Honorable Muslims!
One day in the Masjid al-Nabawi, some of the companions were in the midst of a conversation. They had entered into a race of racism and tribalism against each other with an understanding of the Jahiliyyah. One of them asked the Iranian-born Salman al-Farisi, whom our Prophet (saw) held in high esteem, in a suggestive way: “What tribe are you from, what is your lineage?” Thereupon, Salman (ra) said, “I am Salman, the son of Islam.” and continued as follows, “I was lost and Allah has guided me with the Prophet (saw). I was poor and Allah has made me rich with Muhammad Mustafa (saw). I was a slave and Allah has released me with His Messenger.” When ‘Umar (ra) heard this conversation, he asked the people there, “Do you want to know about my tribe?” and continued as follows, “I am ‘Umar, the brother of the son of Islam, Salman.”
Dear Muslims!
To be the ‘ummah of Muhammad (saw) is to embrace the Islamic faith based on tawhid by adhering to the verse, “Indeed, this religion of yours is only one, and I am your Lord, so worship Me alone.”1 It is to embrace the brotherhood of faith, which is based on standing united against the oppressors.
To be the ‘ummah of our Prophet (saw) means to be the leader of the right and the guide of the truth in accordance with the verse, “You are the best community ever raised for humanity— you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah…”2 It is to bring justice and goodness to all humanity and to strive for the elimination of oppression and evil.
To be the ‘ummah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) is to be one heart and one body. It is not to leave our believing brothers and sisters at the mercy of the enemy. It is not to leave them alone and helpless. It is to embrace our Prophet’s (saw) following hadith as our guiding principle in all areas of our life, “Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should neither oppress him nor hand him over to an oppressor…”3
I would like to conclude this Friday’s khutbah with the following hadith of the Messenger of Allah (saw) where he reminds us of our responsibility of being an ‘ummah: “Do not inflate prices by overbidding against one another. Do not envy one another. Do not hate each other. Do not desert each other. O servants of Allah! Be brothers.”4
[1] Anbiya, 21/92.
[2] Ali ‘Imran, 3/110.
[3] Muslim, Birr, 58.
[4] Muslim, Birr, 28.