Education keeps the Muslim community alive
“The role of a school is to perpetuate the values of the people who gave rise to it.”
Education is one of the essential pillars (Daruri) for building the Muslim ummah and civilization, and the community must move from mere faith to conviction, keeping the 'pilot light' of its educational institutions alive through sacrifice and commitment.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Opening on the first revelation ('Iqra'), reading in the name of the Lord as the foundation of education
- The Prophet's method of teaching at intervals and the idea that everything building the ummah is important
- The five (expanded to seven) Daruri essentials of civilization, with education as this year's emphasis
- Culture as the 'master of the people' and the definition of a school as perpetuating the values of its founders
- The history of the community's schools (University of Islam to Clara Mohammed School) as a flame kept alive by a pilot light
- Faith vs. conviction (steak and eggs) and the debt owed to ancestors who sacrificed for Islam in America
- Call to attend the weekend's shahadatayn graduation and education celebration, plus announcements
In the khateeb's words
“the role of a school is to perpetuate the values of the people who gave rise to it”
“faith and conviction is like steak and eggs the chicken was involved but the cow was committed”
“oh people the thing you fear is the thing you left home for martyrdom and we shall not fight our enemy with our number or strength or abundance”
“we are not the makers of what we enjoy and we have an obligation to carry it forward to pay it forward to move it forward”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that the first words of the Qur’an’s revelation were a call to read in the name of our Creator, so education should be connected to faith and service. He described education as one of the pillars needed to build an Ummah, alongside family, religion, mental well-being, material life, culture, and governance. He encouraged Muslims to build and protect a culture that reflects our values, including schools and rituals that shape the next generation. Using the image of a pilot light, he said our educational work is still alive and can grow when people bring conviction, commitment, sacrifice, and support. This weekend’s celebrations invite us to honor students, graduates, educators, and those who sacrificed before us, then carry that legacy forward.
- What is one thing you enjoy learning, and how could it help someone else?
- What values should a school or family help us practice?
- Who helped make your opportunities possible, and how can you pay that forward?
The masjid
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