Al-hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wa nasta'inuhu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa nu'minu bihi wa natawakkalu 'alayh. 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.
Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik 'ala nabiyyina Muhammad, wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.
Amma ba'd. Servants of Allah, I advise myself and you to have taqwa: to be conscious of Allah, to obey Him, and to protect ourselves from disobedience. Taqwa is not a word we say only with the tongue. It is a life lived knowing that Allah sees what we reveal, what we conceal, and what we intend.
Allah says:
O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims in submission to Him.
Quran 3:102
This is a call to remain faithful to Allah until the final moment.
O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.
Quran 4:1
This reminds us that all people share one origin and that our relationships are watched by Allah.
O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will then amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.
Quran 33:70-71
This is the way of taqwa: truthful speech, sound deeds, and obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
First Khutbah
My brothers and sisters, today we speak about something that touches almost every heart: forgiving people while seeking justice.
Some people carry a wound from a parent, a relative, a spouse, a friend, a neighbour, a business partner, a colleague, or someone in the community. Some were insulted. Some were betrayed. Some were cheated. Some were falsely accused. Some were denied their rights. Some were harmed when they were young and have carried the effects for years. Some are still facing harm today.
And when we speak about forgiveness, a wounded person may hear something painful: Forget what happened. Stop asking questions. Do not tell anyone. Let the person continue. Pretend everything is normal.
But that is not the balance taught by Islam. Islam does not command us to call oppression kindness. Islam does not command a victim to protect an oppressor from the consequences of his actions. Islam does not ask us to abandon justice in the name of a careless version of forgiveness.
At the same time, Islam does not permit our pain to turn us into people who commit the same wrong. It does not permit revenge without limit, lies in the name of justice, public humiliation, backbiting, or punishment beyond what is deserved. Islam gives the wounded a path that is both strong and pure: acknowledge the wrong, pursue justice through rightful means, and do not surrender your heart to hatred and vengeance.
Allah says:
The recompense of an evil is an evil like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is due from Allah. Indeed, He does not like the wrongdoers.
Quran 42:40
Notice the balance. Allah acknowledges that a wrong may be answered with a proportionate response. Justice is not forbidden. The one who was harmed has a right. But Allah then praises pardon and reconciliation, and He reminds us that He does not love the wrongdoers. Forgiveness is noble when it is forgiveness, not when it becomes permission for wrongdoing to continue.
There is a difference between forgiving a person and declaring that what happened was acceptable. There is a difference between releasing personal hatred and abandoning a legitimate claim. There is a difference between reconciliation and pretending that trust has instantly returned. There is a difference between being merciful and being careless with the safety of yourself or others.
You may say, It was wrong, and I will not lie about it. I will take the proper steps to stop it. I will seek what is due to me. I will protect those under my care. But I will not become unjust in return. I will not let this person control my worship, my character, and my future. I will ask Allah to judge between us, and I will try to leave the matter with Him after taking the lawful means available to me.
This is not weakness. It is disciplined strength.
Allah commands us to stand for justice even when justice is difficult:
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not personal inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort your testimony or refuse to give it, then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.
Quran 4:135
This verse destroys many excuses. Justice is not only for strangers. It is not only for people we dislike. It is not only for the poor when the rich are accused. It is not only for our group when another group is blamed. Allah says: even against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives.
Sometimes justice requires a person to admit, I was wrong. Sometimes it requires us to say, My family member did wrong. Sometimes it requires us to listen to someone whose story makes us uncomfortable. Sometimes it requires us to stop repeating a rumour that benefits people we love. Faith is not measured by how loudly we defend our own side. Faith is measured by whether we stand with truth when truth costs us something.
Allah also says:
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
Quran 5:8
If hatred must not prevent justice, then neither should love. Do not excuse a loved one's falsehood because you love them. Do not exaggerate an enemy's fault because you dislike them. Do not turn a real grievance into ten invented grievances. Justice means that we say what happened accurately, no more and no less.
My brothers and sisters, forgiveness begins with understanding what we are actually being asked to forgive. A person may forgive the insult but still establish a boundary. A person may forgive the debt but still stop lending. A person may forgive the betrayal but still decide that the relationship cannot return to its former closeness. A person may forgive an abuser in the sense of refusing to seek personal revenge, while still reporting the abuse, protecting the vulnerable, and ensuring that the harm is not repeated.
That is especially important when harm is ongoing. If someone is threatening you, exploiting you, abusing you, or harming a child, forgiveness does not mean remaining silent or staying in danger. Seek safety. Speak to trustworthy people. Use appropriate family, community, professional, and legal channels. Do not expose people to preventable harm because you are afraid that setting a boundary is somehow a failure of faith.
