• Justice is not a theoretical concept in Islam; it is a lived reality that requires action when a wrong is committed.
• And today, we speak of a grave wrong committed against one of our own.
• On Monday, March 30th, our beloved brother, Salah Sarsour, the President of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, was abducted by ICE agents.
• How many of us know Brother Salah as more than just a leader?
• He is a father, a grandfather, a husband, and a lawful resident of this country for over 32 years.
• He is a pillar of our community who has spent decades building up our youth and our institutions.
• Yet, he was pulled over by over ten agents with no cause, taken from his family, and moved across state lines to detention facilities.
• His family was left in the dark, scrambling to find where he was or even how he was doing.
• This is not just an attack on one man; it is an attack on the values of justice we hold dear.
• Brother Salah’s story is the story of many in this room.
• He grew up in the Occupied West Bank, facing the cruelty of occupation as a child, only to come here and build a life of service.
• He has hired countless people, supported our local businesses, and been a voice for the voiceless.
• And it is precisely because he is a Palestinian and Muslim leader who speaks truth to power that he is being targeted.
• How many times must we see our leaders exceptionalized and “othered” simply because they refuse to be silent?
• We are seeing a troubling trend where the legal system is being weaponized to suppress those who criticize oppression.
• Whether it is Mahmoud Khalil, Leqaa Kordia, or now Brother Salah, the message being sent is clear: your rights are optional if your voice is inconvenient.
• But as a community, we must remember the words of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم:

انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا

“Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed.”

• The companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, we help the oppressed, but how do we help the oppressor?”
• He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: “By restraining him from his oppression.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2444)
• Helping Brother Salah is helping the oppressed.
• And standing against the systems that abducted him is our way of helping the oppressors by demanding they return to the path of justice.
• We must realize that when one leader is silenced, the rights of the entire community are weakened.
• This is a moment where we cannot afford to be passive.
• We must be like the building blocks of the Ummah that we discussed—strong, interconnected, and supportive of one another. 

 إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ صَفًّۭا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَـٰنٌۭ مَّرْصُوصٌۭ   

“Surely Allah loves those who fight in His cause in ˹solid˺ ranks as if they were one concrete structure.” (64:4)

• If we allow our elders and our role models to be taken without a word, what message are we sending to our children?
• We are telling them that their contributions do not matter and their rights are not secure.
• Instead, we must show them that we are a community that fights for its own.

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

I say what you have heard, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgiveness from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Sit and make istighfar 3 times

Start of second khutba:

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ,  وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ  , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

• All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.
• We must now turn our concern into action.
• We have spoken about the injustice, but how do we fulfill our duty as a community?
• The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى

“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6011)

• Milwaukee is the limb that is hurting right now, and the whole Ummah must feel that fever.
• So what can we do for Brother Salah Sarsour?
• First, we must support the legal and advocacy efforts.
• Sign the petition at https://ampalestine.org/freesalah
• Justice often requires the resources to demand it.
• Second, we must break the silence.
• Call your elected representatives and advocate for his release.
• Share Brother Salah’s story. Use the hashtag #FreeSalahSarsour.
• Tell the world who he is—not a “detainee,” but a grandfather, a business owner, and a man of faith.
• The allegations against him are a smokescreen; they are designed to justify silencing a Palestinian voice.
• We must not let that narrative win.
• Third, stay united.
• This is a coordinated attempt to intimidate our community.
• We must stand with our organizations in the call for justice.
• This fight for Salah is a fight for the democratic norms and legal protections of everyone in this country.
• If they can do this to a 32-year resident and community president, they can do it to anyone.
• Finally, do not forget the power of Dua.
• In these moments, we turn to the One who is the Ultimate Judge.
• We ask Allah to return Brother Salah to his family safely and swiftly. 

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good

 عِبَادَ اللّهِ  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ  يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. 

اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا   وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.  

NOTE: These Khateeb Notes were produced by the Muslim American Society.