Friday Sermon: Respect for the Prophets

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Lastprophet.info provides its readers with a weekly Friday sermon (khutbah), which may act as a supplemental guide for imams, hospital and prison chaiplains, Muslim organizations and societies (i.e. MSA), students and the general reader. All of our sermons have been prepared by imams, Islamic scholars and theologians in the Republic of Turkey. Please contact us if you would like to contribute or request a topic for a forthcoming sermon.

Esteemed Muslims!

Man is an exalted creature, responsible for overseeing Allah’s commands on earth. And Almighty Allah did not leave him alone when sending him to earth. He supported man throughout time via the prophets which He sent, and has reminded them of their duties. This is only one of the favors of Allah upon mankind.

The selection and commissioning of prophets belongs to Allah. What falls upon the shoulders of we Muslims is nurturing respect and love toward these messengers, whom Allah has sent as harbingers and cautioners. In this regard, the Holy Qur’an says, “…We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles.”[1] Regarding this very topic, the Messenger of Allah has said, “Do not enter into a war of supremacy between the prophets of Allah…”[2]

Esteemed Muslims!

It is prophets who deliver societies from darkness into light; call people to Allah; lead the way in peace and tranquility; take the front lines in the fight against evil; and place their own lives in jeopardy for this cause. If it were not for the prophets, then who would lead the way in patience and with good manners? It is for these reasons that we must have respect for the prophets.

 Esteemed Believers!

All of the prophets are distinguished servants of Allah. The matters which they preach about are shared. And these common matters are belief in Allah, the prophets, and the Day of Judgment. Allah the Almighty, in the verse I mentioned at the beginning of my khutbah, says the following: “Not an apostle did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: That there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me.”[3] Prophets, who try to fulfill this command, have called upon mankind to save themselves from the dangers of shirk, inviting them to Allah, Who is One, and to the enlightenment of knowledge and belief. When we look at the saddening events that are taking place in our society and in the world, we will see that now more than ever, we are great need of the messages of prophets and the message of our prophet in particular.

My respectable brothers and sisters!

Prophets are leaders of humanity who, through their exemplary lives, distinguished between the beautiful and the ugly; between the beneficial and the harmful; between justice and tyranny; and between knowledge and ignorance. We learn truthfulness, trustworthiness, reliability, protection from sins, and the explanation of religious commands to others through prophets.

I conclude my khutbah with a verse from the Holy Qur’an: “We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle, (with the command): "Serve Allah, and eschew Evil"; Of the people were some whom Allah guided, and some upon whom error became inevitably (established). So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).”[4]