Truth and Sincerity: Building Authentic Foundations

[Arabic,إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.]

Indeed, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our wrong actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone without partner, and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger.

[Quran,3:102,"O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]."]

[Quran,4:1,"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,33:70-71,"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."]

To proceed: Verily, the most truthful speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad ﷺ. The worst of affairs are newly introduced matters (in the religion), and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

Part One: The Danger of Bid'ah - Innovation in Religion

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today I want to address a critical issue that threatens the very foundation of our faith—bid'ah, religious innovation. In an age where information spreads instantly through social media, where anyone can claim religious authority, where new practices are constantly being introduced as "Islamic," we must understand why bid'ah is so dangerous and how to protect ourselves from it.

The Prophet ﷺ warned us clearly and repeatedly in the Khutbatul Hajah that we just recited to start our khutbah today. The reason you hear this opening to khutbahs often is because the Prophet ﷺ himself started almost every khutbah, class, announcement, and even wedding with this "Khutbatul Hajah," and it ends with these powerful words:

[Hadith,Muslim,"The worst of affairs are religious innovations. Every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire."]

Yet despite this clear warning, we see innovations creeping into our communities. Why? Because Shaytan is clever. He doesn't come to a religious person and say, "Leave Islam." Instead, he says, "Add to Islam. Make it 'better.' Make it 'easier.' Make it 'more spiritual.'" But Allah has already made it clear in Surat al-Ma'idah:

[Quran,5:3,"Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen Islam as your religion."]

If Allah has perfected the religion, what right do we have to add to it? If the Prophet ﷺ has shown us the complete way, who are we to invent new paths? The great scholar of our ummah, Imam Malik, said it best:

[Quote,Imam Malik,"Whoever introduces an innovation into Islam and considers it good has claimed that Muhammad ﷺ betrayed the message. Because if something was good for the religion, the Prophet ﷺ would have taught it."]

The Authority of Al-I'tisam

When I first wanted to study the issue of bid'ah seriously, I was directed to a book that scholars from every school of thought recommend — Al-I'tisam by Imam al-Shatibi. Why is this book so universally accepted? Because Imam al-Shatibi was a master of usul al-fiqh who approached bid'ah not from a sectarian angle, but purely from the Quran and Sunnah. Whether you follow the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, or Hanbali school, whether you're from the East or West, scholars point to Al-I'tisam as the definitive work on understanding religious innovation.

Imam al-Shatibi tells us about a crucial choice he had to make. He saw bid'ah spreading in his time—new practices, new beliefs, new methods of worship that had no basis in the Qur'an or Sunnah. He had two options:

Remain silent and let people continue in their innovations, avoiding confrontation
Speak the truth and face criticism, knowing that people would call him extreme or harsh

He chose to speak the truth. Why? Because, as he said:

[Quote,Imam al-Shatibi,"I would rather face the anger of people in this world than face Allah's anger for remaining silent about His religion being changed."]

Another quote from his introduction that always strikes me:

[Quote,Imam al-Shatibi,"The path of truth is often lonely, but it is the only path that leads to salvation."]

How Bid'ah Destroyed Previous Nations

Look at what happened to the Christians. 'Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, came with pure monotheism. But what happened after him?

They added the Trinity—nowhere taught by 'Isa
They added Sunday worship—'Isa observed the Sabbath
They added Christmas—'Isa never celebrated his birthday
They added monasticism — As Allah says in Surat al-Hadid:

[Quran,57:27,"And monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them..."]

The Jews were no different. They received the clear Torah, but what did they do?

They added countless rules in the Talmud, that Allah never prescribed
They found loopholes to circumvent Allah's laws
They made the lawful unlawful and the unlawful lawful as Allah says in Surat at-Tawba:

[Quran,9:31,"They took their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and (also) the Messiah, son of Mary. But they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him."]

The Prophet ﷺ also clearly warned us about following these past mistakes of the past nations when he said:

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"You will surely follow the ways of those before you, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit—until if they entered a lizard's hole, you would follow them."]

