The full text of the sermon titled “MUSLIMS ARE EACH OTHER’S HOPE”, is as follows:

Dear Muslims!

We are in the middle of the three Holy Months, which have a special value for us. Next Monday night, we will be welcoming the Lailat al-Bara’ah, which is full of wisdom and blessings, insha Allah. May our night of Bara’ah be blessed, which is a great opportunity for us to be acquitted from all kinds of wrongdoings that hurt our souls, from all kinds of evil that do not honor the purpose of our existence and the consent of our Lord (swt). May our Lord Almighty (swt) make this blessed night, in which every matter of wisdom is ordained by Himself, a consolation and relief for our hearts that are devastated by the earthquake, and a source of hope for our future.

Dear Believers!

In the Holy Qur’an, which is our guide for life, our Almighty Lord (swt) states,  وَلَا تَايْـَٔسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللّٰهِۜ  “Do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah.”  Indeed, there cannot be any room for hopelessness in the heart of a believer who believes in Allah and seeks refuge in Him (swt). After all, hope is what keeps people alive. Hoping for the good and the pleasant connects us to life. Hope does not mean an escape from reality. On the contrary, it is to rely on Allah with complete submission, to hold fast in perseverance, and to embrace wisdom. Hope is to stand up resiliently without forgetting the sorrows of the past, and to make efforts for a better future. Hope is to seek refuge in the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord (swt), the Sole Creator of the universe, no matter how great our troubles are, or no matter how many problems we have. Hope is to be able to breathe and to find peace and comfort with the grace and mercy of our Almighty Lord (swt), the All-Wise and All-Powerful.

Dear Muslims!

Muslims are the hope of each other as people who believe in Allah, the same prophet, the same holy book, and turn towards the same qiblah. Every Muslim regards the suffering of their brothers and sisters as their own suffering. They view the grief of their brothers and sisters as their own grief. In this awareness, they stand by their brothers and sisters in distress. They touch the souls of their brothers and sisters, who are burdened with troubles, and heal their distressed hearts. They become a caring hand and a guardian reaching out to the orphaned children, who are entrusted to them by their brothers and sisters.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

We believe that every gloomy night is followed by a luminous morning. All our troubles will eventually come to an end, with the permission of Allah (swt). Our great nation who endure difficulties by uttering, نِعْمَ الْمَوْلٰى وَنِعْمَ النَّص۪يرُ ، حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَك۪يلُ “Allah alone is sufficient as an aid for us and what an excellent Protector and what an excellent Helper He is!” , and always stand firm with the strength of their love and trust in Allah (swt) will also overcome these days, insha Allah. Let us hold on to hope and trust, unity and solidarity, and love and sincerity as required by our faith. Let us strive to overcome these difficult days by relying on our Lord, being confident in ourselves, and helping our brothers and sisters.

I would like to conclude this Friday’s khutbah with the following invocation our Prophet (saw) taught to us: “O Allah! We have turned our faces to You. We have entrusted our affairs to You. We have relied completely on You out of desire for and fear of You.” (ILKHA)