ICC | Salaam everyone! Sorry, today's khutbah was just mediocre, my typically funny comments and insights into different khutbahs are barely allowed. I will do my best in conveying the khutbah and giving you a few cents for your time. |
A real man? Insha'Allah.
I attended the Jummah Khutbah at Chicago's infamous ICC masjid. ICC stands for "Islamic Center of Chicago" and ladies and gentleman, it is indeed the center of Islam in Chicago. Mufti Kamani runs this joint. Along with Shaykh Abdul Sattar who is an established lecturer there.
Well, judging from this post's title, you can guess what kind of khutbah I listened to today.
The Arab khateeb began by telling all of us a story about the second Khalipha, Umar Ibn Khattab (R).
Umar (R) was sitting in a sahabah's house and asked the sahabah to tell him his dearest wish. The khateeb stopped the story to interject the fact that typically if we are asked to make a wish, we ask for material things. The khateeb said that there is nothing wrong with asking for material things, it's in human nature, even some sahabah wished for material things. But typically the sahabah asked for their things concerning their Akhirah (HereAfter).
One sahabah wanted his house filled with gold to spend in God's way. Another wished for horses to go on jihad. Umar (R) wished for men to fill his house to build the Ummah.
The khateeb kept reiterating the point about "being a man", but he also made clear that God created male and female from one nafs (in this context, nafs means soul).
Among the believers Men fulfilled their duties.
"Khalid ibn Walid sent a text message to Abu Bakr asking for support to take Sham. Abu bakr sent one man, Ka'ka, and Khalid was successful against the Romans." I understand that the khateeb was making an analogy using modern technology, but I think he could have delivered it in a clearer way. Perhaps the analogy was unnecessary, people do understand how couriers worked back then and how it took days, weeks, or even months, to deliver correspondence between two parties. Unless he was trying to make a spiritual analogy, if that was the case, he didn't set it up correctly to be understood in such a manner.
He then went on to say that: " Umar wished to be one hair in the chest of Abu Bakr." This he said after sharing what kind of men the closest companions of the Prophet (S) were. Even though Umar (R) was great in his own way, he humbled himself before Abu Bakr (R), the best friend of the Prophet (S).
The khateeb continued his lecture on real mean by saying that nowadays we see men claiming to be real men doing disastrous things in the world. "What they are doing against their people is not what men do, its what shayateen (devils) do."
The khateeb made the point that not every male is a man, only the male who does right actions is a real man.
He then told a story about Abdullah ibn Masud (R), who was a thin sahabi, one day his legs were seen and people laughed at his scrawny legs. The Prophet (S) questioned their reason for laughter and defended Abduallh ibn Masud saying that these legs were heavier than the mountain of Uhud.
Now the khateeb began talking about Syria. He described the massacres taking place there. How just a few days ago 108 women and children were killed. "Do you think those who did this are men?" he asked.
The khateeb said that Muslims all around Chicago are praying on this blessed day for God to end the suffering and bring relief to the Syrians.
He began promoting his foundation called the Zakat Foundation.
He is trying to collect zakat to help the Syrian cause. He claims that the Zakat Foundation has been inside Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, since day one, helping civilians and refugees.
He said:
"This masjid, which we all benefit from, was established with your efforts, by men. Without mentioning names, they will be upset with me, but you know them, this masjid needs your support. Please attend the fundraising dinner next weekend."
"Helping our brothers here or in Syria, it goes in the same stream."
"A lot of sisters can act and stand better than many men who claim to be men."
He ended his dars (lesson) with:
"Let's not be Qabil, lets be Habil. I believe you all understand this reference."
Oh yes, one last comment, the khateeb was kind of loud, especially when he began talking about Syria, which is understandable, I just wish my ears didn't hurt.
Well, judging from this post's title, you can guess what kind of khutbah I listened to today.
The Arab khateeb began by telling all of us a story about the second Khalipha, Umar Ibn Khattab (R).
