Protecting the Right Path, Checking Carefully, and Keeping Our Muslim Community United (Sulaiman Wang)
Friday Khutubah: Protecting the Right Path, Checking Carefully, and Keeping Our Muslim Community United
Praise be to Allah, who has made the unity of Muslims a mercy and division a punishment, and who has ordered us to check and make sure about all matters.
I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, alone, without any partner. And I bear witness that our master Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the best of those who called people to the truth, patience, and unity.
O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and grace upon him, his family, and all his companions.
1. The Basic Principle in the Age of Information: Qur'an 49:6 and the Need to Check
Dear brothers and sisters,
Allah has given believers an everlasting rule for how to deal with information and events.
In Surah Al-Hujurat, Allah gives us a serious warning:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ﴾
“O believers! If a sinful person brings you some news, check it carefully, so that you do not harm people because of ignorance, and then regret what you have done.” (49:6)
Today, we live in a time of the Internet, social media, and fast development in artificial intelligence, or AI.
This verse is especially important for us today:
- Information on social media changes very quickly. Rumors, incomplete information, and harmful stories can spread at an amazing speed.
- AI and deepfake technology can even create false words, change images and videos, and make up things that never happened.
- Many people hear only one side of a story or see only a small part of information on a screen. They then quickly like it, share it, take sides, attack other Muslims, or even judge their faith.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned us in Sahih Muslim:
«كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ»
“It is enough of a lie for a person to tell everything he hears.”
When we spread news without checking it, we may damage someone's reputation and cause fear. More seriously, we may become people who spread lies and cause trouble among others.
The character of a believer should be:
Stay calm, check the source, and use reason instead of acting on emotion.
2. The Importance of Careful Judgment in Islamic Law: The Time Given for Repentance
Dear brothers and sisters,
This spirit of being careful, serious, and not making quick judgments is deeply rooted in Islamic law.
Even in one of the most serious matters of faith—the question of apostasy(الردة)—Islamic law includes the principle of giving a person time to think and repent.
This is known as:
الاستتابة والإمهال
— giving a person a chance and time to repent.
The major schools of Islamic law clearly state that a person accused of apostasy should first be advised and given time to think and repent. At least three days are mentioned by many scholars. We should not act in a hurry.
When the Companion Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه heard that someone had been executed without giving him three days, he strongly criticized this action and said:
«أَفَلَا حَبَسْتُمُوهُ ثَلَاثًا، وَأَطْعَمْتُمُوهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ رَغِيفًا، وَاسْتَتَبْتُمُوهُ لَعَلَّهُ يَتُوبُ وَيُرَاجِعُ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ»
“Could you not have kept him for three days, given him one loaf of bread each day, and asked him to repent, hoping that he would repent and return to Allah’s command?”
If Islam asks us to give time, advice, discussion, and reflection even in such a serious matter of faith, then when we deal with disagreements and problems between Muslims on the Internet today, should we not be even more patient and careful?
We should not be quick to judge. We should not make decisions without enough information.
3. Decision-Making in Mosques and Muslim Organizations: Islamic Principles and Basic Qualifications
Dear brothers and sisters,
Mosques and Islamic organizations are important places of faith and support for the Muslim community.
Allah clearly says in Surah At-Tawbah:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾
“Only those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakah, and fear Allah, are worthy of maintaining the mosques of Allah. They may be among those who are rightly guided.”
( 9:18)
According to the position of the majority of Islamic scholars:
- Religious management and decision-making require Islamic faith and good character. Those responsible for mosque management, Islamic religious endowments (waqf), and the highest decision-making bodies of Islamic organizations should be Muslims who are responsible, trustworthy, fair, and of sound mind.
- We must distinguish between helping with practical matters and having decision-making power. Muslims may legally hire or consult non-Muslim professionals for matters such as legal advice, engineering, repairs, accounting, cleaner, care-taker or auditing.