Allah loves justice, and justice often requires evidence, patience, clear speech, and proper process. It does not require screaming in every gathering. It does not require publishing every private matter. It does not require humiliating a person before people who cannot solve the problem. It requires doing what is right in the way that is most likely to stop the wrong and restore the rights.
And when the matter is personal, when it is your own honour and your own hurt, Islam opens another door: the door of pardon.
Allah says:
Let them pardon and overlook. Would you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Quran 24:22
This does not say that the wrong was not wrong. It asks us a question about our own need for Allah's forgiveness. Every one of us wants Allah to overlook things we did, words we said, obligations we neglected, and moments in which we failed other people. We want Allah to treat us with mercy. So Allah teaches us to show mercy when we have the ability to do so.
But do not misunderstand this verse. Pardon is not always immediate. A wounded heart may need time. Someone may not be ready to speak. Someone may need distance before they can think clearly. We should not pressure a victim with religious slogans. We should not say, If you were truly righteous, you would already be over it. Allah knows the depth of the wound, and Allah does not command a person to lie about what they feel.
The command is to avoid injustice, to keep striving toward what pleases Allah, and to seek healing without feeding the fire of revenge. You may not be able to feel complete forgiveness today. But you can refuse to spread the harm. You can stop yourself from making a false accusation. You can refuse to let your anger dictate every decision. You can ask Allah, O Allah, I am hurt. I am not ready to forget. Help me to do what is right and protect me from becoming unjust.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught that the truly strong person is not the one who defeats others by physical strength. The truly strong person is the one who controls himself when angry. This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Look at how relevant this is to our daily lives. A message arrives, and we answer before thinking. A family argument begins, and we bring up every old wound. A colleague makes a mistake, and we describe him as a failure. A disagreement occurs in the mosque, and we turn it into a judgment about someone's faith. A person wrongs us, and suddenly we feel entitled to wrong everyone connected to that person.
Anger tells us that immediate retaliation will restore our dignity. But anger often takes more from us than the original insult. It takes our calm, our sleep, our concentration, our family relationships, and sometimes our good deeds. A person can spend years waiting for another person to suffer, while the other person has moved on and the wounded person remains chained to the event.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also taught that no one forgives except that Allah increases him in honour. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim. The honour may not appear as applause or worldly success. It may be the honour of self-control, the honour of being protected from sin, the honour of a heart that is not owned by its enemy, and the honour of meeting Allah with a lighter burden.
Forgiveness does not mean that the wrongdoer escapes Allah. You are not required to carry the entire burden of judgment. Allah knows what happened. Allah knows what was hidden from people. Allah knows which apology was sincere and which was manipulation. Allah knows whether restitution was made and whether a person truly changed.
For the one who has wronged another, the path is serious. Do not hide behind the word forgiveness while refusing to repair what you broke. If you took someone's money, return it. If you harmed someone's reputation, correct the lie as publicly as you spread it. If you betrayed a trust, admit it without excuses. If you caused fear, do not demand immediate access to the person you harmed. If an apology would create more harm, seek qualified counsel about how to restore the right safely. Repentance is not merely feeling bad. It means stopping the wrongdoing, regretting it, resolving not to return to it, and restoring the rights of people when their rights were taken.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, warned that whoever had wronged his brother in honour or in anything else should seek his pardon in this life, before the Day comes when there will be no dinar or dirham. This warning is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari. On that Day, deeds will be exchanged. A person who thought the matter was small may discover that it was not small with Allah.
So if you are the wrongdoer, do not wait for the other person to begin. Take responsibility. Do not say, They are too sensitive. Do not say, Everyone does it. Do not say, I apologized, so now they must trust me. An apology is a beginning, not a demand for instant restoration. Let your changed conduct confirm your words.
And if you are the one who was wronged, do not despair of Allah's mercy. Allah says:
Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves by sinning, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Quran 39:53
This verse is for the sinner who turns back, and it is also hope for the wounded person who fears that life will always be defined by what happened. Allah can heal what people cannot heal. Allah can give you wisdom without making you hard, strength without making you cruel, and boundaries without making you hateful.
Do not confuse healing with forgetting every detail. Healing may mean that you can remember without being controlled by the memory. It may mean that you can speak about what happened without exaggeration. It may mean that you can pursue justice without wishing for every kind of suffering upon the other person. It may mean that you entrust the final judgment to Allah and use your energy to worship, serve, protect, and live responsibly.
Our communities need this balance. Families need people who can admit wrong and forgive without keeping a secret record of every mistake. Institutions need people who can investigate claims fairly rather than defend reputations at any cost. Friends need people who can correct one another without cruelty. Victims need people who will listen without blaming them. Wrongdoers need people who will call them to repentance rather than encourage them in denial.
