9:30 Rather than burning…25:20 what are you doing and…
Character & conductFrom the masjid's own video, Sep 13, 2025.

Words can heal or deepen harm

At-Thohir · Ahmad Honest Qashidi

“Rather than burning bridges, we should be building bridges.”

The khateeb, at 9:30

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Believers should treat speech as an act of faith by speaking truthfully and mercifully, guarding their hearts and media consumption, building community, and pursuing justice without personal revenge.

The khutbah in 5 steps

  1. Opens with taqwa, submission to Allah, and blessings upon the Prophet.
  2. Remembers victims of post-9/11 wars and connects war, Islamophobia, Gaza, and a climate of hate.
  3. Explains that words carry weight and can create lasting generational harm or strengthen relationships.
  4. Uses the Quranic imagery of good and evil words as fruitful or uprooted trees, urging careful speech and media consumption.
  5. Closes with reflection on what listeners are doing and working on, community role models, prayers, and Jumu’ah prayer.
Try this week
Think before speaking and choose truthful, uplifting words.
Greet others warmly and build bridges instead of demeaning people.
Watch social-media consumption and avoid participating in hateful discourse.
Examine the heart and motives behind what you say and repeat.
Ask regularly what you are doing and working on for your family and community.
Make space for others and keep prayer rows straight.
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 3:102Calls believers to mindfulness of Allah and to die in submission.
Quran 33:56Commands believers to send blessings and peace upon the Prophet.
Quran 14:24-26Contrasts a good word as a rooted, fruitful tree with an evil word as an uprooted tree.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“Rather than burning bridges we should be building bridges we should be uplifting and encouraging”
At-Thohir · Koreatown, CA
Play from 9:30
“what are you doing and what are you working on”
At-Thohir · Koreatown, CA
Play from 25:20
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Today’s khutbah reminded us that our words carry weight and can leave lasting marks on other people. The imam encouraged us to greet one another with peace, build bridges, and offer kind words that keep doing good like a fruitful tree. He asked us to notice how social media shapes our speech and to check our hearts before we speak. He described the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as someone who sought justice without seeking personal revenge, and he prayed for people suffering from war and oppression. He closed by encouraging us to think about what we are doing, what we are working on, and which people we choose as our examples.

  1. What kind words could you say this week to help someone feel welcome?
  2. Who in our community do you look up to, and what would you like to learn from them?
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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