A building is only the start of community
“Our community is not built on brick and mortar.”
The new extension is only a beginning, and the community must turn gratitude for its building into lived Islam through remembrance, inherited practice, service, family life, and trust in Allah.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Opens with standard Arabic khutbah invocations and thanks the people who built the community extension.
- Celebrates the extension while emphasizing that a community is more than physical infrastructure.
- Uses Robert Pirsig's concept of philosophology to distinguish analysis of Islam from practicing Islam.
- Calls the community to embody remembrance, prophetic teachings, service, family life, and trust in Allah.
- Reframes the completed extension as the start of building a multigenerational society of Islam.
- Urges listeners to reflect on real versus fake Islam and closes with prayers for the community and suffering people worldwide.
In the khateeb's words
“our community is not built on brick and mortar on drywall on plumbing on bolts even though the man with the clipboard that's what he seems to think the community is built on”
“take a moment during this break to think about the difference between fake islam and real islam”
For the dinner table
Today we celebrated the completion of the community’s new extension and thanked the people who made it possible. The khateeb reminded us that a masjid is more than walls: it should be a living community of remembrance, learning, worship, support, and praise of the Prophet. He encouraged us to bring Islam’s teachings into our homes, work, relationships, and treatment of neighbors. We should work hard and plan wisely while remembering that the final outcome rests with Allah. The extension is therefore a beginning, calling every generation to help make the community beautiful in practice.
- What makes a masjid feel like a real community?
- How can our family practice Islam more fully this week?
- How can we work hard without losing trust in Allah?
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