s_ali
February 23rd, 2010, 11:21
Building and Maintaining the Houses of Allaah
By Shaykh Abdullaah Al-Jarboo حفظه الله
Delivered on Saturday 29th November 2008
INTRODUCTION BY SHAYKH ZAHID RASHID
Dear brothers and sisters, we at al-Quraan was-Sunnah Society of New York, Masjid Ahlul-Quraan was-Sunnah, albaseerah.org welcome you all to our live lectures with the Scholars and Mashaa’ikh of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa`ah. It pleases us very much to resume our intensive courses and special sessions by the Scholars which will take place on a regular basis. Please visit our website www.albaseerah.org for details and the schedule.
Dear brothers and sisters, those of us who don’t own a home are always exploring the opportunities to buy our own home; and those who are blessed with their own home spend a lot of money making sure that their homes are kept safe, clean, tidy and beautiful. But when it comes to the house of Allaah, a place where the believers come to worship the Creator of the heavens and the earth, it is expected that the believers would race against each other to build the houses of Allaah. We see that every single believer would do whatever it takes to construct and furnish the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
Dear brothers and sisters, we at Masjid Ahlul-Quraan was-Sunnah believe it is our duty to serve our community in the best manner possible. We have a strong desire to educate, cultivate and unite our community upon the Qur’aan and Sunnah. We want to take care of your needs and live up to your expectations. To accomplish this goal, it pleases me very much to inform you that inshaa’Allaah we will be moving to a better and bigger location. Alhamdulillaah, we are negotiating the contract for a new building and major renovation is going to take place soon inshaa’Allaah. But we are in need of Allaah’s help and tawfeeq, so please continue to make du`aa (supplication).
Dear brothers and sisters, in addition to your du`aa we are also in need of your financial help. We have strong faith in you and we know that as always, you are going to do your best to play a major role in building this masjid, a House of Allaah عز وجل.
Alhamdulillaah, Allaah has opened the doors of sadaqatun-jaariyah (on-going charity) for you so that you list yourself among those who will inherit a nice home in Jannah inshaa’Allaah, as the Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever builds a masjid for Allaah ta`aalaa, seeking the Face of Allaah, Allaah will build for him a house in Jannah” [1]. So here is an opportunity for you so that Allaah can build a home for you in Jannah.
Alhamdulillaah, Allaah عز وجل blessed us with a generous and concerned community who never hesitates to spend in the cause of Allaah. We are certain that as usual, they will come forward to help construct our new property. As Allaah says:
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ
{The mosques of Allaah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allaah and the Last Day; perform As-Salaat (the prayers), and give Zakaat (obligatory charity) and fear none but Allaah. It is they who are on true guidance.} [At-Tawbah 9:18]
Dear brothers and sisters, I do not wish to take up too much of your time because I am very sure that you all are very eager to listen to the words of our noble guest for today’s tele-lecture. Alhamdulillaah, we are blessed to be in the company of one of our beloved Shaykhs from al-Madeenah an-Nabawiyyah - the city of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Dear brothers, our guest today is our beloved Shaykh Abdullaah ibn `Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Jarboo حفظه الله. He is a professor at the Islamic University in Madeenah and the ex-Deen of the College of `Aqeedah. He is well known to you as he has done many lectures before and has participated in person in our yearly seminars, may Allaah reward him tremendously. He is also very active in da`wah and has many da`wah projects. May Allaah reward and bless him.
INTRODUCTION BY SHAYKH ABDULLAAH AL-JARBOO
Translator: Firstly, the Shaykh حفظه الله ordered me to introduce myself to you; I am Muhammad Hameed, and inshaa’Allaah I will be translating for the Shaykh tonight here in al-Madeenah.
The Shaykh حفظه الله began by sending you all the salutations and by declaring that all praises belong and are due to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy, the only Owner of the Day of Judgment. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah alone without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah send prayers, salutations and peace upon him, all of his family, companions and followers until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed: It pleases me greatly to be in this meeting with my brothers for Allaah’s Sake in America, despite the far distance between us all. We thank Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and praise Him, the One Who has facilitated for us the means of this meeting and made it easy for us to come together and speak with each other despite the distance between our homes.
The topic of tonight’s lecture is very important. It has a great status, just as the virtues Shaykh Zahid mentioned; as it pertains to the importance of the masaajid (mosques), building them and the virtue in doing so. He mentioned some verses from the Qur’aan and some ahaadeeth of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم proving the importance of building the masaajid and the role of the masaajid in spreading Islaam and in mentioning and remembering Allaah. Also, that Allaah سبحانه وتعالى will protect and preserve the Muslims if they take care of the masaajid by physically building them and taking care of them by having lessons and mentioning Allaah’s Name سبحانه وتعالى, and so on and so forth.
