One day after delivering my Friday khutbah, a young man approached me.
Young Man (YM): Thank you for the khutbah. That was a good one.
Me: Alhamdulillah. Thank you very much for listening.
YM: Sheikh, I saw you wore your watch on the right hand. I immediately changed my watch to the right too.
Me: Brother, I wear my watch on my right because I write with my left. Are you a Southpaw too?
YM: Err… no. I thought since you do it, it is probably religiously good.
Me: Masha Allah… thank you so much for your good thought about me. But please do not blindly follow someone just because he delivers the khutbah or lead prayers. Make sure you understand what you are doing before you start doing it. Do not put the imams on a pedestal. I am definitely not worthy of such a station.
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Our religion is founded on knowledge. The first revelation to Prophet Muhammad is a command to read. It is important that we anchor our religiosity with knowledge.
Learn and seek clarification before you start practicing. Do not blindly follow someone.