Friday Khutba of Tokyo Camii “Believers: The Guarantee Of A Peaceful Society”
Dear Muslims!
The most basic principle which sustains a society and helps it live in peace is justice. The verse of “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing.”1 points out the fact that being a believer requires to stand by the truth.
Trust is another must-have principle that is needed in order to implement peace in a society. Believers assure all people by taking the example of their Prophet called as Muhammad al-Amin (the Trustworthy). Because the Messenger of Allah (saw) described them as, “True Muslims are the ones from whose tongues and hands Muslims are safe. And believers are persons trusted by other people for safety of their lives and properties.”2
Dear Muslims!
One of the most harmful behaviors which damages the conscious of solidarity of a society and leaves the door open for duality is prejudice. Prejudice means to slander people without basing on any proof and ground and to build assumptions on evil thoughts. However, just like the lives and properties of believers, also their honor and chastity are entrusted to each other. Allah the Exalted (swt) warns believers as follows in the verse I recited at the beginning of my khutbah, “O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin…”3
Dear Believers!
The Beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) stated, “It is enough sin for a man to speak of everything that he hears.”4 By sharing an information before checking its correctness you become an instrument to spread groundless words and feed lies and slanders. Allah the Exalted (swt) states in the Holy Qur’an as follows, “O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth.…”5
Believers stay away from saying a word about the honor and chastity of innocent people just like they run away from fire. They do not lie, do not defame, and do not violate rights of others! They know that they will account for every word uttered, every comment written, and every deed committed by them. They apply this verse of Allah (swt) to their lives, “And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing, or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).”6
Honorable Muslims!
Let us stay away from all kinds of behaviors that will weaken the bonds between us and make us mistrustful against each other. Let us work altogether for a peaceful environment in which spouses, parents, children, chiefs, civil servants, workers, employers, neighbors, relatives, friends, fellows, and in short all the members of the society trust each other. Let us not forget the following warning of Prophet Muhammad (saw) not even for a moment, “Do not hate each other, do not envy each other, do not turn away from each other, but rather be servants of Allah as brothers.”7
[1] Maidah, 5/8.
[2] Tirmidhi, Iman, 12.
[3] Hujurat, 49/12.
[4] Abu Dawud, Adab, 80.
[5] Hujurat, 49/6.
[6] Isra, 17/36.
[7] Bukhari, Adab, 62.
Friday Khutba of Tokyo Camii “Believers: The Guarantee Of A Peaceful Society” (PDF)
