Purposeful marriages raise leaders who serve
“If you want to produce great men and women, it does not start at birth.”
Muslim communities build just leaders and solutions to today's problems by choosing purposeful spouses, raising children with clear service to Allah and society, and mentoring the next generation.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Umar ibn Khattab's milk story establishes integrity before Allah and links righteous leadership to justice.
- Qur'anic and prophetic examples show parents seeking children who carry faith and beneficial work forward.
- Marriage is presented as foundational to raising a purposeful generation, with examples involving Najmuddin, Salahuddin, and Imran ibn Hittan.
- Farouk and Rabia illustrate investing in children's religious education rather than possessions.
- The sermon critiques young people's pursuit of social-media visibility and status instead of meaningful contribution.
- Listeners are urged to identify communal problems, mentor youth, and choose marriages oriented toward solving them.
In the khateeb's words
“And see, if you want to produce great men and women, it does not start at birth.”
“A person who loves to be seen by people will never be able to taste the sweetness of the Akhirah”
“Look for somebody that can help you with a greater problem.”
For the dinner table
Today the khutbah began with a story from the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab. A girl refused to mix water into the milk her family was selling because, as she said, even if Umar couldn't see them, Allah could. Umar was so impressed that he married her to his son, and generations later her family produced Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, a ruler so just that people couldn't find anyone poor enough to take their zakah. The khateeb taught that great people like him and Salahuddin don't just appear. They are raised by parents who choose their spouses wisely and raise their children for a bigger purpose, like the prophets who asked Allah for children who would carry on the deen. He warned us not to live just to be seen or to collect followers, and to use our time and talents to help others. Most of all, he asked every family to sit together and ask, 'What problem in the world are you going to help fix?'
- If nobody but Allah could see you, would you still act the same way? What's one example?
- Salahuddin's father told him he was born for a greater purpose. What problem in the world would you most like to help fix?
- Why do you think so many kids want to be YouTubers, and what's something better to be known for?
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