Monster Media 1993 #2/Image.iso/text/islamnfo.zip/TOMOSQUE

Text File | 1993-04-28 | 11KB | 188 lines

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 Assalam 'alaikum, ya ummata Muhammad (s.a.w)

             Why you should be in the mosque?
             ===============================

   Islam is a religion which has its own system, complete way of life
   and covers all aspects of human endeavours. The hallmark of Islam is
   fostering unity among its adherents; this way social classes are
   abolished and the hiatus between the rich and the poor is bridged
   (to some extent, if not completely).

   As we know, the five pillars of islam  are all interwoven and
   must  be observed to the last letter. With the exception of hajj which
   has a clause: "for those who have the wherewithal to do it", all other
   four pillars should not be seen as mutually exclusive of one another.
   Taking shahada (or reverting to islam) is not the end to becoming a
   muslim, rather it should be seen as a "necessary preamble" to islamic
   faith. Fasting, praying and alms-giving are all basic ingredients to
   ones success in the hereafter, in fact, the five pillars are the keys
   to paradise. The iman (faith) of anyone who call himself a muslim is
   not complete if he takes only shahada and forsake other pillars. While
   three pillars (fasting, zakat and hajj) are appropriate at a particular
   time of the year, ritual prayer (Al-sallat) is a daily routine that
   "..MUST be observed at the appropriate time" (Qur'an) by all muslims.
   How do we observe sallat, is it alone or in congregation? Although there
   are several reasons why a muslim may be compelled to stay at home to
   do the sallat, this article will, insha-Allah, examines the merits of
   joining congregational prayers.

   Once a mosque is constructed for the purposes of worshipping Allah
   in it, the ownership of the mosque is Allah and not by any individuals.
   As a house of Allah (mosque), the maintenance should be the joint
   responsibility of all muslims because the Prophet said:
   "Al-masjid baeti-l mumineen" ("the mosque is the house of all believers")
   Even if one is the billionnaire whose contribution made possible the
   completion of the mosque, it is still unislamic to claim the ownership
   of the mosque or influence the imam in any way from saying the truth in
   his sermons. Although the proliferation of mosques is a good thing or
   some achievements in the right direction, unfortunately some of the
   mosques have ethnic/tribal undertone thereby breaking muslims' unity.
   Indeed, today's islam is shattered or divided by some political fators;
   in a small  community of muslims for insatnce,  there may be three to
   five mosques adjacent one another and  each of which beloging to
   different  muslims' ethnic groups. This aside, let's focus on our topic.

   Why we should join congregational prayers? Before unveiling the
  hadeeths of the Prophet (s.a.w) on this, let's examine some reasons
  why prayers said alone at home may not be good as in the mosques.

  (i) In every home, we now have multiple decorations of pictures either
      of ourselves or others which include worldly ponographic or shaitanic
       portraits. These are bound to distract our attentions as they are
      fertile ground for shaitan to operate.

   (ii) These days we seem not to know the best way to say sallat;
       everything is rushed within some minutes. If prayers are said
       alone in the house it is dadly done. One, the devotee rushes or
       combines sallat with other wordly things. For instance, a devotee
       puts on a television or a radio and assumed prayers; how can there
       be attentiveness and concentration? Secondly, some devotees are
       dirty and so are their rooms. Again, how can prayers be accepted
       in such condition? I have previously posted an article (You and
       Islam: Ritual prayers) on how the Prophet (sa.w) taught his
       companion to say prayers properly. A request is most welcome.

   (iii) Islamic unity is a must and so it is incumbent on every muslim
         to know what is going on within the muslim community. It is the
         joint responsibility of all muslims to keep the house of Allah
         clean, help in its maintenance and a duty to partake in janaza
         of muslims. Information about all these are possible only through
          visiting mosque to listen to announcement made by imams.

   (iv) Because of (i) and (ii), a devotee may ask Allah for certain
        requests and may not get what he wants for months if not years.
        But by joining congregational prayers, there may be some pious
        individuals whose presence  Allah continues to accept all prayers
        offered with them. This way, a devotee's request may be granted
        because of the pious creatures in the mosque. Since we don't know
        who is who, would it not be good to join prayers with others?