Modern Examples of Bid'ah

Today, we see the same pattern in our communities:

Celebrating the Prophet's birthday (Mawlid) with practices he never did
Adding group dhikr sessions with specific numbers and methods not from the Sunnah
Creating new forms of prayer and worship
Seeking blessings from graves and saints
Adding to the religion based on dreams and personal experiences

Each innovation starts small. People say either say, "It's just showing love for the Prophet." or "It's just getting closer to Allah." But as the scholars have warned us, bid'ah begins with small deviations that gradually grow until they overtake the authentic practices. The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim wrote:

[Quote,Ibn al-Qayyim,I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in,"Bid'ah is like a small plant; if it is not uprooted when it first appears, it grows strong and spreads its roots until it becomes difficult to remove."]

The Two Conditions for Acceptance

So why are we even discussing bidah?

We must understand something crucial. Beyond it being a serious issue of people changing Allah's religion, or implying that the Prophet ﷺ gave us an incomplete message, or any of these matters which are enough by themselves. It is also something that destroys any deed or act of worship at its foundation!

The Prophet ﷺ told us exactly this when he said:

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) that which is not from it, it will be rejected."]

In another hadith:

[Hadith,Muslim,"Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with our affair (ie, the Sunnah) it will be rejected."]

Every deed, every act of worship, requires two conditions to be accepted:

1. Ikhlas (Sincerity) - The deed must be done purely for Allah's sake

2. Mutaba'ah (Conformity) - The deed must be in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah. It's not enough to simply avoid bid'ah — we must understand the Quran, Sunnah, Fiqh, and so on to know what makes any action acceptable to Allah.

Think of it like a bird—it needs two wings to fly. With only one wing, it crashes. Similarly, a deed with good intention but done in a way contrary to the Sunnah (bid'ah) is rejected. And a deed done according to the Sunnah but for showing off (riya') is also rejected.

This is why Bukhari, Nawawi, and many others started their hadith collections or books with the Hadith narrated by Umar (ra) about intentions because it is the root of everything we do. With the right intention your work or even sleeping can be ibadah (ie. if you go to sleep on time so that you have the ability for tahajjud or to wake for Fajr, etc).

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Actions are only by intentions, and every man shall have only that which he intended..."]

But intention alone is not enough! The Christians have good intentions when they worship three gods, thinking they're honoring Allah. The mushrikeen of Makkah had good intentions when they worshipped idols, saying "We only worship them to bring us closer to Allah." But Allah very clearly warns us of this exact danger in Surat al-Kahf:

[Quran,18:103-104,"Say: Shall We inform you of the greatest losers as to their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds."]

SubhanAllah! They thought they were doing good, but because it wasn't according to what Allah prescribed, their deeds were worthless.

The Danger of "Good Intentions" Without Knowledge

This is why bid'ah is so dangerous—the person thinks they're getting closer to Allah while they're actually moving further away. They say, "But I have good intentions! I'm doing this out of love for the Prophet! I'm doing this to remember Allah!"

But Allah has already shown us how to love the Prophet ﷺ. In Surat Aal 'Imran, Allah tells us:

[Quran,3:31,"Say: If you love Allah, then follow me (Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins."]

Following means following what he did, not inventing new ways he never taught. Ibn Taymiyyah explained this perfectly:

[Quote,Ibn Taymiyyah,Majmu al-Fatawa 11/620,"How many people desire good but do not achieve it! The people of bid'ah are mostly from this category—they desire good and intend to reach Allah, but they take a path He did not prescribe. We ask Allah to excuse them for their ignorance, but ignorance is not an eternal excuse, especially when the truth is clear and accessible."]

This brings us to a critical point—yes, Allah may excuse people for their ignorance, but this is not a license to remain ignorant! Especially when we have masajid, when we have scholars, when we have access to authentic knowledge.

The Urgency of Seeking Authentic Knowledge

This is similar to when I became Muslim over 20 years ago. I did not know how to pray, but that doesn't mean you stay that way and then ask Allah to forgive it. Rather, He forgives mistakes while also requiring you to constantly learn and increase your knowledge. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized this when he said:

[Hadith,Ibn Majah,"Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim."]

