It was delivered at Musholla of Tokyo Tech campus. The material was mostly gotten from Khutban Jumat "Bersama Dakwah"

1. MUSLIM YOUTH AND THE STRUGGLE OF ISLAM
First Jumu’ah Sermon
Ma'asyiral Muslimin rahimakumullah,
For today’s sermon, I will be delivering a topic related to the youth and the struggle of Islam.
Firstly, I am going to flash back to the Prophet time. There is one story of a companion of
Rasulullah very worth telling so that we can take much lesson from it.
Towards the departure of the Prophet and his companions to the battlefield of Badr, came a
teenager facing the Prophet Muhammad. His age was only 13 years. He came with carrying a
sword whose length exceeds the length of his body. After close to Rasulullah he said, "I am
willing to die for you, O Prophet of Allah! Let me go jihad with you, fighting the enemies of
Allah under your banner. "
The Prophet pleased with and amazed by him. However, he did not allow him to fight because of
his age was still very young. He then went back, with a deep of sadness, his intention to fight for
Islam could not be fulfilled. Meanwhile, his mother who was seeing him from a distance felt the
same feeling. It was because his son did not have a chance to fight for Islam.
But they did not give up. His dream was not weakened, even being stronger. Neither was his
mother. Then, she contacted her relatives to convey his strong commitment; contribute to Islam
in other areas which has bigger chance of being accepted. They were facing the Prophet.
"O Messenger of Allah! This is our child. He memorizes the seventeen letters from the book of
the Qur'an. Reading well, according to which God revealed to you. In addition he is also good at
reading and writing Arabic. His writing is beautiful and his reading is fluent. He wants to devote

2. his skills to you, and also wants to always accompany you. If you want, please listen to his
recitation. ", asked one of his uncle.
After the Prophet heard the recitation, he told him to learn Hebrew. Within just 15 days he
succeeded, and was appointed as secretary of the Prophet when interacting with the Jews. He
was the one who read a Jewish’s letter and wrote the Prophet’s letter to them. Then, Prophet
instructed him to learn Syriac language. Within just 17 days he succeeded. He also became
secretary of the Prophet while interacting with the Syriac-speaking people.
After the Prophet was really sure with his personality and his competence, he was appointed to
be the secretary of revelation. Each time the verse of the Qur'an revealed, he immediately was
called by Prophet Muhammad to write it down and put it in the order as instructed by the Prophet.
This teenager is Zaid ibn Tsabit.
Dear all brothers,
That is the desired profile of Islamic youth. He does not only enjoy his Islamic faith alone but
also have a commitment to fight for Islam.
14 centuries ago, the number of Muslims who took part in the caravan of Farewell Pilgrimage
with the Prophet in 10 H was only 100,000 to 125,000 people. It is equivalent to 1 per 1000 of
the total population on earth at that time, which is about 100 million people. Todays, according
to the report released by The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, world Muslim population on
2010 is around 1.6 billion from total of 6.9 billion. It is equivalent to 1 per 4 to 5. And it is
expected that Muslim population will increase 35% in the next 20 years reaching 2.2 billion.
Subhaanallah, Allahu akbar! This is so huge number and very rapid growth, which should be
thankful for. The other report shows that Islam was no 1 topic in the news of religion during
2010 in the US. It means that Islam is getting more attention of people, especially in the US. We
must act and behave according to the teaching of Quran and Sunnah. By doing so, we also hope
that non-Muslim people will feel safe, comfortable, furthermore we hope many them will realize
the beauty of Islam and finally embrace Islam until the death coming up.
Ayyuhal muslimuun hafidzakumullah, especially the youth,
The quantity of the Muslims was remarkable. But it has not been able to make Muslims regain its
glory. While the goal of Islam is
…until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah. (QS Al-Anfal: 39)
Then, how is the reality today? Islam is being suspected, watched with a negative stigma, even
considered as retarded community and unable to answer the challenges of the times. Many

3. Muslims are merely embracing Islam only in their mouth or identity card, without having strong
commitment to apply Islam teaching in their whole life. Whereas Allah commands:
O you who believe! Enter into submission one and all and do not follow the footsteps of shaitan;
surely he is your open enemy. (QS Al-Baqarah: 208)
Knowing the discrepancy between reality in Islamic society and the ideal of Islam, we need the
youth to change it. Why should the youth? Because only the youth that has four characters
needed to realize it. Those four characters are faith, sincerity, zeal, and charity. Hasan Al-Banna
in Majmu'atur Rasail said:
Indeed, an idea will succeed when there is strong faith, deep sincerity of fighting, increasing zeal,
and readiness to work and sacrifice for the realization. These four pillars: faith, sincerity, zeal
and work are almost ideally found in youth. This is because the foundation of faith is lighting
soul, the foundation of sincerity is righteous heart, the foundation of zeal is tempestuous feeling,
and the foundation work is strong commitment. All these attributes are almost solely found in
youth. That’s why it has always been youth that formed the pillars of every rising nation and the
secret of strength for every uprising and banner bearers of every idea. (Risalah Ila Syabab)
Ma'asyiral Muslimin rahimakumullah, especially the youth loved by Allah,
That is why the Qur'an tells the young men who fought for His religion; among them are
Abraham, Moses, Ashab Kahfi. That is why the history of Islam is also colored by the youth.
Some of the first people embracing Islam (Assaabiquunal Awwalun) who were taught by
Rasulullah at Arqam ibn Abi Arqam’s house are youth. Person assigned by Rasulullah to preach
in Medina and Islamize every house there was Mus'ab bin Umair, a young man. The commander
of the war, also as Caliph, capable of conquering Constantine was also a young man;
Muhammad Al-Fatih.
Thus, now it's time for the youth of Islam to be like Zaid ibn Thabit as already described at the
beginning of this sermon. Have a commitment to fight for Islam, and you will get great reward
from Allah SWT.
O you who believe! If you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet.
(QS Muhammad: 7)

4. Islam is unlikely to regain its glory, if Muslims just shut up and give up with the existing
conditions. While other youths just dissipate the time and fall in a hedonism culture that has been
spread by Western, Muslims, especially its youth must be like Hawariyyin which Allah had said:
O you who believe! Be helpers (in the cause) of Allah, as Isa son of Mariam said to (his)
disciples: Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We are helpers (in the
cause) of Allah. So a party of the children of Israel believed and another party disbelieved; then
We aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became uppermost. (QS Ash-Shaf:
14)
Friday Jama'ah blessed by Allah,
Fighting for Islam at this moment must be tailored to the each competency. As Zaid ibn Thabit
who struggled with his deep knowledge, Khalid ibn Walid with his great ability of war strategy,
Uthman ibn Affan with his wealth, and so forth. For those who has great amount of wealth, use it
to fight for Islam. For those who have the ability to write, use it to fight for Islam. For those who
have competence in the fields of engineering, medicine, economics, etc., use it all as a means to
fight for Islam.

5. Second Jumu’ah Sermon
Ma’asyiral muslimin rahimakumullah,
Before we make du’a at the end of Friday sermon, let us consider the hadeeth of the Prophet
Muhammad:
Whosoever dies without participating in an expedition (jihad) nor having the intention to do so,
He dies on a branch of hypocrisy. (Narrated by Muslim)
May Allah always guide us to fight for Islam and stay steadfast until the end of our lives!