Confront oppression without becoming oppressors
“Do not even respond to the oppression of other people by becoming yourselves oppressive.”
Muslims must confront oppression without becoming oppressors by returning to Allah, repenting, correcting personal and communal wrongs, and continuing practical work for justice.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Warns that injustice becomes darkness on Judgment Day and applies this warning to Gaza, Palestine, and communal complacency.
- Urges Muslims to seek Allah’s guidance, provision, forgiveness, and a fresh start through repentance.
- Calls the community to continue advocacy and constructive work rather than treating a ceasefire as the end of suffering.
- Gives three practical commitments: engage with the community, change one self-harming habit, and restore others’ rights, including inheritance.
- A children’s khutbah explains the five daily prayers as obedience, closeness to Allah, mercy, and daily structure.
In the khateeb's words
“I have forbidden oppression upon myself, and I made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another.”
“Do not wrong one another. Do not even respond to the oppression of other people by becoming yourselves oppressive.”
“Take just one thing for the sake of Allah . One thing that you're doing against yourself, that is detrimental to you, to your own well-being.”
“Allah doesn't need us to pray. We need to pray because it's a chance for us to sit down humbly and talk to Allah and only talk to Him between us.”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah reminded us that Allah forbids oppression, and that we must not answer someone else’s wrongdoing by becoming wrongdoers ourselves. The speaker connected this teaching to suffering in Gaza and elsewhere, urging the community to keep working for justice rather than treating a ceasefire as the end of the problem. He asked us to return to Allah through guidance, repentance, and honest self-examination. His three practical calls were to engage with the masjid and invite others, change one self-harming habit, and repair any wrong involving another person’s rights or inheritance. The children’s khutbah taught that the five daily prayers are a gift: a regular chance to speak with Allah, seek help, and organize the day.
- What is one habit you want to improve for your own well-being?
- How could our family help a neighbor feel welcome at the masjid?
- Which prayer helps you pause and reset most, and why?
More on the ummah & current events
Islam belongs to all of humanity.16:15FIC · Swartz Creek, MI · Oct 10, 2026Dawah must serve all of humanity
EPIC · Plano, TX · Aug 3, 2026The ummah must serve humanity“We have to engage the greater society and we have to better the greater society.”
18:19ICRR · Round Rock, TX · Aug 1, 2026Liberation depends on the next generation“The success of a project is not dependent on the physical completion of it, but it's dependent on if the next generation inherits your legacy or not.”