Not optional—obligatory! Why? Because without knowledge, you might:

Worship Allah in ways He didn't prescribe
Fall into bid'ah thinking it's Sunnah
Mix cultural practices with religious ones
Pass on corrupted Islam to your children

Imagine you're sick and someone says, "I have good intentions, let me perform surgery on you!" Would you let them? Of course not! Good intentions without knowledge lead to disaster. Yet in religion, which affects our eternal life, we accept any practice as long as someone says "I mean well."

Drawing Near to Allah: The Correct Path

Allah tells us in a beautiful Hadith Qudsi:

[Hadith,Bukhari,"My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary acts until I love him."]

Notice the order:

First, the obligations (fara'id)
Then, the voluntary Sunnah acts

Not innovations! Not made-up practices! The path is clear—fulfill your obligations, then add from the authentic Sunnah.

Yet we have people who can't pray Fajr on time but gather for innovative group celebrations. People who don't know the conditions of prayer but have created elaborate dhikr ceremonies. This is backwards!

The Example of Imam Ahmad

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, showed us what it means to truly follow the Sunnah. It's reported that he once had hijama (cupping) done even though he wasn't ill. When asked why, he explained:

[Quote,Al-Khallal,Kitab al-Sunnah,"I narrated the hadith that the Prophet ﷺ had cupping done, and I disliked to narrate a hadith about an act of the Prophet without having done it at least once in my life."]

SubhanAllah! Look at this dedication to following the Sunnah exactly. He didn't say, "Let me create a new way to show my love." He said, "Let me follow exactly what the Prophet ﷺ did."

Brothers and sisters, there is so much from the authentic Sunnah we haven't even begun to practice:

Praying Tahajjud regularly
Fasting Mondays and Thursdays
The morning and evening adhkar
Praying Duha
Reading a portion of Qur'an daily
The Sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory ones

Why would we invent new practices when we haven't even fulfilled what's authentically established?

A Severe Warning

Let me share with you a hadith that should make us all reflect deeply. The Prophet ﷺ said about the Day of Judgment:

[Hadith,Bukhari,"I will be at the Ḥawḍ, and I will see a group from my ummah. When I reach out to them, they will be taken away from me. I will say: 'O Lord, my ummah, my ummah!' It will be said: 'You do not know what they innovated after you.' Then I will say: 'Away with them, away with them, those who changed (the religion) after me!'"]

Imagine—people who thought they were followers of the Prophet ﷺ, being driven away from him and not only that, rejected by the Prophet ﷺ himself! Why? Because they changed the religion after him. They added, they subtracted, they innovated.

Do you want to be among those the Prophet ﷺ says "Away with them"? Or do you want to be among those who drink from his fountain? The choice is made here, today, in how we practice our religion.

Part Two: Unity Upon Truth and The Masjid as Our Foundation

Brothers and sisters,

Some people may say, "Why are you being so strict? Why not just unite everyone, even if they have different practices? Unity is more important than these details."

Let me give you an example that will clarify this forever. Imagine a group of mathematicians are having a conference. Half of them say 2+2=4, and the other half insist 2+2=5. Someone comes and says, "Brothers, let's unite! Let's not argue over small details. Let's agree that 2+2=4.5 as a compromise."

Would the mathematicians who know the truth ever accept this? Never! Because truth doesn't compromise with falsehood. Truth is truth, and falsehood is falsehood. This is why Allah says in the Surat al-Israa:

[Quran,17:81,"And say: Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish."]

The same applies to our religion. We cannot unite upon bid'ah. We cannot compromise the Sunnah for the sake of "getting along." Unity in Islam is only upon truth—the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf (the righteous predecessors). Allah commands us in Surat Aali Imran:

[Quran,3:103,"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided."]

What is the rope of Allah? It's His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. The book we mentioned earlier by Imam al-Shatibi is called Al-Itisam, is named after this verse and means to hold firmly to that rope. Because bid'ah is the opposite of unity and only causes division.

The Masjid as a Welcoming Center of Learning

This is why the masjid is so crucial. The masjid must be a place where truth is spoken clearly, even if it's uncomfortable. It is the place where the believers unite and hold firmly to this rope, together.

