Unity begins with guarding the tongue
“Guard your tongue, stop getting involved in nonsense.”
The khutbah argues that Muslim unity will return only when each believer sincerely recommits to Allah, abandons divisive argument and fitna, guards the tongue, and turns brotherhood into concrete care for neighbors, elders, and the vulnerable.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Surah Ali Imran frames the sermon with commands to fear Allah, hold firmly to His rope, and avoid division.
- The Qur'an should unify Muslims, but ego, insincerity, sectarian disputes, and public name-calling have fractured the community.
- Repair begins with individual spiritual self-care, sincerity, introspection, self-control, and guarding the tongue.
- Believers should disengage from fitna, including social-media disputes, and focus on their relationship with Allah.
- Brotherhood requires practicing Muslim rights, including greetings, responding to invitations, giving advice, supplicating after sneezing, and visiting the sick.
- The community must build practical support for seniors, parents, the weak, and those in need.
- The closing returns to sincere worship, prayer, zakat, mutual service, and asking Allah to unite hearts.
In the khateeb's words
“the Qur'an is the unifier the Qur'an is the unifier and He tells us to hold on to this rope of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and do not divide yourselves”
“guard your tongue stop getting involved in nonsense have enough trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and a trust in what He gave you”
For the dinner table
Today the imam reminded us of a verse in Surah Ali Imran: Allah tells the believers to hold on together to His rope, the Qur'an, and not to split apart, and He reminds us that He turned enemies into brothers. The imam said that many Muslims today are arguing and fighting with each other, and that real unity only comes when each of us works on our own heart and our relationship with Allah. He reminded us of the rights we owe each other, like returning salam, answering invitations, giving good advice, saying a prayer when someone sneezes, and visiting the sick. He asked us to think especially about the elders in our community who need care, and to build ways to look after one another instead of only depending on others. He also warned us to guard our tongues, because hurtful words can't be taken back. Most of all, he said this comes from love: be a good person, be sincere with Allah, and treat others well.
- When someone says "assalamu alaikum" to you, how can you answer in a way that's even better than theirs?
- Why do you think the imam said words are like toothpaste that can't go back in the tube?
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