14:24 Real family, real…28:14 We ask you, O Allah,…
Character & conductFrom the masjid's own video, Sep 5, 2026.

Use AI as a tool, not an authority

At-Thohir · Ahmad Honest Qashidi

“We ask you, O Allah, to allow us to be users and producers, not being used by technology that we have.”

The khateeb, at 28:14

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

As AI becomes unavoidable, Muslims should preserve real human relationships and moral responsibility, use technology as a bounded tool rather than outsourcing judgment to it, and direct the time gained toward worship, family, and community.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Calls believers to taqwa and lifelong, wholehearted submission to Allah.
  2. Introduces AI's growing role in education, work, warfare, and daily life, emphasizing bias and social costs.
  3. Argues that human connection, patience, forgiveness, sacrifice, and akhlaq are spiritually necessary.
  4. Urges families and communities to protect children's play, learning, critical thinking, and moral development.
  5. Recommends using AI with Islamic guardrails while preserving time for family, community, and spiritual growth.
  6. Closes with three practical reminders: maintain human connection, accept moral responsibility, and remain users rather than being used by technology.
Try this week
Maintain real human connection and patiently handle friction in family and community relationships.
Create spaces where children can play, learn, make mistakes, and grow with people rather than relying on AI.
Do not outsource religious, moral, or critical-thinking questions entirely to chatbots; learn with teachers and communities.
Use AI with adab and Islamic guardrails, treating it as a tool rather than an authority.
Use time saved through technology for family, community service, worship, and spiritual growth.
Increase awareness of Allah while using chatbots and posting on social media.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“Real family, real marriage, real friendships have friction. If you're going to be a yes woman or a yes man to each other, you're not building up each other.”
At-Thohir · Koreatown, CA
Play from 14:24
“We ask you, O Allah, to allow us to be users and producers, not being used by technology that we have.”
At-Thohir · Koreatown, CA
Play from 28:14
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah taught that technology can be useful, but it should never replace real human relationships or our responsibility before Allah. Families grow through patience, forgiveness, sacrifice, and the everyday friction of living with one another. Children especially need people who play with them, teach them, guide them, and help them make mistakes. We should use AI carefully, with good boundaries, and spend the time it saves on worship, family, community, and becoming better people.

  1. What is one way technology helps us, and one way we need to set a boundary around it?
  2. Who is someone you can be more patient or forgiving with this week?
  3. What is one important question you would rather discuss with a trusted person than ask a chatbot?
Where it was given

The masjid

Masjid At-Thohir Los Angeles1200 S Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006Jumu'ah Khutbah 1:00 PM · Prayer 1:30 PMKhateebAhmad Honest QashidiMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at At-Thohir57 khutbahs
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