Alhamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wa nasta'inuhu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na'udhu billahi min shururi anfusina wa min sayyi'ati a'malina. Man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lah, wa man yudlil fala hadiya lah. Wa ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.
All praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whoever He allows to stray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik 'ala nabiyyina Muhammadin, wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.
O Allah, send Your peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family, and upon all his Companions.
Servants of Allah, I advise myself and you to have taqwa of Allah: to be conscious of Him, to obey Him, and to protect ourselves from disobedience. Taqwa is not a word we say only with our tongues. It is a life lived knowing that Allah sees what people see and what they do not see.
Verses of taqwa
Ya ayyuhalladhina amanu ittaqullaha haqqa tuqatihi wa la tamutunna illa wa antum muslimun.
Meaning: O you who believe, be mindful of Allah as He deserves to be feared, and do not die except as Muslims, in submission to Him.
Quran 3:102
Ya ayyuhan-nasu ittaqu rabbakum alladhi khalaqakum min nafsin wahidah, wa khalaqa minha zawjaha, wa baththa minhuma rijalan kathiran wa nisa'a. Wattaqullaha alladhi tasa'aluna bihi wal-arham. Innallaha kana 'alaykum raqiba.
Meaning: O humanity, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from one soul, created from it its mate, and spread from the two many men and women. Be mindful of Allah, in whose name you appeal to one another, and honor family ties. Surely Allah is ever watchful over you.
Quran 4:1
Ya ayyuhalladhina amanu ittaqullaha wa qulu qawlan sadida. Yuslih lakum a'malakum wa yaghfir lakum dhunubakum. Wa man yuti'illaha wa rasulahu faqad faza fawzan 'azima.
Meaning: O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will rectify your deeds for you and forgive your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly achieved a great success.
Quran 33:70-71
First Khutbah
My dear brothers and sisters, our subject today is caring for the poor without humiliating them.
Islam commands us to care for people in need. But Islam does not permit us to turn a person’s hardship into a spectacle. It does not permit us to make someone feel small in order to make ourselves feel generous. It does not permit us to give with one hand and wound with the tongue, the camera, the message, or the reminder.
Many people understand that charity is good. Fewer people understand that the manner of charity is part of the charity. The money matters, but so does the look on our face. The food matters, but so does the way we hand it over. The assistance matters, but so does whether the person leaves with relief or with shame.
Allah says:
And We have certainly honored the children of Adam.
Quran 17:70
Allah did not say that He honored only the wealthy, the healthy, the educated, or the socially respected. He honored the children of Adam. Poverty may affect a person’s home, clothing, opportunities, or choices, but poverty does not remove the dignity Allah has given them.
Some of us will be tested through wealth. Some will be tested through poverty. Some will be tested through health, and some through illness. Some will be tested by having influence over others. Every test asks the same question: will we obey Allah when our circumstances give us power, and will we remain patient and upright when our circumstances take power away?
The poor person is not a lesser human being. The person asking for help is not an object for our praise. The person receiving zakat is not receiving a favor from us as though we created the provision. Zakat is an obligation Allah placed upon the wealth of those who possess it. Sadaqah, voluntary charity, is an act of worship through which we hope for Allah’s acceptance. In both cases, we are servants carrying out the command of the Owner of all provision.
Allah says:
Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of what He has entrusted to you. For those of you who believe and spend, there will be a great reward.
Quran 57:7
Notice the meaning: Allah has entrusted wealth to us. We are not its absolute owners in the way we imagine. We are caretakers. When a person gives from what Allah entrusted to him, he should be grateful that Allah allowed him to serve. The giver should not become proud, and the receiver should not be treated as inferior.
Allah warns us very clearly:
Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is Self-Sufficient, Forbearing.
Quran 2:263
A kind word and a dignified refusal may be better than money accompanied by humiliation. If you cannot help, you may say, gently, I am sorry, I am not able to assist today. You may direct the person to a trustworthy organization. You may make a sincere dua for them. You do not need to interrogate them in public, mock them, expose them, or speak to them as though they have lost their humanity.
Allah then says:
O you who believe, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury, like one who spends his wealth to be seen by people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day.
Quran 2:264
Reminding someone again and again of what we gave can destroy the reward of the gift. Saying, You would have nothing without me, can turn relief into pain. Mentioning a person’s need in a gathering can be a form of injury. Sharing their photograph without permission can be a form of injury. Telling others that someone is poor, indebted, divorced, ill, or unemployed can be a form of injury. We must ask ourselves: if this were my need, would I want my name announced? If this were my child, would I want their face displayed? If this were my parent, would I accept these words?
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught that Allah does not look at our bodies or our forms, but He looks at our hearts and our deeds. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim, number 2564. People may look at clothing, housing, accent, job title, or bank balance. Allah looks at the heart and the deed. The poor person standing before you has a heart known to Allah and a record being written by angels. Speak to them accordingly.
