Seeking knowledgeFrom the masjid's own video, Aug 1, 2026.
Sacred knowledge comes from Allah
Mecca Center · Ansari
“Allah is the one that gives the ilm.”
In one sentence
Knowledge (ilm) is a sacred attribute originating from Allah, transmitted through the Prophet as the master educator, and reviving an ummah rooted in structured sacred learning is the only path to salvation in this world and the next.
The khutbah in 9 steps
- Opening praise and the virtue of Jumu'ah as a time to repair one's relationship with Allah
- Human beings are ennobled above creation through the gift of aql (intellect), reflected even in our upright physical form
- Ilm is an attribute of Allah alone; prophets received it through revelation, making knowledge a sacred light (nur), not mere information
- Modern devices and doom-scrolling are satanic tools destroying our ability to reason and learn
- The Prophet as the master educator: he trained specific companions in specific sciences (Zayd in inheritance, Ubayy in Quran, Mu'adh in fiqh)
- The Sahaba built systems (munawaba) to share knowledge while balancing work and family
- No bifurcation between religious and secular sciences, all knowledge is from Allah
- Call to action: admit ignorance, attach to institutions of learning like Darul Qasim College, enroll oneself and one's children
- Closing duas, including for Gaza and the oppressed
Try this week
Come to Jumu'ah with the intention of repairing one's relationship with Allah
Give thanks to Allah for the gift of intellect and guard it against distraction and intoxicants
Admit one's own ignorance and make a firm intention to seek structured knowledge
Memorize and sincerely act on the dua 'Rabbi zidni ilma' (My Lord, increase me in knowledge)
Take out a couple of hours each week to enroll in a class at an institution of Islamic learning such as Darul Qasim College
Spend money to enroll one's children in institutions that preserve their intellect and infuse Islamic values across all subjects
Get families and the wider community involved in a movement to revive sacred learning
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 3:102Standard opening khutbah verses on taqwa recited at the start
Quran 4:1Standard opening khutbah verses on taqwa recited at the start
Quran 33:70-71Standard opening khutbah verses on taqwa recited at the start
Quran 17:70To establish that Allah ennobled humanity above all creation
Quran 95:4The upright human form with the intellect at the top reflects divine wisdom in making man a reasoning being
Quran 59:22To prove ilm is Allah's own attribute over the seen and unseen
Quran 29:49The location of revealed knowledge is the hearts of those given ilm
Quran 96:1-5The first divine command was to read and learn, grounding the ummah's identity in knowledge
Quran 20:114The dua for increase in knowledge that listeners should memorize and embody
Quran 12:76To cultivate humility: above every knower is one more knowledgeable
Sahih al-BukhariThe Prophet as distributor of ilm while Allah is its giver, anchoring knowledge in revelation
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“the world today is so busy seeking intelligence outside of this earth rarely do we sit and reflect on the intelligence that Allah has given us”
“and because ilm is connected to Allah ilm is nur and in fact the classical ulama of Islam in the definitions of ilm the first thing they use is that ilm is nur”
“I am only the distributor of ilm Allah is the one that gives the ilm”
“I should take out a couple hours of my week and enroll in a class I should sacrifice some of my money and enroll my children into an institution”
Keep listening
More on Seeking knowledge
IMAN Center · Kirkland, WA · Sep 19, 2026Knowledge matters only when it changes us“Sometimes the problem is knowledge without action.”
Daar-Ul-Islam · Ballwin, MO · Oct 3, 2026The first revelation calls us to learn and serve“Before any type of great transformation occurs outwardly, there must be deep reflection inwardly.”
CCIL-KBW · Laval, QC · Sep 26, 2026Protect your heart from information overload“Faire confiance à Allah ne signifie pas rester sans rien faire.”