Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research

King Sulayman (AS) and The Ant That Spoke Up | Khutbah by Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy

What’s happening to people around you is not background noise. It’s Allah calling your name.
No one is not worth saving.
Look at the incredible journey of a Companion who went from hurting Muslims to becoming one of the most influential figures in Islamic history.
This powerful story is a reminder that Allah can turn over any heart and guide whomever He wills. Before we are quick to “cancel” others, we must remember the boundless mercy and transformative power of faith. Learn why writing people off as “lost causes” is dangerous.

What can a single ant teach us about how to live?

In Surah an-Naml, the Quran captures an exchange between Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) and an ant warning its colony of approaching danger, a moment Allah chose to preserve for all generations.

Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy shares lessons from the surah on mercy that extends beyond those who look like us, the responsibility to contribute rather than curse the times we live in, and the wisdom of pairing advice with explanation rather than authority. It closes with the ant’s most remarkable line and what that teaches us about thinking well of others.

Uncover the wisdom of the ants in this khutbah.

Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy

Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy

Mohammad Elshinawy holds a bachelor’s in Islamic studies from Mishkah University, and another bachelor’s in English literature from Brooklyn College (NYC). In addition to Yaqeen, he serves as the religious director at the IECPA (Allentown, Pennsylvania), and an instructor at Al-Maghrib Institute, MishkahU, and Legacy IOHS. He has translated dozens of books and research papers into English, authored The Final Prophet: Proof for the Prophethood of Muhammad, and coauthored When the Stars Prostrated: Meditations on Surat Yusuf and The Prophet of Mercy.