Qur'an & tafsirFrom the masjid's own video, Oct 10, 2026.
Backbiting and arrogance destroy human dignity
“Allah cares more about the dignity, the sanctity of the believer, than the sanctity of the Kaaba itself.”
In one sentence
Surah al-Humazah warns that backbiting, belittling others, and wealth-driven arrogance destroy human dignity and require sincere self-examination and repentance.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Defines humaza as backbiting and lumaza as face-to-face belittling, name-calling, and hurtful speech.
- Uses the believer's sanctity, including the Kaaba comparison and Aisha's slander episode, to show the gravity of harming dignity.
- Explains jealousy, wealth-display, and legacy-building as motives behind contempt and arrogance.
- Describes the Surah's warning of Hutamah, Allah's blazing fire, and punishment reaching the heart.
- Closes with self-examination, repentance, and a prayer for protection from these qualities.
Try this week
Examine whether you are practicing humaza or lumaza through backbiting, name-calling, or disparaging remarks.
Stop speech that makes others feel belittled, whether spoken behind their backs or directly to them.
Check your intention before purchasing or displaying possessions, distinguishing comfortable living from showing off.
Honor financial obligations and avoid cheating or walking away from debts.
Seek Allah's forgiveness and ask Him to remove these qualities from your heart.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 104Defines humaza and lumaza, condemns wealth-fueled arrogance, and describes the punishment of Hutamah.
Surah 103Provides the four qualities of success: faith, good deeds, advising truth, and patience.
Surah 58Used to emphasize that Allah is aware of private conversations and backbiting.
Surah 24Referenced as the source of the verses clearing Aisha's reputation after slander.
Surah 61Used to condemn saying things one does not practice.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“When you say humaza, you are talking behind somebody's back. When you say lumaza, you are actually being condescending, we're passing disparaging remark, name calling or whatever, to the person in their face, right, both of them.”
“Allah cares more about the dignity, the sanctity of the believer, than the sanctity of the Kaaba itself, right?”
Where it was given
The masjid
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