Dear Brothers and Sisters!

From the time of the first human being, Prophet Adam (as), to the present day, there has never been a period when human beings were not tested. Although the nature and degree of difficulty differ, we have tried to overcome the difficulties brought by life. This effort, which continues today, will undoubtedly be the case for future generations. Today, while war, occupation and corruption continue in different parts of the world, the negative effects of these are felt by all of us. The most recent of these negative effects is the climate and energy crisis. It is now known that there will be an energy issue that will be felt by all of us.

Allah (swt) mentions in the Quran: “And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favour [i.e., blessings] of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful”[1] One of the blessings that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon us, which we cannot count, is natural resources. Today, there are more than enough resources for all humanity and we benefit from them in every way. However, we see that this great blessing bestowed by Allah (swt) is wasted irresponsibly on the one hand and used as a weapon on the other.

Dear Jama’ah!

Every crisis also brings with it the opportunity to learn a lesson. During the pandemic period in last few years, we had strongly remembered the importance of health and social unity. We will once again understand the importance of being economical in the climate and energy crisis we are facing today. We will learn that we can benefit from the resources that Allah (swt) has given us without wasting them. We will realise more seriously why our Lord does not love those who waste[2].

A sahaba who was making wudu asks, “Is there wastage in wudu too?” The Messenger of Allah (saw) replied by saying, “Yes, even if you are by a flowing river, it would be a waste to use more than the normal amount of water.”[3]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

We should show our sensitivity to not waste in our homes, workplaces and on our roads and more importantly in our mosques. For our mosques, which are the centre of our lives and “the most beloved places to Allah”[4], to maintain their existence in a healthy way, we must now take more responsibility and set an example for both our society and future generations by displaying an attitude that will please Allah (swt). While avoiding waste, we should also review our consumption habits in the long run. We should raise awareness about installing renewable energies in our mosques, starting with ourselves and our homes. This is our responsibility as Muslim individuals to use the resources Allah (swt) has entrusted to us fairly and carefully.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Open Mosque Day events will be held this year as every year. This beautiful program, which has a history of more than a quarter of a century in Germany, will be performed in many mosques on October 3rd. We will host our guests who have questions about Islam and Muslims, who are curious about our mosques and the lives of Muslims, within the framework of these events in the best way this year. We will reflect the energy crisis agenda in our Open Mosque Day programs, and we will especially explain the measures taken by our mosques in this area and their plans for the future. We hope that this work will be a step that will contribute positively to both our society and the future of humanity.

May Allah (swt) make us of the servants who are aware of their responsibilities. Ameen.

[1] Surah Ibrahim, 14:34

[2] Surah Al-A’raf, 7:31

[3] İbn Mâce, Taharet, 48

[4] Müslim, Mesâcid, 288

Khutba: Mosques and Saving Energy