Khutba - About the Paris tragedy

By Yousuf Saleh - 16th January 2015

All Praise is due to Allah (swt) who is the Sustainer of all the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah (swt) be upon Muhammad (saws), his family, his companions and all those who follow him in righteousness until the day of resurrection.
Amma Bad.

Respected brothers and sisters at home, today we are talking about ‘The Paris Tragedy.’ Yet another trial for Muslims.

As you all know on the 7th of January, an incident happened in Paris. Two gunmen attacked the office of mocking magazine Charlie Hebdo, killed 12 people and injured ten. According to the news agencies, the gunmen shouted: “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad” and uttered Islamic slogans‘ALLAHU AKBAR’. As Muslims our concern is about the inappropriate implications of such sentences to justify wrong actions. Respected brothers and sisters at home, as you all know every action and word has two conditions in order to be accepted in Islam.

Firstly: It has to be done according to the Quran and Sunnah.

Secondly: It must be done with a pure and sincere intention. Now let’s diagnose the matter that we are discussing with this method and principle of Islam. Their saying ‘We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad’, this is absolutely preposterous. Whenever the enemies of Allah and his Prophets say or do something in an insulting or an offensive manner, then how to respond towards them is in Quran, ch-51 and verses 51-55. Allah (swt) said’ Do not ascribe another Ilaah with Allah (swt). Verily I am a clear warner to you from Him. Likewise, no Rasool came to those before them, but they said a sorcerer or a mad man. So, turn away from them, and you are not to blame’.

So, respected brothers and sisters at home, Our Prophet does not require avenging. He is beyond avenging or revenging. In his entire life never ever has he took revenge and never has he encouraged anyone from his companions to take revenge from others, though he was the most oppressed person on this earth.

He is a mercy for this world, irrespective of race and religion, for everyone. Forgiveness and compassion defined our Prophet Muhammad, May peace and blessings be upon him, not violence and vengeance. “This is the key in the beauty and advancement of Islam”.Respected brothers and sisters at home. If the gun men did shout “Allah-u-Akbar” when killing people in Paris, then they were acting against prophetic behaviour and therefore we must distance ourselves from such evil actions.

Respected brothers and sisters at home, the second point to be discussed about today’s khutba is, you may have noticed that after the incident of Paris, Islamophobia has already increased at an alarming rate. Many Mosques and Islamic institutions have been attacked in France after this incident. Muslims especially those who are living in Europe are blamed and accused by many renowned journalists, leaders, and groups. Due to the huge demand, following the week of the incident, the magazine has published around five million copies, instead of the usual 60,000. The magazine included new cartoons mocking Islam again.

Respected brothers and sisters at home, it is very important for Muslims to deal with the matter justly and peacefully.

Firstly we should stand together against all types of accusations and propagandas. We Muslims are commanded not to indulge in any types of transgressions. In Islam there is no room for terrorism. Allah (swt) said in theQuran, ch-5 and verse 2. ‘Assist each other in good works and Taqwa and do not assist each other in sin and transgression’. So, Muslim and terrorist are antonyms words in a dictionary; we should not be blamed. The Islamic principle is ‘No soul shall bear the burden of another’ Ch-17. V-15. This is why Muslims do not blame all the Christian or Jews for the massacres in Palestine, Iraq and in other Muslim countries.

Secondly; the beauty of a body manifests by skin, similarly the beauty of Islam manifests through peace. The skin of Islam is peace.

The two sons of Prophet Adam (as) Habeel and Qabeel fought against each other. Allah (swt) mentioned in the Quran, ch- 5 and verse 28. How Qabeel transgressed the limits of Allah with his violent attitude and on the other hand Allah (swt) mentioned the peaceful words and humble attitude of Habeeland not to become violent by the provoking of Qabeel. Allah (swt) mentioned that, “when qabeel said to his brother I will surely kill you, Habeel said, if you stretch out your hand to kill me, I will not stretch out mine to kill you. Verily I fear Allah the Rabb of the universe”. Respected brothers and sisters at home, when we are provoked and annoyed abundantly, we should hold the path of Habeel, so, we can propagatethe message of peace to the followers of Qabeel, whom may have the name of Muslims or Non-Muslims.

May Allah protect us all.