Character & conductFrom the masjid's own video, Dec 3, 2025.
Verify before you judge others
“Our judgments matter and they can potentially cause a lot of problems.”
In one sentence
Because our judgments can harm others, we must verify information, hear all sides, remain calm, and stay humble enough to accept better solutions.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Warns against forwarding an unverified claim about McDonald's coffee
- Explains Quranic guidance to verify reports before judging
- Uses Dawood's first judgment to teach hearing both sides and staying calm
- Uses Dawood and Suleiman's garden dispute to show humility and better solutions
- Closes with practical reminders and supplications for wisdom, justice, and peace
Try this week
Verify surprising information before forwarding or acting on it.
Hear every relevant side of a dispute before deciding.
Calm yourself before making an important judgment.
Remain open to revising a decision when someone offers a better solution.
Supervise children responsibly and take responsibility for damage they cause.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 49Requires verification of reports before acting and warns against harming people through ignorance.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“Allah is basically telling us that we need to be cautious about making judgments of whether something is true or false whether something is good or bad because our judgments matter and they can potentially cause a lot of problems”
“lesson number one is that you always make sure to listen to the other side of the story make sure to get the entire context before making a decision and making a judgment”
Talk about it at home
For the dinner table
Our judgments matter because they can help people or harm them. Before believing or sharing something, we should verify it and avoid acting on incomplete information. When disagreements happen, we should hear every side and calm ourselves before deciding. Prophet Dawood also teaches us to accept a better idea humbly, even when it comes from someone younger.
- What should we do before forwarding surprising news?
- How can we show someone we are truly listening to their side?
- When is it hard to admit that someone else has a better idea?
Keep listening
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