he faces hardship, ask Allah to help him.”
The khutbah teaches that rejoicing in another person’s misfortune is a disease of the heart that violates Islamic brotherhood, calling believers to control anger, avoid humiliation, conceal faults, and respond with mercy, prayer, and help.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Introduces taqwa and the prophetic warning against rejoicing in a brother’s misfortune.
- Defines schadenfreude as celebrating illness, poverty, loss, or humiliation, including through social media.
- Uses prophetic supplications, Harun’s example, and Quranic warnings to show how humiliation deepens suffering.
- Contrasts envious hearts with believers who share others’ happiness and recognize that circumstances constantly change.
- Explains how anger and pride can turn justice into revenge, ridicule, and abusive argument.
- Calls for fair disagreement, private correction, concealing faults, gratitude without arrogance, prayer, and practical compassion.
In the khateeb's words
“the heart of a believer should be different when your brother succeeds be happy for him when he receives a blessing ask Allah to bless him when he faces hardship ask Allah to help him”
“when someone falls don't celebrate help him stand up again when someone suffers don't laugh show mercy when someone makes a mistake don't rush to expose them”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah reminded us that Islam does not allow us to enjoy another person’s pain, even when we dislike or disagree with them. A believer thanks Allah for blessings without feeling superior, remembers that circumstances can change, and asks Allah to relieve people who are suffering. We should protect people’s dignity, correct mistakes with wisdom, and avoid gossip, insults, and humiliation. The khutbah encouraged us to control anger, be fair in conflict, and respond to hardship with mercy, kind words, prayer, and help.
- When have you found it difficult to feel compassion for someone you dislike?
- What is one way we can show gratitude without acting better than others?
- How can we help someone who has made a mistake without embarrassing them?
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