2:06 people who play tricks…7:48 we want to be a…
Civic engagementFrom the masjid's own video, Jul 17, 2026.

Sincere obedience leaves no room for tricks

Islamic Center of

“You cannot fool Allah; Allah knows your intentions.”

The khateeb, at 2:06

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Believers must sincerely obey Allah without legalistic tricks and actively oppose wrongdoing within their lawful capacity, because passivity lets evil spread and can harm the whole community.

The khutbah in 5 steps

  1. Introduces the Sabbath-fishing village in Surah al-A'raf and Allah's test of the community.
  2. Identifies legalistic tricks to evade commands as a sign of weak faith, using zakat as a contemporary example.
  3. Identifies passive “not my problem” disengagement as a second bad trait and contrasts it with proactive advising.
  4. Uses Qur'an 8:25 and the ship hadith to argue that normalized wrongdoing can engulf an entire society.
  5. Explains a graduated response, reject wrong inwardly, speak against it, and act only within ability and law, while leaving results to Allah.
Try this week
Obey Allah’s commands sincerely instead of seeking legalistic workarounds.
Speak against wrongdoing when it is within your ability and lawful authority.
At minimum, reject wrongdoing inwardly and avoid befriending or supporting those promoting it.
Take stronger action only within your capability and what the law permits.
Make the effort while leaving the outcome to Allah.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 7The Sabbath-village story illustrates legalistic evasion and distinguishes wrongdoers from those who forbid evil.
Quran 8:25Warns that social punishment or trial can engulf a community rather than only the wrongdoers.
Sahih al-BukhariThe ship parable argues that allowing wrongdoing to continue can sink the whole society.
Sahih al-BukhariWrongdoing spreading can bring collective destruction despite the presence of good people.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“people who play tricks with Sharia Sharia don't know who Allah is they don't I mean who are you trying to fool Allah Ta'ala you cannot fool Allah Allah knows your intentions”
Islamic Center of · West Chicago, IL
Play from 2:06
“we want to be a proactive member of society and that's what a believer should be should be active positive engaged an effective member of the society”
Islamic Center of · West Chicago, IL
Play from 7:48
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Today’s khutbah taught that believers should not look for tricks around Allah’s commands. It also warned that saying “not my problem” when wrongdoing spreads is not a healthy way to live in a community. Like people on a ship, we are connected, so we should encourage good and resist wrong in wise, lawful ways. We can at least reject wrongdoing in our hearts, speak against it when appropriate, and take stronger action only within what we are capable of and what the law allows. We do our part and leave the results to Allah.

  1. When have you seen someone help a group by speaking up kindly?
  2. What is one good action we can take this week when something wrong is happening?
  3. How can we respond to wrongdoing without making the situation worse?
Where it was given

The masjid

Islamic Center of Western Suburbs (ICWS)28W774 Army Trail Rd, West Chicago, IL 60185Jumu'ah “Khutbah 1 | 1:05 | pm; Jamaat 1 | 1:25 | pm; Khutbah 2 | 1:35 | pm; Jamaat 2 | 1:55 | pm” (Bartlett location). “Khutbah | 1:15 | pm; Jamaat | 1:35 | pm” (West Chicago location).ArchiveAll khutbahs at Islamic Center of48 khutbahs
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