Asalamualaikum brothers and sisters We begin in the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful and

we praise him and we thank him that he has gathered us here on this blessed day of Yawm-ulJummah. Today, brothers and sisters, we are going to be looking at the topic of Unity and Brotherhood within Islam. That despite the trials the Ummah faces today, be it at the hands of oppressors in Muslim lands, the general Islam phobia we face in the West or even Muslims fighting among themselves, we still remain one united body. It is reported in Bukhari: The Prophet (SAW) says: You find the Muslims in their mutual love and compassion, like one body, should any organ of it fall ill, the rest of the body will share in the fever and sleeplessness that ensues." How beautiful is this description. And how great is this statement that it expresses the unity of this Ummah and the bond of faith between our hearts as Muslims. Muslims are likened to the organs in one body, everyone should be considerate of the feelings of others and share in their good and bad times. (Just, as in the hadith, the body will share in the fever and sleeplessness of any organ that should fall ill, we too as Muslims should share in our fellow Muslims time of happiness and hardship). How? A Muslim should be pleased for the joy and pleasure of his Muslim brothers when they are in comfort and happiness. On the other hand, a Muslim should feel their fellow Muslims sufferings during the time of hardship. And when you do that, then you will find the sweetness of Imaan and the joy of brotherhood which Allah has blessed his slaves with. Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Imran:

And the Ayah continues but what does Allah say here, hold firmly to the rope of Allah, all together, and do not become divided. Furthermore the Prophet (SAW) says: Allah will not cease to help His servant as long as that servant is helping his brother. Aiding your brother does not only benefit him, but yourself as well. There is no doubt that the best of rewards for helping your fellow Muslim is the help and support you get from Allah (SWT).

So we should rush to aid and support our brothers, and Allah will give you his aid and support whenever you need them. SECOND KHUTBAH: Islam spread this spirit of unity between Muslims to make them become stronger. This can be achieved only if we apply the meanings of cooperation and solidarity between ourselves. By this, Muslims will reach the point of feeling that they are truly one body. Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Maidah:

And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. It is important that we stay in the company of those who will bring us closer to Allah and distance ourselves from those who would otherwise lead us further away from Allah. And by being in the company of good Muslims we are ourselves can become better Muslims. For the Prophet (SAW) said: The connection between Muslims is like that of a strong building - one part strengthens another So, in this respect, we can help to strengthen each other in this Deen. Regarding this I would urge you, and especially the Freshers, to get involved in the ISoc, because youre lucky that you have a very good Muslim community established here already at SOAS. Whether you need help with essays or want to make some new friends then the ISoc is a good place to start. And (Alhamdulillah) there are many good Muslim BnS here at SOAS so make use of this opportunity and become part of the Muslim community here. I end with the words of Allah (from Surat Al-Hujraat):

The believers are but a single brotherhood

Allah is the one who is controlling this whole universe; he is the Giver and the Taker. Health and illness, strength and weakness, wealth and poverty are all in the hands of Allah, as are the hearts of his servants. So, we ask Allah to purify our hearts and to unite us and make us from those who love each other for his sake.