Friday Sermon (Dec 13, 2024) – Embracing Family Values: A Comprehensive Guide to Islamic Perspectives on Marriage and Childbearing

In the heart of Islamic teachings lies a profound emphasis on family, marriage, and the continuation of human generations. This Friday sermon delves deep into the spiritual and societal significance of building strong, purposeful families that contribute to both personal well-being and community development.

The Divine Purpose of Family in Islam

Marriage and procreation are not merely personal choices in Islam but are considered sacred responsibilities with far-reaching implications. The sermon highlights how having children is viewed as a spiritual journey, a means of worship, and a contribution to the broader human community.

Key Insights from the Sermon:

• Spiritual Significance: Children are seen as a blessing and a potential source of ongoing good deeds even after one’s passing.
• Social Responsibility: Increasing offspring is presented as both a religious obligation and a national duty.
• Holistic Approach: The sermon encourages early marriage, reproductive health awareness, and a positive attitude towards family growth.

Full Khutbah (Friday Sermon)

First Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, who created us for His worship and commanded us to populate His earth. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner. We bear witness that our master and prophet Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and messenger. May Allah send blessings and peace upon him, his family, his companions, and all who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

To proceed: I advise myself and you, O servants of Allah, to be mindful of Allah, as He, the Exalted, said:

﴿وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ﴾.

And We certainly enjoined those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah.

O Believers: Indeed, among the greatest objectives of our true religion is the preservation and continuation of the offspring.

Allah, Glorified and Exalted, created us from male and female so that we may contribute to the continuity and growth of humanity through righteous offspring children who worship their Lord, bring goodness to the earth, serve their homeland, and build their society on lofty values. Allah, the Exalted, says:

﴿وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً﴾

And Allah has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren.

The Prophet ﷺ considered a woman’s ability to bear children among her greatest virtues and a reason for choosing her in marriage. He ﷺ said: : «تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَدُودَ الْوَلُودَ، فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمُ الْأُمَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ»

“Marry the loving, fertile woman, for I will be proud of you before the nations on the Day of Resurrection.”.

Increasing offspring is both a religious obligation and a national responsibility, as it contributes to the protection and sustainability of nations. Righteous offspring are among the greatest contributions a person can make to their homeland. They provide support in old age and serve as a treasure for the Hereafter. Indeed, they are part of the ongoing deeds whose rewards continue after a person’s death. The Prophet ﷺ said:

«إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ».

When a person dies, their deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them.

Servants of Allah, the means of increasing offspring are numerous and varied. Among them is early marriage for young men and women. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged the youth to marry, saying: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ، مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ، فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ»

O young men, whoever among you has the ability to sustain a wife should marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity.

And He, ﷺ said to the girl’s family:

«إِذَا خَطَبَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَنْ تَرْضَوْنَ ‌دِينَهُ ‌وَخُلُقَهُ فَزَوِّجُوهُ، إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوا تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ عَرِيضٌ»

“If someone proposes to you whose religion and character you are satisfied with, then marry her to him. If you do not do so, there will be great turmoil and corruption on earth.”

So, young man, you should accept marriage early, leaving behind what Satan may whisper to you, or what you may hear from some friends, that marriage is an obstacle to enjoying life, that it is a useless responsibility, and that circumstances have changed and conditions have altered.

And you, young lady, should not refrain from marrying someone who is suitable for you, claiming that you are busy with your studies or that you have time for work. Rather, hasten to get married, for in it is comfort and tranquility, love and mercy, and in it is protection for you both from falling into what is forbidden and bearing burdens and sins. And beware of delaying having children after marriage or being content with one or two children for fear of spending too much or fearing a lack of provisions, these are strange customs in our society and are contrary to the law of our Lord.

Allah the Almighty said  :    ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ ‌الرَّزَّاقُ﴾

 Indeed, it is Allah who is the Provider

. Provision is in Allah’s hands, and every child is born with their sustenance decreed for them while they are still in their mother’s womb.