But here's something critical I must emphasize, something a brother spoke to me about after my khutbah on Da'wah here a few weeks ago. The masjid must be welcoming to ALL while remaining firm upon truth. What does this mean?

For Non-Muslims: The masjid should be a place where they can come, ask questions, and learn about true Islam — not what the news says, but authentic Islam.

For New Muslims: This is crucial. New Muslims often tell me they feel judged, overwhelmed, or pushed away. The masjid must be a place where they're embraced with love while being taught step by step. The Prophet ﷺ was gentle with new Muslims. When a Bedouin urinated in the masjid, the Prophet ﷺ didn't scream at him—he taught him gently.

For Born Muslims: Many who were born Muslim have mixed cultural practices with religious ones. They need to come to the masjid to learn what is actually from Islam versus what is from their culture. This requires patience and wisdom.

For Our Children: The masjid must be a place where children feel welcome, where they have programs, where they develop a love for Allah's house — not fear of angry uncles!

For Those Seeking Knowledge: Whatever someone's level of knowledge the local masjid should be the first place or first step of that journey.

Step by Step, With Wisdom

The key is teaching authentic Islam step by step. You don't dump everything on a new Muslim at once. You don't harshly condemn someone who's been doing bid'ah their whole life. You teach with wisdom and kindness... but you teach the truth. This is why Allah says in Surat an-Nahl:

[Quran,16:125,"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best."]

I've worked with hundreds of new Muslims and many have told me: "I need the masjid to be patient with me. I'm learning. But I also need them to teach me the truth, not just say 'everything is okay' when it's not."

This is the balance—welcoming with open arms while teaching authentic Islam.

The Consequences of Weak Masajid

When a community lacks a strong masjid, just look at what happens:

People learn Islam from YouTube and TikTok instead of scholars
Everyone becomes their own mufti, interpreting religion as they wish
Cultural practices get mixed with religious practices
The youth grow up confused about what is truly Islamic
Bid'ah spreads unchecked because there's no authority to correct it

[Quote,Ibn Taymiyyah,"When the masajid are abandoned, ignorance spreads, and when ignorance spreads, bid'ah flourishes."]

A community without a masjid is like a ship without a captain, sailing in stormy seas—each passenger pulling the rudder in a different direction. The result is chaos and destruction.

The masjid provides: Direction, Education, Community, Accountability, and Dawah

But here's the reality—masajid don't run themselves. They need:

Financial support to keep the doors open
Volunteers to maintain and organize programs
Attendance to make them vibrant centers of worship
Youth involvement to ensure the next generation continues

Too many of our masajid today are struggling. Why? Because we've forgotten their importance. We spend hundreds on restaurants, thousands on vacations, but when it comes to supporting the house of Allah, we hesitate. Allah reminds us in the Quran:

[Quran,9:18,"The masajid of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided."]

Your Connection to the Masjid

Brothers and sisters, being attached to the masjid is not just about where we pray—it's about our spiritual journey. Here at Erie Masjid, we've seen how a strong masjid transforms lives. We've seen youth find their identity, new Muslims find their community, and families strengthen their faith together.

This is why masajid everywhere are vital. Whether it's this masjid in Erie, the future masjid in Conneaut, or any house of Allah—they are the beating hearts of our communities. When we support a masjid, we're not just supporting a building; we're supporting the preservation of authentic Islam for generations to come.

The Masjid: Your Children's Future

Parents, let me ask you: Where do you want your children to learn Islam? From random websites? From cultural traditions mixed with religion? Or from a proper Islamic center with qualified teachers?

Without a strong masjid:

Your children will learn a distorted version of Islam
They'll be vulnerable to extremist ideologies or complete abandonment of faith
They'll lack the community support to stay strong in their religion
They'll have no safe space to ask questions and learn

We know that death is the reality and that most likely we will die long before our children and grandchildren will. What do we leave for our children after us? The masjid is not just for today—it's an investment in the future of your children and grandchildren. It will be there for them even after you are not.

