Unity begins with humility, not agreement
“Becoming people who unite doesn't begin when everyone agrees with us.”
The khutbah argues that Muslims become a united community by treating the Qur'an as a personal call to reflection and action, centering disagreements and service on Allah, and replacing ego, suspicion, and harshness with humility, mercy, and sincerity.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Explains three levels of relating to the Qur'an and emphasizes personal reflection and contemplation.
- Uses the closing passage of Surah al-An'am to connect straight guidance with sincerity, accountability, and repentance.
- Explains differing blessings and social roles as tests requiring gratitude, humility, and balanced fear and hope.
- Argues that unity is compatible with principled disagreement when people share a purpose centered on Allah.
- Identifies ego, status-seeking, suspicion, backbiting, and method-focused conflict as causes of communal division.
- Calls listeners to practice mercy, value every contribution, and choose humility over pride and recognition.
In the khateeb's words
“The Sahaba disagreed. The schools of Fiqh disagreed. Companions differed on judgments. They interpreted the statements of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam differently. But they still loved one another. Difference is inevitable, but disunity is optional.”
“Every movement for justice has people in the front, has people behind, and has people at the sides. None of them can say to each other, "I have no need for you."”
“Becoming people who unite doesn't begin when everyone agrees with us. It begins when we choose humility over pride. Mercy over harshness. Sincerity over recognition. And Allah over ourselves.”
“Unity often begins when someone decides, "I don't have to win this argument." In fact, usually there's not even any winning or losing here.”
For the dinner table
Today's khutbah was about becoming people who unite. The khateeb reminded us that the Companions disagreed on many things but still loved each other, because difference is natural but division is a choice. He explained that division often starts with pride, the attitude of 'I am better' that Iblis had. It grows through suspicion, backbiting and assuming the worst about others. Like one body where the eye does not envy the hand, every person has a role, including the quiet helpers no one sees. He also reflected on the end of Surah al-An'am: Allah gave each of us different gifts as a test, so we should be grateful instead of comparing, and live between fear of Allah and hope in His mercy.
- Can you think of a time you disagreed with a friend but still stayed kind to them? What helped?
- Who is someone at home, school or the masjid who helps quietly without anyone noticing, and how could we thank them?
- If a friend says something that sounds mean, what is one good meaning it could have had?
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