IKhutbah: For the Love of God

In the name of God the merciful, the beneficient, All praise is to God the lord of the worlds,
peace and blessings be upon the chosen one, our liege-lord Muhammad, who was sent as a mercy
unto the worlds, and upon his family and companions, the ones with honour and faith.

O God teach us that which will benefit us and increase our knowledge. O God allow us to
understand this religion, its correct interpretation and give us an opening as was giving to the
Gnostics.The Shariah places a lot of importance on the preservation of human life, and it
considers the right to life as a sacred right which Islam sets out to protect. It is completely
forbidden to violate this sacred right, as God said in the Quran: “And do not take life - which God
has made sacred - except for just cause, and if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir
authority (todemand equality or forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking
life; for he is helped (by the law.)”

And Islam has made the killing of a single human as comparable to the killing of the entirety of
mankind. God says, “Whoever slays a person – unless it is for murder or for spreading mischief
in the land – then it is as if he slew all the people, and whoever saves a life, it is as if he saved the
whole people.” This is also the first thing that we will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said “The first cases to be adjudicated between
people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed (killing and injuring).” Narrated by
Muslim. There are many prophetic traditions on this subject matter and which specifically
highlight this sacred right. The most truthful and beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, also said, “The killing of a believer is greater in Allah's sight than the perishing of this
world.”

The human being is very dear to God. The human being has a noble station with God. The human
soul is dear to its maker, dear to the one who created it, to the one who fashioned it in the best of
statures. “Indeed we have created man in the best of moulds.” This is the saying of the most kind
and compassionate one in his noble book, exhalted is He! The Quran informs us that all humans
are created from a single soul. This shows the common origin of all humans, and as God said, “O
mankind, fear your lord, who created you from a single soul, and created from it his mate of like
nature.”

This common origin of humans gives every single one of us in this human family the right of
human nobility without any distinction or exception, as God says, “We have honoured the sons of
Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them good and pure things for
sustenance; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation.”

God made the differences in humans a way for them to come together and cooperate in doing
good. He says, “O mankind, We have created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that you may get to know one another.” The foundation of this
relationship between mankind and their laws is that people love and cooperate with each other for
the pleasure of God. The human soul is very dear to God. Islam also completely forbids that
anyone oppress or antagonise a non-Muslim. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said
“Whoever oppresses a person who has taken a covenant with the Muslims, or kills him, or
burdens him beyond his ability, or takes anything from him without his consent, then I will argue
against him (the oppressor) on the Day of Judgment.”

God ennobled mankind in his humanity, ennobled him by preferring him to all other creatures. He
preferred him by giving him intellect, by giving him knowledge, and by giving him gnosis. We
ask God to allow us work together in building societies and individuals on correct and right
foundations, a generation that encourages to goodness, piety, helping others, and spreading
affection, as God says “...they give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was
their (own lot).”

May He allow us to follow His book and the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, that we may come to know these laws and foundations which God has given us that we may
establish a society based on love, cooperation and good. And all praise is to God, the lord of the
worlds, and may God forgive you and I, and may He send his peace and blessings on our master,
Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.