Our Masjid: A Beacon of Hope

Brothers and sisters, I became Muslim over 20 years ago right here in Erie—well, across the street at our old masjid. Right after 9/11 I hated Muslims. I was already in the Army at that time and thought my mission was to kill Muslims for what happened. But the guidance of Allah is truly a blessing. It clicked in me that there are almost 2 billion Muslims in the world and the media must be wrong. Then through reading the Truth stood out clear. After just a short time reading I knew I had to be Muslim.

So what did I do? I went online and searched for a local masjid, then found only one, the Erie Masjid. I came here and met other Muslims, even if we were just a few, and started my journey.

So what happens in all the areas without a masjid to be their beacon of light?

It is upon us to establish those beacons of light! Aisha (ra) narrated:

[Hadith,'Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Bayhaqi',"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that mosques be established in every neighborhood, and that they be kept clean and given a pleasant fragrance."]

But this requires sacrifice from all of us. This is not just about having a prayer space. It's about establishing a center of authentic Islamic learning that will serve generations to come.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Muslim,"When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah), knowledge that is benefited from, or a righteous child who prays for him."]

A masjid is all three:

It's ongoing charity—every prayer prayed there benefits you
It's a source of beneficial knowledge—every lesson taught benefits you
It produces righteous children who will make du'a for the community

Think about it—you spend money on a restaurant meal, and it's gone in an hour. You contribute that same amount to a masjid, and it's working for your akhirah until the Day of Judgment. Every single person who prays there, learns there, is guided there—you get a share of that reward. This is why the Prophet ﷺ emphasized the building of masajid so many times. He ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Ibn Majah,"Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise."]

How You Can Help Today

We implore everyone—whether you can give a little or a lot—to contribute to establishing Conneaut's first masjid. Every contribution, no matter the size, is significant in Allah's eyes.

After the khutbah:

We have donation boxes at both exits
Take a flyer with our donation information
Visit our website for online giving options
Set up recurring monthly support through Zelle
Share this opportunity with family and friends

Remember, this is about being part of history—establishing the first house of Allah in a city that has never had one. Your contribution today becomes your investment in the akhirah.

Remember: this is not a loss but an investment. Not an expense—it's an opportunity. Not a burden—it's a privilege.

[Quran,2:261,"The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies for whom He wills."]

The Final Question

I leave you with this question: When you stand before Allah on the Day of Judgment, and He asks you, "I gave you wealth, I gave you the opportunity to establish My house in a city that had none—what did you do?"

What will be your answer?

Will you say, "O Allah, I was too busy"?

Will you say, "O Allah, I had other priorities"?

Or will you say, "O Allah, I gave what I could, I supported Your house, I helped establish a place where Your name is remembered"?

The choice is yours. The opportunity is now. The reward is eternal.

We end with asking Allah...

O Allah, protect us from all forms of bid'ah and innovation.

O Allah, make us among those who follow the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah with correct intentions.

O Allah, help us distinguish between truth and falsehood, between Sunnah and bid'ah.

O Allah, unite our communities upon the truth and keep us firm upon the straight path.

O Allah, accept our efforts and forgive our shortcomings.

O Allah, grant us sincerity in our intentions and correctness in our actions.

O Allah, make us among those whom the Prophet ﷺ will recognize and welcome at his fountain.

O Allah, protect us from being among those he says "Away with them" due to our innovations.

O Allah, guide our youth and protect them from deviation and misguidance.

O Allah, make the masjid in Conneaut a reality and a source of guidance for generations.

O Allah, make us among those who support Your houses and maintain them for Your worship.

O Allah, make our masajid places of truth, mercy, and authentic learning.

We ask Allah to make us firm upon His straight path, to guide us and not let us go astray, to have mercy on us and forgive us.

[Dua,وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين,Wa ākhiru da'wānā an al-hamdu lillāhi rabbi'l-'ālamīn]

[Dua,وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين,Wa sallallāhu 'alā nabiyyinā Muhammadin wa 'alā ālihī wa sahbihī ajma'īn]

Whatever good was said in this khutbah is from Allah alone, and whatever mistakes or errors are from myself and from Shaytan. I ask Allah to forgive me and you for any shortcomings.

I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, and for all the Muslims. So seek His forgiveness—indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[Arabic,أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ.]