Justice requires civic action
“You can do more than you know.”
Muslims should treat establishing justice as a shared religious responsibility by using whatever influence and civic opportunities they have to serve their communities and oppose oppression.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Establishes justice as a central Islamic duty through prophetic willingness to oppose oppression.
- Uses Yusuf’s service in Egypt to show how abilities should serve public welfare.
- Applies the shepherd hadith to personal responsibility within one’s sphere of influence.
- Presents ten levels of civic engagement, from dua and speech to voting, office, and enabling others.
- Closes by calling listeners to local service, communal benefit, and prayer for the oppressed.
In the khateeb's words
“I'm here today to tell you that you can do more than you know”
“there is this thing called a board and a commission that runs our city”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that establishing justice and caring for people are important parts of our faith. He described how Yusuf used his abilities to help people prepare for a difficult time, even among people who did not share his beliefs. He also shared how Omar took responsibility for people's well-being and went out at night to check on them. His message was to do what we can, where we are, with what we have. As a family, we can notice who needs help, use our abilities to serve them, and ask Allah to make us a benefit to those around us.
- What is one skill you have that could make someone else's day easier?
- Who around us might need help that we haven't noticed yet?
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