The Role of the Masjid

As salamu alaikum,

Dear brothers, sisters, and the non-muslim audience participating in this forum,

Many hadiths have we read, where the significance of the masjid is far more than just a place of worship. If the head of every individual that houses the brain is as significant as the water is to the earth, then does not the masjid deserve the value that to a higher degree than just a place to perform prayers? Often do we not see brothers and sisters go to masjids, pray and leave. If the masjid is in a rather degrading condition, do we not ignore it, continue our prayers and then leave? We all acknowledge it is the house of Allah swt, yet we treat it as good as we treat our prayer rugs: Unfold it and use it when you need to, fold it and forget it when you don't.

Then I ask you all, what significance do you give to the house of Allah swt? How do you see it? How would you like to see your local masjid?

Jazakallahu khairan to any resposne,

and thank you to the non-muslims who may have some input. Your input I value as well.

As salamu alaikum

I'd like to see more mosques in my area with facilities for women. (though, I prefer to pray at home, I know lots of women who like to use mosque facilities).. But that's just my area. I know other places have mosques with a section for the ladies.

Wa'alaikum Salaam (sorry for not returning your Salaams before)

I think part of the issue is how people interpret the meaning "house of Allah" and therefore what they can do in it and what they cannot. As a younger person, I feared and respected the Masjid. I did not dare run or raise my voice, but I did feel restricted and this is why kids usually cant wait to leave. This is somewhat similar to the fact we aren't meant to discuss worldly affairs and just chat rubbish like we would elsewhere - people thus feel somewhat limited and controlled.

I don't know how the elders and the Masjid leaders can maintain the level of respect and tranquillity needed in the halls and rooms and at the same time make it appealing enough for people, of all ages, wanting to stay - not only to just recite Quran but to have discussions that matter in our lives.

One idea I'd pass on, is when there are lectures in a situation where you might not feel 100% expressive, there should be a Q&A period where you can write a question or a subject matter on a piece of paper, put it into a hat or something and when the Imam or Lecturer begins the Q&A, people will be able to listen and discuss to any subjects they normally might not bring up.

leela wrote:

I'd like to see more mosques in my area with facilities for women. (though, I prefer to pray at home, I know lots of women who like to use mosque facilities).. But that's just my area. I know other places have mosques with a section for the ladies.

I agree.

Then I ask you all, what significance do you give to the house of Allah swt? How do you see it? How would you like to see your local masjid?

I think the masjid is the single most important religious/social institution in the Ummah. I think we should treat it better than we treat our own homes with proper care and cleanliness. I think we should center our activities and businesses around it and make it the central feature in our towns and cities.

Everyone should hear the adhan given from the minarets in their homes, businesses and social areas.

You see. I don't think that's possible - making it a social hub as that means it will need to attract people other than just for prayers. Maybe in smaller communities and villages, the Masjid is seen as the social hub of the community but in large cities where there are so much for people to do and follow their hobbies, especially the younger generation, I think you'll find it very hard to change their mentality and perception of what a Masjid is; because how can you balance out the fact that you must treat it like it is the house of Allah and that you can come and live your life there and socialise with others?

Kal-El wrote:

You see. I don't think that's possible - making it a social hub as that means it will need to attract people other than just for prayers. Maybe in smaller communities and villages, the Masjid is seen as the social hub of the community but in large cities where there are so much for people to do and follow their hobbies, especially the younger generation, I think you'll find it very hard to change their mentality and perception of what a Masjid is; because how can you balance out the fact that you must treat it like it is the house of Allah and that you can come and live your life there and socialise with others?

I can see it as a quasi social hub.

Not a market place per se.

The masjid complex itself must be reserved for prayer and study of Quran, etc. However, I think if Muslims purchase surrounding properties close to the masjid and found their businesses nearby, build homes, etc. the masjid will be easily accessible and visible as a reminder to the community. To spark activity and growth in an area by a masjid would keep Islam in the minds of the people if not only the hearts and perhaps one day those who are not inclined to the masjid may one day go.

