The sermon, prepared by the General Directorate of Religious Services, is set to be delivered in mosques across the country.

The full text of the sermon is as follows:

NEVER HURT A SOUL!

Honorable Muslims!

Bilal al-Habashi (ra), who had the honor of being the mu‘adhdhin of our Prophet (saw), and Abu Dharr (ra), one of the prominent companions, once had an argument. Abu Dharr (ra) called Bilal “the son of the black woman” during this argument. When the Messenger of Allah (saw) was informed about this incident, he warned Abu Dharr as follows: “Abu Dharr! Do you belittle and shame Bilal because his mother was black? So you are a person who still has traces of the Jahiliyyah.”

Dear Believers!

According to our sublime religion, Islam, every human being, regardless of language, race, color, gender, sect, and creed, is valuable and worthy of respect. Human being is the most honorable of all creatures; they deserve to live a life that is worthy of their dignity. The life, property, and honor of every human being are to be respected and inviolable. We have no superiority over one another except our taqwa, that is, our abstinence from disobeying our Lord (swt), obeying His commands, and gaining His pleasure. As a matter of fact, in the verse I have recited at the beginning of the khutbah, Allah the Almighty (swt) informs us of this truth as follows: “O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may get to know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.”  In the hadith I have read at the beginning of the khutbah, our Prophet (saw) addresses all people as follows: “O people! Your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, and neither white skin over black skin, nor black skin over white skin, except by piety (taqwa).”

Dear Muslims!

We are the representatives of the Islamic civilization that considers it a part of faith to remove a piece of stone that hinders the feet of people. Attitudes and behaviors that trample on the honor and dignity of people never suit us. We are the children of a great nation that has made mercy, justice, love, respect and the ethics of coexistence prevail in the world. Discrimination, marginalization, ostracization, contempt, and shame can have no place in any sphere of our lives. We are the representatives of the Anatolian wisdom that embraces prophetic morality. The breaking of a heart or the wounding of a heart, which is the favorite sight of our Lord (swt), is never compatible with our Muslim identity. Allah the Almighty (swt) states in five different places in the Qur‘an as follows:  وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ اُخْرٰىۚ “No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another.”  A believer guided by the Holy Qur‘an does not forget the principle of individuality of offense. It does not equate family, ethnic origin, creed, or sect with the perpetrators of evil. They do not kill an innocent life by making a generalization of the crime committed.

Dear Believers!

Our Prophet (saw), who was sent as mercy to the worlds, warns us as follows:  لاَ تَحَاسَدُوا ، وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوا ، وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا ، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللّٰهِ إِخْوَانًا “Do not envy one another. Do not turn your backs on each other. Do not hate each other. O, Allah’s worshipers! Be brothers.”  Then let us respect the rights and the laws of the other. Let us see our differences as the greatest wealth we have. Let us be united by the bond of love and affection. As commanded in the verse,                               اِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ اِخْوَةٌ فَاَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ اَخَوَيْكُم  “The believers are but one brotherhood. So make peace between your brothers.” , let us be constructive, not destructive. Let us be unifying, not dividing. Let us treat every human being around us, all living and non-living creatures, with love and compassion with the sensitivity of “Never hurt a soul, or you harm the Throne of al-Rahman.” Let us strive against all words, attitudes and behaviors that damage our unity, solidarity, social peace and tranquility. Let us not forget that as long as we maintain our unity, solidarity and brotherhood, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome and no problem we cannot tackle. (ILKHA)