Among the means that help in increasing childbearing are: paying attention to reproductive health, conducting medical and genetic tests before marriage, and benefiting from medical assisted reproduction techniques, according to the approved controls and conditions. Have you not heard the words of your Prophetﷺ: «‌تَدَاوَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلَّا وَضَعَ لَهُ دَوَاءً»

 “Seek treatment, for Allah Almighty has not created a disease without also creating a cure for it.”.

Servants of Allah: Among the means that Islam has prescribed to achieve the goal of preserving and increasing offspring is polygamy, (plural marriage) for those who are capable of it and committed to justice in its practice. Allah Almighty says:

﴿فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ﴾

“Then marry those that please you of [other] women, two, three, or four” . This increases the offspring and extends the generations. It also protects our daughters, sisters, and relatives from becoming spinsters. For a woman to be with a husband who takes care of her, preserves her dignity, and protects her honor, even if she is a second, third, or fourth wife, is better for her than falling into the challenges of remaining unmarried. So be aware of your reality, and hasten to the causes of the growth of your families and the multiplication of your offspring, and obey your Lord, your Prophet, and your ruler, in accordance with the saying of Allah: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾

“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you” .

I say these words and I seek forgiveness from Allah, for me and for you.

Second Sermon

 Praise be to Allah as He deserves to be praised, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad ﷺHis Prophet and Servant, and upon his family and companions and those who follow his guidance after him.

 O servants of Allah; Family growth and population increase is a national mission that contributes to facing challenges, achieving accomplishments, and supporting the stability, development, progress, and prosperity of nations. This is the responsibility of every young man and woman.

The continuation of the current reproductive situation poses a grave threat to humanity, negatively impacts the population structure, weakens economic development, increases social and health burdens, reduces the ability to compete globally, and greatly affects development. The founder of the state, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may Allah bless his soul, said: “This defect still represents a dangerous situation that threatens the stability of our society and the destiny of our generations. Every individual among the sons of the nation must realize that he is fully responsible, in solidarity with the state, for treating and correcting this defect.” Therefore, our wise leadership has created a new ministry called the Ministry of Family, with the aim of strengthening family formation, raising birth rates, and achieving stability and societal cohesion. So strive, O servants of Allah, for that which will achieve the objectives of your religion and the interests of your country, and realize the wisdom of your Lord’s law, for He, the Most High, has said addressing you:

﴿وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلاَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا﴾.

“It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.” O Allah, send prayers and peace upon our master and prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, companions and followers. May Allah be pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali and all the noble companions. O Allah, make us believers in You, worshippers of You, and repentant to You, and dutiful to our parents. Have mercy on them as they raised us when we were young, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, grant the State of the Emirates stability, progress and prosperity, O Allah, and well-being for us, and bless us in our provisions, our spouses and our children. O Allah, grant success to the Head of State, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, his deputies and his brothers, the Rulers of the Emirates, and his faithful Crown Prince, for what You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the founding leaders, and admit them by Your grace into the spacious gardens of Paradise, and include the martyrs of the homeland in Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy on the Muslim men and women, and the believing men and women: the living and the dead.

 O Allah, send us rain and do not make us among the despairing. O Allah, help us, O Allah, help us, O Allah, help us. )Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire(

﴿‌رَبَّنَا ‌آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ﴾. Servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Great, the Majestic, and He will remember you. And thank Him for His blessings and He will increase them for you. Establish prayer

Practical Takeaways for Modern Families

The sermon offers timeless wisdom that remains relevant in today’s fast-paced world:

1. Prioritize marriage as a fundamental aspect of personal and societal stability
2. View children as a blessing rather than a burden
3. Seek medical guidance and support in family planning
4. Embrace a holistic approach to family development

Conclusion: A Call to Purposeful Family Building

This powerful sermon reminds us that family is not just a personal choice but a collective responsibility. By understanding and implementing these principles, individuals can contribute to stronger, more resilient communities.

Note: This sermon was originally delivered in the United Arab Emirates and reflects Islamic teachings on family and societal development.