الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, It is with the blessings of Allah (SWT) that all good and righteous deeds happen. It is with His tawfiq that we have gathered here to perform our Fajr prayer in this Masjid.
It is important to understand that we can’t fulfill our duties towards our Masjid unless we know what the role of Masjid is. We must allow the Masjid to play its proper role as desired by Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW).
The Masjid has to be at the heart of a believer’s activities. It plays a vital part in the life of the Muslim Ummah. In Islam, Masajid are not just “places of prayers.” They are—in modern terminology—community centers. This can be seen in the example of the Messenger of Allah (SAW), who began to build a Masjid as soon as he established the first Islamic State in Madinah. This Masjid served as the launching point towards the practical implementation of Islam within the state and the society.
The role of the Masjid in Islam is one of the major things that have to be reformed before we are able to recover from our present situation. The Prophet’s Masjid during his lifetime played many roles. It was a place for collective prayers, a place for socialization, a place for da’wah, a place for meetings and deliberation, a place for education, and so on. There are numerous evidences that show that the al-Masjid al-Nabwi was a “community place,” full of all sorts of activities.
We must understand the nature, purpose and functions of the Masjid as an institution so that it does not remain confined to being a space for ritual worship, but regains its role as a place where education is imparted, social welfare schemes are implemented, and discussion and dialogue on a range of social issues takes place. The Masjid is a vital cornerstone in the building of any Muslim community and it is the responsibility of the community to ensure that the Masjid is always a reflection of Islam. May Allah (SWT) bless us to use the AMDA Masjid to its full capacity. Ameen.
What about the role of an Imam? Primarily, the Imam leads the ritual Islamic prayers. In addition to being a prayer leader, he may also serve as a member of the larger leadership team in a Muslim community. If needed, the Imam’s spiritual counseling may be sought in personal, family, or religious issues. The Imam may be involved in visiting the sick, engaging in inter-faith service programs, officiating marriages, and organizing educational gatherings in the mosque. He may, rather he should reach out to youth, inspire them in peaceful pursuits, and teach them the correct understanding of Islam so that they don’t fall prey to misguided teachings.
An Imam is looked up as an individual who can guide his community members in a knowledgeable and insightful manner on religious and spiritual issues. While having an understanding of Islamic sources, the members of the community living in the West, and especially, here in North America expect their Imam to have not only an intellectually sophisticated understanding of Islamic sources but also a keen appreciation of the Western contexts in which they are living.
It is one of the fundamental teachings of Islam that we must maintain peace and treat all the human beings at par irrespective of their religion, caste, color, creed or their geographical location. Thus, there is no place for tribalism, regionalism and racial discrimination in Islam and our masajid and their Imams have to extend the message of unity to one and all. Islam has placed before the whole world recognized principles of unity amongst human beings. There is no room for narrow mindedness and narrow outlook in Islam.
Having said all this, you can well imagine the onerous task placed on my shoulder and your shoulders. It is in working together as brothers and sisters in faith, and in humanity that we can do individually and collectively what we are expected to do as obedient slaves of Allah (SWT). And Allah is the source of all strength.
Alhamdulillah, I am trying in my own humble way, of course with the support of the Management, to have AMDA connected to the larger community, and to expand our range of activities. Alhamdulillah, in the past few days, we have come into the fold of the Michigan Muslim Community Council (MMCC). Its Executive Director has expressed his eagerness to work closely with us. Secondly, we are trying to work closely with Zaman International, a non-profit organization that provides humanitarian services to the less fortunate in our community and to the larger community by bringing hope and sunshine to their lives. With Zaman’s partnership in sha Allah, we’ll be able to organize drives and campaigns for food, used garments, warm clothing, toys for children etc. Thirdly, we’ll be working with the Michigan Welcome Group headed by Sr Christine who advises new immigrants on how to go about doing things, when they land, here, in Michigan. Those among us who are good in the English language can volunteer to teach English as a second language to new immigrants some of whom have difficulties with the language. We are trying to get connected with Reverend Curro, President of ICRJ (Interfaith Center for Racial Justice) to have AMDA involved in inter-faith activities.
The AMDA community should be doing all this and much more. We need our youth to get involved. We have to provide them with avenues and opportunities to bring out the best in them. We are responsible for them.
I am also thinking about starting an Arabic cum Qur’an class in AMDA for adults who want to understand the Qur’an in the Arabic language—in the language of the Qur’an. I am ready to teach if you show your eagerness to learn.
I am new to Sterling Heights, to Michigan, and to America having moved here as an immigrant in the year 2010. I need your help, support, cooperation, and involvement to be able to do what we all aspire to do as a vibrant community. Allah (SWT) has bestowed each one of you with certain talents, skills, and capacities, which you may not even be aware of. They lie hidden within you. We have to strive hard to have our God-gifted potentials realized, and then use them, What could be better than to provide a helping hand to others and qualify for the mercy of the All-Merciful—Allah (SWT).
Before I conclude, a word of advice to myself and to you; please do frequent the Masjid much more, at least in the Fajr and Isha prayers, times when we are not usually busy in our offices or our businesses. Each day that passes by shortens my life and your life. Let us try to do our best before it is too late.
Alhamdulillah, since I have said what I wanted to say, I want to hear from you. This forum is open for discussion. Please feel free to enrich each other with your comments and queries. Make suggestions; get involved.
May Allah (SWT) bless us all with physical, mental, and spiritual health, with pure Islamic fitrah and sound hearts. May Allah bless our families, our communities, and the humanity at large. Allahumma Ameen.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
وَصَلَّ اللهُ عَلَى خيرِ خَلقِهِ مُحمَّدٍ وعَلَى آلِه وأصْحَابِه أجْمَعِين- بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين
