Muslims must speak truth against injustice
“Your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth and to tell the world, no, you move.”
Because Muslims are witnesses to divine truth, they must gain knowledge, speak against injustice, hold unethical institutions accountable, and act courageously with hope.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Defines witnessing truth as recognizing, communicating, judging, and acting upon it.
- Uses Ibrahim and Muhammad to frame Muslims as witnesses responsible for conveying truth.
- Connects striving with self-discipline and emphasizes religious knowledge as preparation for warning others.
- Calls listeners to proactively challenge unethical employers, war profiteering, and harmful uses of AI.
- Presents remembrance and speaking against oppression as worship and resistance.
- Uses Bosnia and Banyaluka’s rebuilt mosques to inspire hope for Gaza and justice.
In the khateeb's words
“The one who strives, the one who is actually striving in Allah's cause, is the one who strives against his own self.”
“And so we, my brothers and sisters, must be the ones to raise the warning before the other people, before anyone else realizes.”
“So specifically I'm asking you as a call to action, to hold your companies accountable.”
“When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth and to tell the world, no, you move.”
For the dinner table
The khutbah taught that bearing witness means more than recognizing the truth; it also brings a responsibility to communicate it and act upon it. Like Ibrahim and the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them, believers may need courage to challenge what is wrong, even among people they know and love. This struggle begins within ourselves and should be guided by sound religious knowledge, wisdom, and a willingness to encourage good and resist harm. The khateeb called Muslims to speak proactively about injustice and unethical conduct, including in their workplaces and communities. He ended with the rebuilding of 18 destroyed masajid in Banyaluka as a hopeful reminder that oppression does not have the final word and that faithful people can rebuild what was lost.
- When have you seen someone speak up for what was right even though it was difficult?
- What is one small struggle against your own habits that you want to work on this week?
- Why do you think rebuilding a masjid can be an act of hope?
The masjids
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