Allah's respite does not excuse oppression
“Expose the oppressor, expose the person committing the injustice to themselves and the world.”
Allah's respite for oppressors is not approval but a period in which their chosen evil becomes undeniable, while believers must recognize injustice, align with truth, and support the oppressed.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Introduces the question of why God allows oppression and explains divine respite through Qur'anic verses.
- Explains how wrongdoing becomes deliberate and self-evident, emphasizing communal counsel and the believer as a moral mirror.
- Discusses wealth, accountability, and how people's deeds become manifest in the Hereafter.
- Connects the principle to Karbala and recounts post-Ashura atrocities in Medina and Mecca.
- Applies the lesson to Gaza and urges believers not to forget contemporary victims of oppression.
- Turns to Arbaeen, Imam Husayn's sacrifice, and the need to renew commitment to the Ahlul Bayt.
- Closes by urging truthfulness, solidarity with noble causes, remembrance, and prayer for the oppressed.
In the khateeb's words
“If God is all-seeing and all-powerful, then why does He allow the Yazids of history and the Yazids of today to continue their oppression, even for a single day?”
“This is the point where Allah holds the person to task in the most severe way because they're able to actually see what's happening.”
“So this is a way to, number one, expose the oppressor, expose the person committing the injustice to themselves and the world.”
For the dinner table
The khutbah teaches that when oppressors are given time, it does not mean Allah approves of them. Their continued choices can make their evil clear to themselves and to the world, leading to accountability. Remembering Karbala and Imam Husayn should also make us remember people suffering today, including the people of Gaza. We should renew our commitment to truth, stand with the oppressed, pray sincerely, and support righteous causes in whatever ways we can.
- What is one way we can remember suffering people in our prayers this week?
- When is it difficult to speak the truth, and how can we do it wisely?
- How can someone participate in the spirit of Arbaeen without traveling to Karbala?
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.”