58:26 According to this…65:47 It's not about only…
Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Oct 3, 2025.

Worship needs understanding, not ritual alone

MASOM

“You have to think again and again, go in depth and try to understand why Allah created you.”

The khateeb, at 65:47

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Celebrating Imam Hasan al-Askari should inspire believers to examine their worship, seek deeper understanding, balance devotion to Allah with responsibility toward people, and recognize divinely guided religious leadership.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Celebrates the birth anniversary of Imam Hasan al-Askari and affirms Islam as Allah’s accepted religion.
  2. Presents five signs of a believer attributed to Imam al-Askari, including prayer, mourning, a ring, Ziyarat al-Arbaeen, and audible Bismillah.
  3. Explains that worship requires understanding its purpose rather than performing rituals mechanically.
  4. Emphasizes balancing devotion to Allah with ethical treatment of people.
  5. Uses a narration about reflection to highlight the spiritual value of deep thought and understanding.
  6. Discusses the Imams’ roles in preserving Islam and recounts a drought-related miracle associated with Imam al-Askari.
Try this week
Perform prayer, fasting, and Qur'an recitation while reflecting on their purpose and Allah’s reasons for commanding them.
Keep Allah’s rights and people’s rights together through truthful, ethical conduct.
Attend the announced women’s program with children, a notebook, questions, and a friend.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 9Used to explain why Bismillah is not recited at its beginning.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“According to this Hadith we have to judge ourselves that are we going to pray 51 or not”
MASOM · Mayfair, IL
Play from 58:26
“It's not about only prayer, it's not about only fasting, it's not only about reciting of Quran, but you have to think again and again, go in depth and try to understand why Allah created you.”
MASOM · Mayfair, IL
Play from 65:47
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Tonight’s khutbah celebrated the birth of Imam Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam, and invited us to learn from his guidance. The speaker reminded us that faith is shown through worship, but worship should be joined with understanding, reflection, and good treatment of people. We were encouraged to look honestly at our own prayer, fasting, remembrance, and connection to the Ahlul Bayt rather than assuming love is only a feeling. The central lesson was to keep Allah’s rights and people’s rights together while seeking deeper knowledge and living responsibly.

  1. Which act of worship would you like to understand more deeply?
  2. How can we show care for both Allah and the people around us?
  3. What personal habit could you examine honestly this week?
Where it was given

The masjid

Midwest Association of Shia Organized Muslims4353 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630Jumu'ah 1:00 PMArchiveAll khutbahs at MASOM6 khutbahs
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