- However, the highest leadership positions of mosques and religious institutions, the power to decide their direction, and voting power in major religious decisions should not be given to non-Muslims/ Kafir. This is because these responsibilities are a trust related to the faith, independence, and interests of the Muslim community.
4. Ending Conflict on the Internet: A Call for Responsibility
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, serious arguments, insults, and division have appeared on the Internet because of disagreements about the management of organizations and the responsibilities of different people.
This internal conflict greatly harms the image of muslim and Islam . It hurts our own people and makes those who oppose us happy.
Allah commands us:
﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ ۖ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“So fear Allah, make peace among yourselves, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers.” (8:1)
Allah also says:
﴿وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا﴾
“Hold firmly together to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided.” (3:103)
Therefore, I sincerely call upon all our brothers and sisters, especially the leaders and all those involved:
To the leaders and those responsible for the organization:
- Put the fear of Allah first. Carefully review the management system according to Islamic principles and the law. Make sure that religious leadership and decision-making follow Islamic requirements—halal and lawful.
- Be transparent and responsible. Take the initiative to create a way for dialogue. Listen with humility to reasonable concerns. Correct mistakes and solve old problems as soon as possible. Do not allow delay or pride to make the conflict worse or divide the community.
- Bring people's concerns to constructive, organized, and reasonable channels. Invite respected scholars and fair-minded people to help mediate and solve the problems.
- Remove anger and old resentment from our hearts. Think about the interests of the whole Muslim community and protect the dignity of our mosques. Solve differences with justice and treat one another with mercy
O Allah! Forgive all our transgressions, forgive those among us who have strayed, and guide them back to Your mercy.
O Allah! Unite our hearts, mend our divisions, and make our Masjid sanctuaries of peace and mercy.
O Allah! Protect us from rumors, suspicion, slander, and backbiting, and make us servants pleasing to You.
O Allah! Grant Taqwa & wisdom to our leaders and decision-makers, so that they may govern our community with justice.
Praise be to Your Lord—the Lord of dignity—beyond all who describe Him. Peace be with the Messengers. All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
A'miin A'miin A'miin
Praise be to Allah, who has made the unity of Muslims a mercy and division a punishment, and who has ordered us to check and make sure about all matters.
I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, alone, without any partner. And I bear witness that our master Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the best of those who called people to the truth, patience, and unity.
O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and grace upon him, his family, and all his companions.
1. The Basic Principle in the Age of Information: Qur'an 49:6 and the Need to Check
Dear brothers and sisters,
Allah has given believers an everlasting rule for how to deal with information and events.
In Surah Al-Hujurat, Allah gives us a serious warning:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ﴾
“O believers! If a sinful person brings you some news, check it carefully, so that you do not harm people because of ignorance, and then regret what you have done.” (49:6)
Today, we live in a time of the Internet, social media, and fast development in artificial intelligence, or AI.
This verse is especially important for us today:
- Information on social media changes very quickly. Rumors, incomplete information, and harmful stories can spread at an amazing speed.
- AI and deepfake technology can even create false words, change images and videos, and make up things that never happened.
- Many people hear only one side of a story or see only a small part of information on a screen. They then quickly like it, share it, take sides, attack other Muslims, or even judge their faith.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned us in Sahih Muslim:
«كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ»
“It is enough of a lie for a person to tell everything he hears.”
When we spread news without checking it, we may damage someone's reputation and cause fear. More seriously, we may become people who spread lies and cause trouble among others.
The character of a believer should be:
Stay calm, check the source, and use reason instead of acting on emotion.
2. The Importance of Careful Judgment in Islamic Law: The Time Given for Repentance
Dear brothers and sisters,
This spirit of being careful, serious, and not making quick judgments is deeply rooted in Islamic law.
Even in one of the most serious matters of faith—the question of apostasy(الردة)—Islamic law includes the principle of giving a person time to think and repent.
This is known as:
الاستتابة والإمهال
— giving a person a chance and time to repent.
