khutbah with sheikh 7atem

my 5th khutbah in alexandria was with sheikh 7atem farid.  sheikh 7atem is famous for his beautiful recitation of the quran.  it is said that during ramadan, an incredibly massive number of people come and pray taraweeh behind him, especially on the 27th night of ramadan.  i attended the khutbah at masjid bilal, which is a very short walk away from the mediterranean sea and is right next to san stefano.

anyhow, the khutbah was about life insurance companies and how, as muslims, we know that there is no such “insurance” except that given to us by Allah - that a muslim does good deeds, etc and Allah promises to protect them, etc (as can be seen from many verses in the Quran) - for example:

“They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.” (6:82).

in this masjid also, there was only one khutbah.  i asked my friend, may Allah protect him, as to the reasoning, and he explained that during the time of the Prophet (saw), sayidna Abu Bakr (ra), sayidna Omer (ra), and part of the time of sayidna Uthman (ra), there was only one athan.  however, during the time of sayidna Uthman (ra), people complained that they didn’t have enough time to get to the masjid because they wouldn’t hear the athan, etc.  as a result, sayidna Uthman (ra) ordered for a second athan to be given (before the first athan) in the market.

this practice stayed and as thus, there remain 2 athans in many masajid.  wa Allahu a3lam.