Umar (R) was sitting in a sahabah's house and asked the sahabah to tell him his dearest wish. The khateeb stopped the story to interject the fact that typically if we are asked to make a wish, we ask for material things. The khateeb said that there is nothing wrong with asking for material things, it's in human nature, even some sahabah wished for material things. But typically the sahabah asked for their things concerning their Akhirah (HereAfter).
One sahabah wanted his house filled with gold to spend in God's way. Another wished for horses to go on jihad. Umar (R) wished for men to fill his house to build the Ummah.
The khateeb kept reiterating the point about "being a man", but he also made clear that God created male and female from one nafs (in this context, nafs means soul).
Among the believers Men fulfilled their duties.
"Khalid ibn Walid sent a text message to Abu Bakr asking for support to take Sham. Abu bakr sent one man, Ka'ka, and Khalid was successful against the Romans." I understand that the khateeb was making an analogy using modern technology, but I think he could have delivered it in a clearer way. Perhaps the analogy was unnecessary, people do understand how couriers worked back then and how it took days, weeks, or even months, to deliver correspondence between two parties. Unless he was trying to make a spiritual analogy, if that was the case, he didn't set it up correctly to be understood in such a manner.
He then went on to say that: " Umar wished to be one hair in the chest of Abu Bakr." This he said after sharing what kind of men the closest companions of the Prophet (S) were. Even though Umar (R) was great in his own way, he humbled himself before Abu Bakr (R), the best friend of the Prophet (S).
The khateeb continued his lecture on real mean by saying that nowadays we see men claiming to be real men doing disastrous things in the world. "What they are doing against their people is not what men do, its what shayateen (devils) do."
The khateeb made the point that not every male is a man, only the male who does right actions is a real man.
He then told a story about Abdullah ibn Masud (R), who was a thin sahabi, one day his legs were seen and people laughed at his scrawny legs. The Prophet (S) questioned their reason for laughter and defended Abduallh ibn Masud saying that these legs were heavier than the mountain of Uhud.
Now the khateeb began talking about Syria. He described the massacres taking place there. How just a few days ago 108 women and children were killed. "Do you think those who did this are men?" he asked.
The khateeb said that Muslims all around Chicago are praying on this blessed day for God to end the suffering and bring relief to the Syrians.
He began promoting his foundation called the Zakat Foundation.
He is trying to collect zakat to help the Syrian cause. He claims that the Zakat Foundation has been inside Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, since day one, helping civilians and refugees.
He said:
"This masjid, which we all benefit from, was established with your efforts, by men. Without mentioning names, they will be upset with me, but you know them, this masjid needs your support. Please attend the fundraising dinner next weekend."
"Helping our brothers here or in Syria, it goes in the same stream."
"A lot of sisters can act and stand better than many men who claim to be men."
He ended his dars (lesson) with:
"Let's not be Qabil, lets be Habil. I believe you all understand this reference."
Oh yes, one last comment, the khateeb was kind of loud, especially when he began talking about Syria, which is understandable, I just wish my ears didn't hurt.
A plain mosque, no Islamic art to speak of, at least it was clean today.
After I left the mosque, I collected my shoes and walked outside. Standing in the middle of the densely packed and small parking lot was a middle-aged man with his three year old son, holding up a sign saying that he is a father of 5 and has hit hard times and is requesting zakat from all of us attending the prayer. Now, I didn't stick around to see whether or not the khateeb helped this man, who was asking for zakat for himself and his family. But I hope he gave him at least a few dollars, he was pretty adamant about getting money for the Syrian cause, I hope that didn't blind him from wanting to help those standing in front of him.
Wouldn't that be ironic? If the khateeb looked down on that man who was begging for zakat money (this money is his right by the way) and didn't give him a cent? I really hope that wasn't what happened. Insha'Allah.
Wouldn't that be ironic? If the khateeb looked down on that man who was begging for zakat money (this money is his right by the way) and didn't give him a cent? I really hope that wasn't what happened. Insha'Allah.