My brothers and sisters, do not assume that poverty always looks the way you expect. Allah says about some people in need:
Charity is for the poor who are restricted in the way of Allah, unable to move about in the land. An uninformed person would think they are self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their appearance. They do not ask people persistently.
Quran 2:273
There are people in our communities who will never stand at the door of the masjid and ask. There are parents who quietly reduce their own meals so their children can eat. There are elderly people who keep the lights off to lower the bill. There are students who smile while carrying fear about rent, transport, or tuition. There are workers whose wages do not cover the rising cost of necessities. There are families carrying medical bills, immigration difficulties, unemployment, or debt, yet they preserve their modesty and do not announce their hardship.
Do not wait for a person to beg publicly before you care. Learn to notice without being intrusive. Build relationships before emergencies come. Support trustworthy local services that know how to identify need privately. Ask, with respect, What would be most helpful? Then listen to the answer.
Allah describes righteousness in a way that joins belief to mercy:
Righteousness is not merely turning your faces toward the east or the west. Rather, righteousness is the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Books, and the prophets; who gives wealth, despite loving it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, travelers, those who ask, and for freeing captives; who establishes prayer and gives zakat; who fulfills promises; and who is patient in poverty, hardship, and during battle. It is those who are true, and it is those who are mindful of Allah.
Quran 2:177
Look at how this verse connects worship with human beings. Faith is not only a private feeling. Prayer is not meant to leave us harsh. Zakat is not meant to leave us proud. The Quran describes the truthful believer as someone whose faith appears in generosity, promises, patience, and care for people who are vulnerable.
Allah also praises those who feed others:
And they give food, despite loving it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, saying, We only feed you for the sake of Allah. We do not want from you reward or thanks.
Quran 76:8-9
This is a powerful standard. They do not say, Remember this meal. They do not say, You owe us loyalty. They do not demand public gratitude. They seek the Face of Allah.
Some people say, I gave, so I can speak however I want. No. Giving does not give you permission to insult. Some say, If we do not take photographs, people will not donate. No. We must seek methods that preserve dignity. Some say, The person should be grateful. Perhaps they should thank Allah and thank people when appropriate, but your worship is not dependent on extracting their gratitude. Allah sees your intention even when the recipient cannot repay you with a word.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught that every act of kindness is charity. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim, number 1009. Kindness is not limited to money. It includes a respectful greeting, a patient conversation, giving someone time to explain, helping with a form, providing transport, protecting someone’s privacy, or connecting a family to reliable assistance.
He also taught that the one who strives to support a widow or a poor person is like the one who strives in Allah’s cause. This meaning is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, number 5353, and Sahih Muslim, number 2982. Think about the honor in that teaching. The work may look ordinary: arranging groceries, checking on an elderly neighbor, helping someone find employment, paying a bill quietly, or organizing a food program. But when it is done sincerely, Allah gives it immense value.
We should also remember the difference between helping and controlling. If someone needs food, do not automatically assume that you know which food they should receive. If someone needs rent, do not shame them for the way their crisis developed. If someone needs clothing, do not give them what you would not wear simply because they are poor. If someone needs school supplies, ask what will actually serve them. Whenever possible, offer choice. Choice is part of dignity.
Responsible charity may require questions. Organizations must protect donors from fraud and make sure resources reach genuine need. But questions can be asked discreetly, consistently, and respectfully. Verification is not humiliation. A private process can protect both the giver and the receiver. The standard is not careless giving; the standard is careful giving without contempt.
Parents, teach your children this. Do not speak about poor people as though they are a problem to be avoided. Teach your children to share without showing off. Teach them not to laugh at worn clothing, an old phone, a modest lunch, or a person asking for help. Teach them that the purpose of charity is not to display our goodness but to seek Allah’s goodness.
And those who manage masjids, schools, charities, and community programs must take this seriously. A person should not have to narrate their private pain in front of a line of strangers. A donation program should not require public exposure as the price of assistance. Volunteers should be trained to speak with respect. Records should be protected. Photographs should require real permission, and even permission should not be assumed to make every public display wise.
Our religion does not tell us to romanticize poverty. Poverty can be painful. Hunger is painful. Debt is heavy. Lack of housing, medical care, or safety can break a person’s heart. We should not tell people that hardship is easy, or that asking for help means they have failed. We should help them through means Allah has made available to us, while remembering that ultimate relief comes from Him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that whoever relieves a believer of a hardship from the hardships of this world, Allah will relieve him of a hardship from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim, number 2699. The hadith does not tell us to humiliate the one in hardship. It tells us to relieve the hardship.
Perhaps some of us need to repent today. We may have given charity and then mentioned it. We may have forwarded a photograph without thinking. We may have spoken harshly to someone who asked. We may have ignored a relative because their poverty made us uncomfortable. We may have assumed that a poor person is lazy, while we knew nothing of their circumstances. We may have made jokes that caused shame. Repentance is not only for the person who failed to give. It is also for the person who gave wrongly.
Allah’s door is open. Allah says:
Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Quran 39:53
So repent sincerely. Stop the harm. Return rights where possible. Remove humiliating images. Apologize when an apology will repair rather than expose. Change the system that allowed the harm. Then begin again with a cleaner heart and a wiser method.
