Most beloved place to Allah — mosques
Friday, August 8, 2008
FROM all the places on Earth, Allah loves the masjids above all else. They fulfill the most important function. They are the places where those on Earth make contact with their Creator and Sustainer.
The Arabic word for prayer -salat- means to make a connection between the worshipper and his Lord.
The masjid is the pure location that the hearts of the worshippers are drawn towards. It is where the hearts find contentment from the worries of daily life.
It is where they are cleansed of the vain desires and temptations that always beset them. The masjids are a place of tranquility and mercy where a soul can find a short reprieve from the long day's turmoil.
As for the markets, they are not "the most despised places on Earth to Allah" because of the buying and selling that goes on there. Not at all.
They are despised because of all the deception and fraud that goes on. The markets are places where false measure is given, and where every day false oaths are sworn.
They are places of stinginess, avarice, wrangling, and disputation.
At the same time, we find that this hadith provides us with another very essential and important meaning.
By placing the market in comparison with the masjids, the hadith is acknowledging that the marketplace is an institution in Muslim society, just like the masjid is.
Life is not only about the masjid. The masjid and the marketplace are both integral parts of society.
Allah speaks about the masjid in the Quran, saying, "in houses, which Allah has permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration, in them, of His name: In them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings." (translation of the Quran sudah An-Nur: 36)
Masjids are raised to honour in a physical sense through their actual construction. It is in this sense that the Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him, said, "Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise." (Sahih Muslim)
Indeed, the masjids are the houses of Allah. They are not the houses of any human being. They are not even the houses of preachers and sermon-givers. They are certainly not the homes of those who would use the masjid to further their political agendas or their personal disputes - those who seek to spread division, strife, and sectarianism.
Allah's believing servants are people who engage in buying and selling. However, they do not let their commerce distract them from the remembrance of Allah. There is harmony between the rights of this world and the rights of the Hereafter. Allah says: "And do not forget your share of the worldly life." (surah al-Qasas: 77)
An important role of the masjids is to provide a place for congregational prayer where all Muslims can bow and prostrate together in sincerity. They left all worldly attributes behind them outside the masjid and unite in submission to Allah, the Only God.
Another important aspect of understanding the masjid's role is to remain cognizant of the fact that the masjid is not an alternative to life, but a part of life, one of its essential elements.
The masjid is not intended to replace other institutions in society, like, the university, the social club, the home, the marketplace, the courts, or the government.
This is one of the reason's why the Prophet said: "If you see someone buying or selling in the masjid, say to them: 'May Allah make your commerce unprofitable' and if see someone asking in the masjid after a lost item, say to them: 'may Allah not return it to you'."
The masjid is not a shopping center. It is not desirable for the masjid to carry out the functions of other institutions in society.
When we speak about the masjid, we often have a tendency to give it very idealistic roles to play, both historically and in our present context. Yet, I believe that the essential role for a masjid is that of worship. Its job is to provide an environment conducive to worshipping Allah.
At the same time, the masjid does not exist in isolation from society. It cannot be separated from the people, their concerns, and their political reality.
However, the masjid is only concerned with the broadest aspects of the political life of the Muslim community as a whole - the preservation of the Muslims' rights and the sanctity of their homes.
It is not concerned with personal claims, partisan, interests, and specific political agendas. The masjid is only concerned with the universal political realities of the Muslims, like their common defense and the cultivation of Islamic ethical values in the community.
Likewise, the masjid is a place for encouraging the Muslims to excel and engage in constructive pursuits. The masjid in this way functions as part of the Muslims' community life.
It cannot have a bias towards one group at the expense of another or favor one set of subjective tastes to others. The masjid is, first and last, for the glorification of Allah.
Islam Today
The Arabic word for prayer -salat- means to make a connection between the worshipper and his Lord.
The masjid is the pure location that the hearts of the worshippers are drawn towards. It is where the hearts find contentment from the worries of daily life.
It is where they are cleansed of the vain desires and temptations that always beset them. The masjids are a place of tranquility and mercy where a soul can find a short reprieve from the long day's turmoil.
As for the markets, they are not "the most despised places on Earth to Allah" because of the buying and selling that goes on there. Not at all.
They are despised because of all the deception and fraud that goes on. The markets are places where false measure is given, and where every day false oaths are sworn.
They are places of stinginess, avarice, wrangling, and disputation.
At the same time, we find that this hadith provides us with another very essential and important meaning.
By placing the market in comparison with the masjids, the hadith is acknowledging that the marketplace is an institution in Muslim society, just like the masjid is.
Life is not only about the masjid. The masjid and the marketplace are both integral parts of society.
Allah speaks about the masjid in the Quran, saying, "in houses, which Allah has permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration, in them, of His name: In them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings." (translation of the Quran sudah An-Nur: 36)
Masjids are raised to honour in a physical sense through their actual construction. It is in this sense that the Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him, said, "Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise." (Sahih Muslim)
Indeed, the masjids are the houses of Allah. They are not the houses of any human being. They are not even the houses of preachers and sermon-givers. They are certainly not the homes of those who would use the masjid to further their political agendas or their personal disputes - those who seek to spread division, strife, and sectarianism.
Allah's believing servants are people who engage in buying and selling. However, they do not let their commerce distract them from the remembrance of Allah. There is harmony between the rights of this world and the rights of the Hereafter. Allah says: "And do not forget your share of the worldly life." (surah al-Qasas: 77)
An important role of the masjids is to provide a place for congregational prayer where all Muslims can bow and prostrate together in sincerity. They left all worldly attributes behind them outside the masjid and unite in submission to Allah, the Only God.
Another important aspect of understanding the masjid's role is to remain cognizant of the fact that the masjid is not an alternative to life, but a part of life, one of its essential elements.
The masjid is not intended to replace other institutions in society, like, the university, the social club, the home, the marketplace, the courts, or the government.
This is one of the reason's why the Prophet said: "If you see someone buying or selling in the masjid, say to them: 'May Allah make your commerce unprofitable' and if see someone asking in the masjid after a lost item, say to them: 'may Allah not return it to you'."
The masjid is not a shopping center. It is not desirable for the masjid to carry out the functions of other institutions in society.
When we speak about the masjid, we often have a tendency to give it very idealistic roles to play, both historically and in our present context. Yet, I believe that the essential role for a masjid is that of worship. Its job is to provide an environment conducive to worshipping Allah.
At the same time, the masjid does not exist in isolation from society. It cannot be separated from the people, their concerns, and their political reality.
However, the masjid is only concerned with the broadest aspects of the political life of the Muslim community as a whole - the preservation of the Muslims' rights and the sanctity of their homes.
It is not concerned with personal claims, partisan, interests, and specific political agendas. The masjid is only concerned with the universal political realities of the Muslims, like their common defense and the cultivation of Islamic ethical values in the community.
Likewise, the masjid is a place for encouraging the Muslims to excel and engage in constructive pursuits. The masjid in this way functions as part of the Muslims' community life.
It cannot have a bias towards one group at the expense of another or favor one set of subjective tastes to others. The masjid is, first and last, for the glorification of Allah.
Islam Today
Business Besides Oil
