5:34 A person is upon the…13:34 Islam brothers and…19:19 you will never leave…
Youth & educationFrom the masjid's own video, Aug 28, 2026.

Choose friends who protect your faith

Assalam Mosque · Yahya Ayass
Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Young Muslims should protect their faith by choosing righteous friends, prioritizing Allah’s approval, and maintaining Islamic boundaries in speech, gaze, relationships, and daily conduct.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Choose close friends who strengthen faith and encourage prayer and righteous behavior.
  2. Prioritize Allah’s approval over peer acceptance, even when Islamic practice feels strange.
  3. Recognize that friendships without taqwa can become sources of blame on Judgment Day.
  4. Maintain boundaries in cross-gender speech, gaze, social media, and physical contact.
  5. Avoid pathways toward zina and trust Allah to replace what is left for His sake.
  6. Respect parents, teachers, school, and religion while practicing honesty, leadership, and frequent dua.
Try this week
Examine close friendships and keep friends who remind you to pray and avoid sin.
Put Allah’s approval before classmates’ or coworkers’ praise, even when observance feels strange.
Keep cross-gender conversations necessary, respectful, and free of flirting or attention-seeking jokes.
Lower your gaze in person and on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, phones, and computers.
Avoid impermissible physical contact and politely explain your Muslim boundaries.
Leave flirtation, secret DMs, late-night Snapchat, and other pathways toward zina.
Be good to parents and teachers; avoid music, lying, backbiting, and cheating.
Lead positively at school, work, and home, and increase dua.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“A person is upon the religion Or upon the way of his best friend So let each one of you examine And closely look at who he takes As his close friend”
Assalam Mosque · Ottawa, ON
Play from 5:34
“Islam brothers and sisters does not forbid you to have a cordial respectful conversation with another gender however Islam has boundaries and you should take them as your boundaries”
Assalam Mosque · Ottawa, ON
Play from 13:34
“you will never leave something for the sake of Allah except that Allah will replace you with something better than it”
Assalam Mosque · Ottawa, ON
Play from 19:19
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah reminds us that our friends shape our faith, so we should choose people who help us pray and avoid sin. We may sometimes feel different at school or work when we follow Islamic boundaries, but Allah’s approval matters more than peer approval. The speaker encourages respectful, necessary interaction with the other gender while guarding speech, eyes, and hands, including online. He warns us to step away from flirtation and other paths toward zina and promises that leaving something for Allah brings something better. He closes by urging kindness to parents and teachers, honesty, leadership, and frequent dua.

  1. Which kinds of friends help us become better Muslims?
  2. Where might we need stronger boundaries with phones or social media?
  3. What is one good action we can practice at school or home this week?
Where it was given

The masjid

Ottawa Islamic Centre and Assalam Mosque100-2335 St-Laurent Blvd, Ottawa, ON K1G 5G6Jumu'ah Iqamah 1:30 PM & 3:00 PMKhateebYahya AyassMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at Assalam Mosque14 khutbahs
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