الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
Brothers and sisters! We have gathered here for the sole purpose of seeking the pleasure of Allah (SWT). Allah must come first in our lives. It is with His blessings that all good and righteous deeds happen, and it is with His Will that we have gathered here tonight.
Alhamdulillah, the steady progress we have made since the groundbreaking in September 2012, has been a long journey and an achievement for the entire community. In order to update you on what’s going on in AMDA, I am pleased to let you know that Alhamdulillah, we have tried our best to broaden the range and scope of our activities.
We have launched the ‘Muslim Youth of AMDA (MYAMDA)—a program that empowers our youth to discharge the duties of religious and community leadership. AMDA’s First Annual Youth Conference was held in March this year. .
Talks, presentations, and workshops are conducted for our youth at frequent intervals on a wide range of topics revolving around ethics, morality, spirituality, fiqh issues, and more. MashaAllah, some of the youth of our community have begun to deliver Friday khutbas and khatiras in our Masjid while also taking part in sports events and other social and humanitarian activities. This is an encouraging sign, and augurs well for the future. A basket ball court has been set up with the help of volunteers from the community and senior students of AMDA Academy.
Alhamdulillah, while we care for our youth, we also care for our seniors. The respectful inclusion of seniors in our community is a source of joy for us. We want AMDA Masjid to be a place where neither our youth nor our seniors feel alienated; a place that helps them feel welcome and helps them develop their bond with the community.
We extend social and humanitarian services by cooperating and partnering with other charitable organizations. We participate in food drives, help orphans, and assist in soup-kitchen activities. We impart Islamic education to the adults through our Qur’an cum Arabic class and other religious discourses. Workshops and seminars are conducted by scholars and guest speakers on diverse topics. MashaAllah, our sisters hold a regular weekly halaqa to broaden and deepen their knowledge of Islam.
Our kids are exposed to Islamic education through our Sunday school known as AMDA Academy. It is run and managed by a team of dedicated professionals. As a matter of fact, because of lack of space for classrooms, we had to reluctantly stop admitting new students.
The students of Central Michigan University recently visited us to see how Muslims pray in congregation. There was also a Q&A session with them. We visited our neighbors living in the ‘Town Village Senior Living Complex’ to introduce ourselves and to acquaint them about Islam and Muslims. Our first Masjid open house event attracted many non-Muslim visitors not only from the public but also from members of the clergy. We participate in interfaith dialogues.
Alhamdulillah, we have begun to conduct Muslim marriage services at AMDA. We have also started to offer funeral services through arrangements made with ‘Rahman Funeral Home’ in the city of Detroit. We are exploring to buy burial plots in a nearby cemetery. We have published Religious Brochures for free distribution to the community. We are also a part of ‘Adopt a Road Program,’ in which our community adopts a road and does road cleaning on a day in fall. AMDA’s Friday Sandwich Program sponsored by the community members is also one of our activities. A clothing bin has been installed in the Masjid premises for people to drop off clothing and shoes for the poor and the needy.
Among some of our other activities are: an annual family picnic, a monthly family dinner, a monthly tahajjud salah in Jama’ah, a weekly khatira followed by community breakfast, and a daily recitation and reflection of a few verses from the Qur’an after Fajr prayers. During Ramadan, we have a community sponsored iftar and dinner in the Masjid on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of every week.
Following the recent influx of refugees, mainly from Syria, we had a panel discussion on Foster Care by a group of experts in the field. In collaboration with the American Red Cross, we conducted a blood drive at AMDA. We also had workshops conducted on Islamic will & inheritance, Islamic financing, and funeral rites.
MashaAllah, AMDA’s website is gradually becoming more robust as we progress. Transcripts of khutbas, khatiras, talks, and tafsir of the Qur’an are uploaded on a regular basis, and upcoming activities are posted regularly. We are working on other useful features to further improve our website. Brothers and sisters! After what has been said in all humility, we do have a long way to go. It takes a lot to build a community.
AMDA’s Board of Trustees, the Advisory Board, the Board of Representatives, and the Standing Committee are humbled by the trust that you have placed in them. The construction of this Masjid, and the activities it is engaged in would not have been possible without your overwhelming support, your financial resources, your duas, your time, as well as your valuable ideas and suggestions.
May Allah (SWT) bless this Masjid; bless those who envisioned the project of this Masjid; bless the volunteers, bless you, your families, your communities, and the entire humanity. May Allah (SWT) bless us all with great reward in this world and in the hereafter. Allahumma Ameen. I will now request Sheikh Ahmed Essam Salaheldin Aly to give us an insight about the significance and rewards of investing in the institution of Masjid. Sheikh Ahmed is a graduate of Al-Azhar University and an Imam appointed by the Endowment Ministry in Egypt. MashaAllah, this Ramadan, he is one of the Imams leading the tarawih prayers at AMDA.
His talk will be followed by our keynote speaker Br. Mohannad Hakeem. MashaAllah, Br. Hakeem holds a PhD in mechanical engineering, and is a full time research engineer at Ford Motor Company. In addition, he is a speaker, youth mentor, and activist at different community centers in Dearborn, Michigan.