Before you leave this gathering, ask yourself three questions. Whom have I wronged and what right do I need to restore? Whom have I been unjust toward because of anger, loyalty, or assumption? And what wound am I carrying to Allah that I need to place in His care while I take the proper steps for justice?
Maybe you need to make a phone call. Maybe you need to return money. Maybe you need to correct a statement. Maybe you need to stop discussing a private matter. Maybe you need to speak to a wise mediator. Maybe you need to establish a boundary. Maybe you need to report continuing harm. Maybe you need to make dua every day for a heart that can pursue justice without becoming unjust.
Forgiveness is not surrender to oppression. Justice is not permission for vengeance. The believer seeks truth, protects rights, controls anger, and leaves the final account to Allah.
Ask Allah for forgiveness for your sins. Seek His forgiveness for every injustice we have committed, every right we have delayed, every false word we have spoken, and every hurt we have ignored. So seek Allah's forgiveness; indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Al-hamdu lillah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik 'ala Muhammad, wa 'ala ali Muhammad, wa ashabihi ajma'in.
Servants of Allah, have taqwa of Allah. Remember the central message: forgive people for the sake of Allah when you can, but do not call injustice justice. Stand for truth without hatred. Seek your rights without oppression. Protect the vulnerable without humiliating people. If you caused harm, repent and restore what you took. If you were harmed, ask Allah for strength, use the proper means, and do not let another person's sin become your own.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught that the deeds most beloved to Allah are those that are done consistently, even if they are small. So let our response be practical in the coming week:
- Choose one unresolved wrong. Write down what actually happened, separate facts from anger, and decide on one lawful and wise step: an honest apology, repayment, a firm boundary, a trustworthy mediator, or appropriate protection from continuing harm.
- If you have wronged someone, take responsibility without defending yourself. Restore a right, correct a false statement, or make a sincere apology that does not pressure the other person to respond as you wish.
- For seven days, when anger rises, delay your reply, guard your tongue, and make dua for justice and guidance. Refuse gossip and retaliation, while continuing to pursue any legitimate matter through proper channels.
May Allah make us people who are firm without being harsh, merciful without being naive, and just without being driven by hatred.
O Allah, forgive us our sins, our shortcomings, and our injustices. Forgive the believing men and women, the living among us and those who have returned to You. Have mercy on our deceased, illuminate their graves, raise their ranks, and gather us with them among those whom You have blessed.
O Allah, guide our hearts to the truth and make us steadfast upon it. Do not let our hearts turn away after You have guided us. Give us sincerity in worship, honesty in speech, wisdom in action, and humility when we are corrected.
O Allah, heal the wounds carried by Your servants. Grant patience and protection to those who have been harmed. Give them safe places, trustworthy people, wise counsel, and lawful paths to justice. Protect children, families, and every vulnerable person from abuse, exploitation, betrayal, and neglect.
O Allah, guide our parents, spouses, children, and relatives. Bring mercy into our homes. Help us to apologize when we are wrong, to forgive when forgiveness is good, and to set boundaries when boundaries are needed. Guide our youth, protect their faith and character, surround them with good companions, and give them courage to seek help when they are in difficulty.
O Allah, heal the sick, relieve the distressed, comfort the grieving, and grant ease to those facing anxiety, loneliness, or fear. Pay the debts of those who are burdened, provide lawful provision for those in hardship, and open for them doors of relief without taking them through disobedience.
O Allah, aid the oppressed wherever oppression has touched them. Protect them from further harm, grant them safety and dignity, bring them trustworthy help, and establish justice for them. Guide those who have power over others to fear You and to stop wrongdoing.
O Allah, grant our communities leaders who are just, wise, trustworthy, and compassionate. Give them sound judgment, protect them from arrogance and corruption, and enable them to uphold rights fairly. Unite us upon truth and mercy, not upon prejudice, anger, or falsehood. Reconcile hearts where reconciliation is good, and protect us from unity built upon injustice.
O Allah, accept our prayer, our fasting, our charity, our remembrance, our repentance, and every good deed. Purify our intentions and make our worship a source of better character. Protect us from trials apparent and hidden. Protect us from ظلم, from committing ظلم, from supporting ظلم, and from becoming numb to the suffering of others.
O Allah, grant us good in this life and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Make our final words words of faith, and cause us to meet You while You are pleased with us.
O Allah, send Your blessings and peace upon Muhammad, upon his family and companions, and upon all those who follow his guidance until the Last Day.
Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
Quran 16:90
Establish the prayer.