30:08 We need to return. to…83:17 They built the…89:14 It's not enough to be…
Seeking knowledgeFrom the masjid's own video, Sep 3, 2025.

Muslims must build and excel for their time

Al Aqsa Community

“We need to return to the values that Allah has given us.”

The khateeb, at 30:08

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

The khutbah argues that Muslims must respond to their era’s moral, social, and intellectual needs by returning to Quranic values, building communal institutions, and pursuing excellence in knowledge and action.

The khutbah in 7 steps

  1. Interprets Surah al-Nur’s Light verse as guidance for understanding unseen social consequences, not merely as a mystical image.
  2. Connects social etiquette, gender boundaries, hijab, and decency to the long-term health of families and societies.
  3. Warns that abandoning moral boundaries can erode family stability and contribute to social corruption.
  4. Calls Muslims to identify the needs of their time and respond actively rather than waiting for others.
  5. Uses Medina’s market, literacy education, Zayd’s language work, Quran compilation, and hadith authentication as examples of communal problem-solving.
  6. Highlights Muslim contributions to optics, algebra, medicine, physiology, zoology, and geography, urging renewed excellence in knowledge.
  7. Closes with a hadith about the strong believer and a collective call to begin long-term renewal.
Try this week
Organize family and social life around Quranic values of decency, permission, responsibility, and appropriate boundaries.
Identify a real need in the Muslim community and take sustained action to address it rather than waiting for others.
Pursue serious study and excellence in a field that strengthens the Muslim community.
Attend the Sunday 10:30 new Muslim and basics class, which the announcement said is open to everyone.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 24Used to argue that divine guidance reveals the delayed social consequences of moral boundaries and etiquette.
Sahih al-BukhariThe strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah; used to call Muslims toward strength and excellence.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“We need to return. to the values that Allah has given us. We need to organize our life, our social structures based on those values.”
Al Aqsa Community · Plainfield, IL
Play from 30:08
“They built the resources, they acquired the knowledge, they performed the actions that were necessary to address that problem and to build a strong Muslim society.”
Al Aqsa Community · Plainfield, IL
Play from 83:17
“It's not enough to be an engineer. It's not enough to be a mathematician. We need to excel. We need to be the best, like we used to be.”
Al Aqsa Community · Plainfield, IL
Play from 89:14
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah reminded us that Allah’s guidance helps us see consequences that are not always immediate, especially in how we treat family and society. The speaker urged Muslims to protect decency, responsibility, and healthy boundaries. He then showed how early Muslims met their needs by creating markets, teaching literacy, preserving the Quran and hadith, and advancing science. The message for us is to stop waiting for others and begin serving our community with knowledge, courage, and patience. Renewal may take years, but it cannot begin unless we start.

  1. What is one community need we can help address instead of waiting for someone else?
  2. Where could you pursue greater excellence in learning or service?
  3. Which family value helps our home become stronger and healthier?
Where it was given

The masjid

Al Aqsa Community Center17940 S. Bronk Rd, Plainfield, IL 60586Jumu'ah 1st: 1:05 PM 2nd: 2:05 PMArchiveAll khutbahs at Al Aqsa Community37 khutbahs
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