The major schools of Islamic law clearly state that a person accused of apostasy should first be advised and given time to think and repent. At least three days are mentioned by many scholars. We should not act in a hurry.
When the Companion Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه heard that someone had been executed without giving him three days, he strongly criticized this action and said:
«أَفَلَا حَبَسْتُمُوهُ ثَلَاثًا، وَأَطْعَمْتُمُوهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ رَغِيفًا، وَاسْتَتَبْتُمُوهُ لَعَلَّهُ يَتُوبُ وَيُرَاجِعُ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ»
“Could you not have kept him for three days, given him one loaf of bread each day, and asked him to repent, hoping that he would repent and return to Allah’s command?”
If Islam asks us to give time, advice, discussion, and reflection even in such a serious matter of faith, then when we deal with disagreements and problems between Muslims on the Internet today, should we not be even more patient and careful?
We should not be quick to judge. We should not make decisions without enough information.
3. Decision-Making in Mosques and Muslim Organizations: Islamic Principles and Basic Qualifications
Dear brothers and sisters,
Mosques and Islamic organizations are important places of faith and support for the Muslim community.
Allah clearly says in Surah At-Tawbah:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾
“Only those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakah, and fear Allah, are worthy of maintaining the mosques of Allah. They may be among those who are rightly guided.”
( 9:18)
According to the position of the majority of Islamic scholars:
- Religious management and decision-making require Islamic faith and good character. Those responsible for mosque management, Islamic religious endowments (waqf), and the highest decision-making bodies of Islamic organizations should be Muslims who are responsible, trustworthy, fair, and of sound mind.
- We must distinguish between helping with practical matters and having decision-making power. Muslims may legally hire or consult non-Muslim professionals for matters such as legal advice, engineering, repairs, accounting, cleaner, care-taker or auditing.
- However, the highest leadership positions of mosques and religious institutions, the power to decide their direction, and voting power in major religious decisions should not be given to non-Muslims/ Kafir. This is because these responsibilities are a trust related to the faith, independence, and interests of the Muslim community.
4. Ending Conflict on the Internet: A Call for Responsibility
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, serious arguments, insults, and division have appeared on the Internet because of disagreements about the management of organizations and the responsibilities of different people.
This internal conflict greatly harms the image of muslim and Islam . It hurts our own people and makes those who oppose us happy.
Allah commands us:
﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ ۖ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“So fear Allah, make peace among yourselves, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers.” (8:1)
Allah also says:
﴿وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا﴾
“Hold firmly together to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided.” (3:103)
Therefore, I sincerely call upon all our brothers and sisters, especially the leaders and all those involved:
To the leaders and those responsible for the organization:
- Put the fear of Allah first. Carefully review the management system according to Islamic principles and the law. Make sure that religious leadership and decision-making follow Islamic requirements—halal and lawful.
- Be transparent and responsible. Take the initiative to create a way for dialogue. Listen with humility to reasonable concerns. Correct mistakes and solve old problems as soon as possible. Do not allow delay or pride to make the conflict worse or divide the community.
- Bring people's concerns to constructive, organized, and reasonable channels. Invite respected scholars and fair-minded people to help mediate and solve the problems.
- Remove anger and old resentment from our hearts. Think about the interests of the whole Muslim community and protect the dignity of our mosques. Solve differences with justice and treat one another with mercy
O Allah! Forgive all our transgressions, forgive those among us who have strayed, and guide them back to Your mercy.
O Allah! Unite our hearts, mend our divisions, and make our Masjid sanctuaries of peace and mercy.
O Allah! Protect us from rumors, suspicion, slander, and backbiting, and make us servants pleasing to You.
O Allah! Grant Taqwa & wisdom to our leaders and decision-makers, so that they may govern our community with justice.
Praise be to Your Lord—the Lord of dignity—beyond all who describe Him. Peace be with the Messengers. All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
A'miin A'miin A'miin