Visibility of the masjid also is an excellent dawah tool. As well as activity of local muslims in dawah.

Id also like to see in my community much more efforts toward making the masjid a place where non-Muslims who wish to experience Islam and learn Islam can easily visit, take a class, or be given a guide into the community complex during prayers and for follow up.

As salamu alaikum,

Jazakallahu khairan everyone for your responses. I agree with sister Leela in that we need to smash this mentality that masjids are male only. There should be, and needs proper "advertisement" of the section for the sisters. How can we as muslims preach to others how we equal we see the opposite sex (not to be confused with identical) yet we do not even provide the sisters with a place to worship! it is as if we are restricting muslimahs who may be our own mother, sister, or aunt from our own house: the shared house: the house of Allah swt.

Brother Kal-el, I like your idea about the Q & A session. Definitely it is a serious matter when we have muslims refraining from asking genuine questions simply because they don't want to be put in the spotlight for a few seconds.

Brother brjimc, I understand what you mean by centering businesses around it. We have such an enormous population, yet we are all scattered everywhere. Even if New York for example has millions of Muslims, almost all are scattered. Even when you look at it from the borough level, muslims are still scattered throughout the area. The muslim population density is minuscule. However if we had groups of muslims, buying real estate space around the masjid or near it, our concentration in each area would be much higher. Our numbers would be greater in each area and our children would be able to live in a more muslim-friendly environment.

Do you guys know of areas where such measures are being taken?

As salamu alaikum

notBilal1,

I think many communities in the USA are beginning to do this. I would think the 'model' community for this in the USA is probably in Detroit, Michigan. There is such an extensive and concentrated cross-section of Muslims that even the public schools are offering halal food for the kids. Politicians even court the 'Muslim vote'.

The community where I became Muslim did this in their neighborhood. At first it was a Masjid. Then some Muslim real-estate brokers helped Muslim families buy property in the area. Now the entire neighborhood is Muslim (all of the homes). They eventually had to expand and built two schools (one all girls school), a gymnasium, a library and a huge extension to the masjid. Last time I visited they had purchased more property for Muslim owned storefront businesses, including a very nice Islamic bookshop, clothing shops and meat halal food restaurants, etc.

The activity has brought Islamic society to America, built services for Muslims and is rapidly expanding as a result.

brjimc,

That's a fantastic turn of events. If only we had these initiatives in more places. In New York City, we have such a huge concentration of muslims yet we are divided because of ethnicities. Our socially accepted racism between arabs, bangladeshis, pakistanis, africans, and indians have created a terrible void in relationships. If our masjids here were to promote the universal brotherhood, the brotherhood of islam, then we'd have a much better footprint in social economics, politics and everything else. Instead our masjids are created for catering to "bangali ummah" or pakistani masjids to "humara pakistanis!", etc. Worse is when each group will only attend their own kinds masjid! How terrible is that, and the deepening rift that it's maintaining. Then I say, another role of the masjid should be to promote-continously- the universal brotherhood mentality.

as salamu alaikum

notBelal1 wrote:

brjimc,

That's a fantastic turn of events. If only we had these initiatives in more places. In New York City, we have such a huge concentration of muslims yet we are divided because of ethnicities. Our socially accepted racism between arabs, bangladeshis, pakistanis, africans, and indians have created a terrible void in relationships. If our masjids here were to promote the universal brotherhood, the brotherhood of islam, then we'd have a much better footprint in social economics, politics and everything else. Instead our masjids are created for catering to "bangali ummah" or pakistani masjids to "humara pakistanis!", etc. Worse is when each group will only attend their own kinds masjid! How terrible is that, and the deepening rift that it's maintaining. Then I say, another role of the masjid should be to promote-continously- the universal brotherhood mentality.

as salamu alaikum

True and sad that the biggest test, imo, is the divisions between muslims and how they choose to continue being divided. There's so much that unites us, but we focus on the differences. There ought to be some kind of reeducation in mosques and so on reinforcing the fact that only with tolerance and acceptance can muslims move forward and unite.