Central Khutbah: “Moments for the Family” (Gallery + Video)

Praise be to Allah, the Most High, Lord of the worlds, who has honored us with faith in Islam and granted us the family as a place of love, serenity, and mutual support. May peace and blessings be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his virtuous family, his noble companions, radhi Allahu anhum, and all those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

Blessed is the one who takes a single step for the sake of Allah, for they will be rewarded with a special distinction. In the well-known hadith about the seven categories of people who will be under Allah’s shade on the Day of Judgment, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, mentions:

1. A just ruler,
2. A person whose heart is attached to the mosques,
3. A youth who grows up in obedience to Allah,
4. Two people who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting and parting for His sake,
5. A person who gives charity so secretly that their left hand does not know what their right hand gives,
6. A person who remembers Allah in solitude, and their eyes fill with tears,
7. A person who is invited by a noble and beautiful woman but responds: “I fear Allah.”

These categories remind us of the importance of moments devoted to Allah. A single moment of sincere obedience can determine our future in the Hereafter. Allah has especially honored us by allowing us to share special moments with our families.

The family is where we learn to love, forgive, and build deep relationships for the sake of Allah. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, was an exemplary figure in the attention he gave to his family.

A remarkable woman played a special role in the life of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. She is rarely mentioned, yet she is one of the most honored women in Islam. She raised and nurtured giants of Islam and held a special place in the heart of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, who said about her:

“May Allah have mercy on you, O my mother. You were like a mother to me after my own mother.” (Ibn Hisham, Sirat Rasul Allah).

Imagine a woman whom Allah honored by allowing her to care for the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, for 17 years! Yes, 17 full years! He lived in her home, she fed him, cared for him, cleaned his clothes, and he slept in her arms. She cared for him more than her own children. When a meal was served, and the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, was late, she would not allow her children to eat until he arrived. If one of them tried to take a morsel, she would gently stop them, saying: “Wait for Muhammad!”

This remarkable woman is Fatima bint Asad, a pious believer, a Companion, and an Emigrant. She was the paternal aunt of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and the wife of his uncle, Abu Talib. She belonged to the noble Quraysh tribe, from the esteemed Banu Hashim family. She was the first woman from the Banu Hashim to give birth to a caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib, radhi Allahu anhu. This noble lineage continued with her daughter-in-law, Fatima, radhi Allahu anha, who was the mother of Hasan and Husayn, radhi Allahu anhum.

After the death of her husband, Abu Talib, Fatima bint Asad embraced Islam and migrated with her children to Madinah. She was a pious and knowledgeable woman. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, would regularly visit her, and she was often a guest in his home. She narrated 46 hadiths from the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

She passed away in the 5th year after the Hijrah, at approximately 60 years old. Her death deeply saddened the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Anas ibn Malik, radhi Allahu anhu, narrates: “When Fatima bint Asad, the mother of Ali, radhi Allahu anhu, passed away, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, entered her home, sat by her head, and said:

‘May Allah have mercy on you, O my mother. You were like a mother to me after my own mother. You fed me, cared for me, and protected me, and all of this for the sake of Allah and the reward of the Hereafter.’” (Tabarani, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir, no. 248).

He then instructed that she be washed three times. He removed his own shirt and ordered it to be placed on her, then she was wrapped in his cloak. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, personally descended into her grave to prepare the spot where she would be placed. He prayed for her, saying:

“O Allah, You are the One who gives life and death. You are Eternal. I beseech You to have mercy on my mother, Fatima, and to forgive her sins.” (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, no. 22942).

Finally, he prayed her funeral prayer and buried her with the help of Abu Bakr and Al-Abbas, radhi Allahu anhum.

Brothers and sisters, moments spent with family are acts of worship to Allah. Let us give attention to our children, spouses, and parents, help them, and remind them of the values of faith. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, taught us that the best action is the one done for Allah, and there is no better action than love and care for one’s family.

May Allah grant us families that are sources of happiness and tranquility in this world and in the Hereafter. May He count us among those who will be under His shade on the Day of Judgment and enable us to follow the best examples from the life of our Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on January 03, 2025, at the “Centre Islamique Gazi Isa-beg” in Esch-sur-Alzette)