   Sallat is repeatedly stressed in the Qur'an and the fact that the Prophet
   and his companion  said prayers in congregation during war reinforces
   the need for everyone to take congregational prayers serious. There
   is no attitude like "if I want in islam", everything has a procedure; no
   one can invent any idea or choose to follow his own whims and caprices.
   The Book of Allah and the sunnah are biding to us all. As for sallat,
   I won't like to repeat many of the Qur'anic verses quoted in my article
   (You and Islam: Ritual prayers) but other verses not covered there are
   as follows:

       "alladhina hum 'ala salaatihim daaimun"
       "Those who remain steadfast to their prayers" Q(70:24)


       "...Those who believe in the hereafter believe in this (Qur'an)
        and they are constant in guarding their prayers" Q(6:92)

       "As to those who hold fast by the Book (Qur'an) and establish
       regular prayer, never shall We suffer the reward of the
       righteous to perish" Q(7:170)

 Again these verses stress the need to guard our sallats and be steadfast
 in them. Excuses that may warrant not saying prayers are just few especially
 for men. Therefore it is time to remind ourselves that the Prophet said:
 "the key to paradise is sallat and the key to sallat is purification". Let's
 turn to hadeeth of the Prophet (s.a.w) on congregational prayers; they are
 very very important to ponder on and make use of.

      Narrated Abu Huraira (r.a): Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said:
      "The congregational prayer of anyone of you is more than
      twenty (five or seven) times in reward than his prayer
      in the market or in the house, for if he performs ablution
      completely (and properly) and then goes to the mosques with
      the sole intention of performing the prayer and nothing urges
      him to proceed to the mosque except the prayer, then, on
      every step which he takes towards the mosque, he will be raised
      one degree or one of his sins will be forgiven. The angels will
      keep on asking Allah's forgiveness and blessings for everyone
      of you so long as he keeps sitting at his praying place. The
      angels will say, "O Allah, bless him! O Allah, be merciful to
      him" as long as he does not do hadath or a thing which gives
      trouble to the other" (Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol 3, p.188)

  If we go through this hadeeth and combine it with the following Qur'anic
  verse, we see that the duty of angels is confirmed.
      "....And the Angels celebrate the Praises of their Lord,
      and PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS FOR ALL BEINGS ON EARTH..." (Q.42:5)

 Absence from congregational  is a serious thing! The Prophet (s.a.w)
 did not take the issue lightly during his time. At one point he said:

     Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
     "Without doubt, I intended to order somebody to pronounce
     the iqama of the (congregational) prayer and then would
     go to the houses of those who do not attend the prayer
     and burn their houses over them"
     (Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 3, p.356)

 Only we do not know much of the rewards for being in the mosque, calling
 the adhan and sitting in the first row, if we do, surely we shall ever
 be the first to open the mosque everytime  the sallat is due. The following
 shed lights on the need to be formost in the mosque.

           Narrated Abu Huraira (r.a): Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said:
           "If the people knew what is the reward of making the call
            (for the prayer) and (of being in) the first row (in
            congregational prayers) and if they found no other way to
           get this priviledge except by casting lots, they would
           certainly cast lots for it. If they knew the reward of the
           noon prayer, they would race for it, and if they knew the
           reward of the morning (i.e fajr) and 'ishai (congregational)
           prayers they would present themselves for the prayers even
           IF THEY HAVE TO CRAWL TO REACH THERE".
           (Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 3, p.530)

 This hadeeth does not mean that you force your way to the first row when
 it is already filled up. If you want to be in the first row, you MUST be
 there in time. It is just wrong and unislamic to pull matured people from
 the first row for you to replace them. Don't let's cause trouble in the
 mosques, because in some mosques there are some ethnic groups who will
 always want to get a place in the first row by all means, usually by
 pushing back others who do not belong to their ethnic. A hot-tempered
 person would surely not take it kind with anyone who may wish to do so and
 this means prayer will be delayed or cancelled at that moment. Be warned!!!

 In conclusion, let's cultivate the habit of going to the mosque to
 attend congregational prayers and to help in the activities of the
 mosque; there are countless reward in this type of 'ibadah. Don't
 issolate yourself from the affair of the ummah regardless of any
 differences you may have.

      "..hold fast to the rope which Allah extends to you and
       do not be DIVIDED...." (surat ahl-imran)

 wasalam 'alaikum,

 Abdullateef Bello.

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