Community & unityFrom the masjid's own video, Aug 1, 2026.
Visit parents and elders to fight loneliness
In one sentence
Visiting one another sincerely for the sake of Allah, starting with parents and elders, is a Prophetic practice that increases love, strengthens brotherhood, and rescues people from the modern epidemic of loneliness and isolation.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Opening khutbah reminders: taqwa, keeping family ties, and speaking plainly (standard opening Quranic verses)
- Hadith: no Muslim visits his brother for Allah's sake except a caller from heaven announces his purification and Jannah
- Hadith 'Zur gibban tazdad hubban': visit each other periodically and love will increase
- Revisiting last week's khutbah on increasing love and brotherhood; the hadith of the man who traveled to another village purely for Allah's sake
- Personal example: calling his 80-year-old mother twice daily is not the same as a visit
- Golden Gate Bridge suicide story: a man ignored by everyone was kept afloat by sea lions 'that had more humanity than human beings'
- The Surgeon General's declaration that loneliness is an epidemic; elders seeking trivial bank transactions just for human interaction
- Sahih Muslim: Abu Bakr and Umar visit Umm Ayman as the Prophet used to; exhortation to visit parents, elders, and give salaams, then closing dua
Try this week
Visit your parents and elders in person, not just by phone, start with your parents
Visit family members, even the difficult ones, before the opportunity is lost to death
Visit the people your deceased loved ones loved, and check on them regularly
Give salaams first and respond to salaams, never walk past someone without acknowledging them
Visit and check on isolated community members and elders who may be suffering from loneliness
Respond to invitations and fulfill the rights others have over you
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 3:102Standard khutbah opening: fear Allah as is His right, do not die except in submission, keep family ties, speak directly to the point
Quran 4:1Standard khutbah opening: fear Allah as is His right, do not die except in submission, keep family ties, speak directly to the point
Quran 33:70-71Standard khutbah opening: fear Allah as is His right, do not die except in submission, keep family ties, speak directly to the point
Sahih MuslimA caller from the heavens announces 'you are purified and paradise is purifying for you', used to establish the supreme reward of visiting for Allah's sake
Sahih MuslimThe companions preserved the Prophet's practice of visiting his wet nurse; Umm Ayman weeps because revelation has ceased, proof the companions valued visiting elders
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“Visit each other periodically. It will increase your love.”
“They said to her, oh Umm Ayman, don't you know that what's with Allah is better for the messenger of Allah?”
“And sometimes people feel this, this pain, even in the company of their family,”
“And that's why our religion is built upon giving salaams.”
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