Let us remember the central message: the person in need is not an opportunity for our ego. The person in need is a servant of Allah, honored by Allah, and possibly a means through which Allah is testing and elevating us. Give generously, but give gently. Serve openly when needed, but conceal people’s private pain. Let your charity carry food, medicine, rent, and opportunity. Let it also carry respect.
May Allah make us people whose hands help and whose tongues do not wound; people who notice hidden hardship; people who give from what Allah entrusted to us; and people who seek no praise except from Him.
Astaghfirullaha li wa lakum. Seek Allah’s forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Alhamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin. We praise Allah, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik 'ala Muhammad, wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.
Servants of Allah, have taqwa of Allah. Remember that taqwa appears in the way we treat people when no applause is waiting for us.
Second Khutbah
We have spoken about caring for the poor without humiliating them. Let us take this message from the mosque into our homes, workplaces, charities, and neighborhoods.
First, protect privacy. Do not publish a person’s face, name, story, address, or hardship merely to prove that you gave. Ask permission before sharing anything, and remember that silence is often more faithful than publicity. If you know someone is struggling, do not turn their need into a topic of conversation.
Second, offer meaningful help. Ask what is needed. Give people reasonable choices whenever possible. Support trustworthy organizations that provide food, housing assistance, medical support, education, debt counseling, and employment guidance with respect. Give zakat carefully and on time, and give voluntary charity regularly, even if the amount is small.
Third, change the way you speak. Do not reduce people to labels such as poor, needy, homeless, or dependent. Speak to them as you would want someone to speak to you. Teach your children not to mock hardship. Make room in your social circles for people whose income, clothing, or background differs from yours. Dignity is not a luxury added after the real work; dignity is part of the real work.
For the coming week, accept three practical actions:
- Choose one person or family whose need may be hidden, and check on them privately with respect. Do not demand a story; ask how you can be helpful.
- Set aside a specific amount for zakat or sadaqah, and give it through a trustworthy channel that protects the recipient’s dignity.
- Remove or correct one habit of humiliating speech, public sharing, careless judgment, or unnecessary questioning in your home, workplace, or community.
These actions are small enough to begin this week, but sincere deeds can become great with Allah. Do not wait until you feel wealthy. Do not wait until you can solve every problem. Begin with what Allah has placed within your reach, and ask Him to purify your intention.
O Allah, forgive us our sins, our shortcomings, and our mistakes. Forgive the believing men and women, the Muslim men and women, those who are living among us and those who have returned to You. Have mercy on our parents, our families, our teachers, our neighbors, and all who have a right upon us.
O Allah, guide us to the truth and make us steadfast upon it. Purify our intentions. Protect us from showing off, arrogance, hardness of heart, greed, and the desire for people’s praise. Make our worship sincere, our charity accepted, our repentance genuine, and our service beneficial.
O Allah, provide for those who are poor and hungry. Grant safety and stability to families facing homelessness, unemployment, illness, displacement, or fear. Help those carrying debt and hardship. Open for them lawful doors of provision, dignified work, trustworthy assistance, and relief that does not bring further harm.
O Allah, care for the widowed, the orphaned, the elderly, the disabled, the isolated, and every person whose need is hidden from people but known to You. Strengthen parents who are struggling. Protect our children and youth, guide them to faith and good character, and surround them with wise and compassionate adults.
O Allah, heal the sick, comfort the distressed, relieve those suffering anxiety and grief, and grant patience and support to their families. Give wisdom to caregivers, doctors, counselors, teachers, volunteers, and all who serve people in difficulty.
O Allah, relieve the oppressed everywhere. Protect innocent lives, preserve families, grant safe refuge to those in danger, restore rights to those from whom they have been taken, and guide those with power toward justice and mercy. Do not allow us to become indifferent to suffering, and show each of us a truthful way to help.
O Allah, grant just, wise, and compassionate leadership to those entrusted with authority. Guide them to protect people, uphold rights, resist corruption, and make decisions with wisdom and accountability. Guide our communities to cooperate upon truth and goodness, and unite us without injustice, hatred, or arrogance.
O Allah, bring our hearts together upon truth. Remove resentment and suspicion from among us. Make our masjids, homes, schools, and organizations places of mercy, trust, learning, and service. Help us to disagree with justice and to cooperate in righteousness.
O Allah, grant us goodness in this life and goodness in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Protect us from trials, visible and hidden. Protect our faith, our families, our health, our wealth, and our hearts. Do not let hardship make us despair, and do not let prosperity make us heedless.
O Allah, accept our prayers, our fasting, our zakat, our charity, our service, and every good deed. Send Your peace and blessings upon Muhammad, upon his family, his Companions, and all who follow his guidance until the Last Day.
Indeed, Allah commands justice, excellence, and giving to relatives, and He forbids immorality, wrongdoing, and transgression. He instructs you so that you may be reminded.
Quran 16:90
Establish the prayer.