So inshaa’Allaah in my speech, I would like to mention some further points and some further evidences proving the importance of this and the details of this subject matter.
THE MASAAJID ARE THE HOUSES OF ALLAAH
The masaajid, just as we have heard, are the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. Allaah has attributed these houses to Himself and they are called the ‘Houses of Allaah’ and the ‘Masaajid of Allaah’. The likes of this attribution which Allaah attributes to His Name سبحانه وتعالى or to Himself, is something that is done out of nobility. Allaah attributes these houses to Himself for the purpose of making them noble and honourable.
Allaah سبحانه وتعالى does not have a house in which He lives. He is perfect and free from the likes of this. Instead He attributed these houses, the houses of Allaah, out of tashreef (making them noble and honorable) as Allaah سبحانه وتعالى mentioned in the Qur’aan:
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ
{In houses (mosques) which Allaah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honored), in them His Name is remembered [i.e. Adhaan, Iqaamah, Salaat (prayers), invocations, recitation of the Qur'aan]. Therein glorify Him (Allaah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings} [An-Noor 24:36]
Allaah has given permission for the people to raise houses and for the Muslims to take special places to worship Allaah سبحانه وتعالى besides their homes in which they live and rest; even though they worship Allaah in these places. They worship Allaah and remember Allaah in all places, including their homes. However Allaah عز وجل has made special places just for His remembrance. The remembrance of Allaah includes the salaah, making dhikr (saying words of remembrance), reciting the Qur’aan, and the other acts of worship that the people do by which they seek a means of closeness and nearness to Allaah the Sublime and the Exalted.
BUILDING THE MASAAJID ARE FROM THE DUTIES OF THE ANGELS, PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS
So therefore, Allaah the Sublime and Exalted has informed us that building of the masaajid is from the duties and tasks of the angels, the prophets and the messengers. They build the masaajid as Allaah has mentioned:
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
{And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham) and (his son) Ismaa`eel (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah)} [Al-Baqarah 2:127]
The Scholars of Tafseer have mentioned that the one to lay down the very first foundation of the Ka`bah was Jibreel عليه السلام. Then came Ibraaheem and Ismaa`eel and they built upon this.
Therefore this proves that building the masaajid is a task that the angels, prophets, messengers and righteous slaves of Allaah do by which they honor themselves.
THE YOUTH PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BUILDING THE MASAAJID
From the story of Ibraaheem and Ismaa`eel عليهما السلام some of the Scholars have deduced a very simple and good benefit which is that the youth have a very important role in building the masaajid. They derive this from the part of the story where Ismaa`eel عليه السلام was a young man when he helped his father Ibraaheem in building the first House and that was the Ka`bah and al-Masjid al-Haraam.
Similarly, we find that when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a young man around the age of Ismaa`eel عليه السلام, he assisted the Quraysh when they reconstructed the Ka`bah and al-Masjid al-Haraam. He assisted and aided them in doing this and he was at a young age. So this shows us that the youth had a very important role in doing so.
THE PROPHETS, MESSENGERS AND RIGHTEOUS WOULD BUILD MASAAJID
Similarly, the prophets, the messengers and the righteous never ceased to build the masaajid and worship Allaah عز وجل in them. The Shaykh mentioned the story of Maryam عليها السلام and how she prayed in a mihraab which is a place in which prayer is offered.
Likewise Allaah mentioned that Daawood and Sulaymaan had mahaareeb – special places in which they worshipped Allaah سبحانه وتعالى; they were for no other purpose except for worship. Similarly they built Baytul-Maqdis in Jerusalem for salaah in it.
Likewise, we find that our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed a great deal of importance upon building and constructing the masaajid and assisting and cooperating in doing so. We find that the very first thing that he did when he came to al-Madeenah was building Masjid Qubaa. Before he built his home and a place to rest he began with building Masjid Qubaa. Masjid Qubaa was very close to Madeenah but now it has become a part of Madeenah. We find that the Sahaabah had a great deal of zeal and they participated in building Masjid Qubaa. Some of them helped out physically by carrying the bricks and stones. Some of them supported it with their wealth and funding the building, and others provided tools and instruments for construction of the masjid. So we find the very first thing that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did when he reached Madeenah was to build a house of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى in the very first city established as an Islaamic State for the worship of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى i.e. al-Madeenah.
Similarly when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم left Qubaa after a number of days, the very first thing that he did when he reached Madeenah was planning the construction of his masjid, al-Masjid an-Nabawi (The Prophet’s Masjid صلى الله عليه وسلم). This was the very first thing that he did, even before he built the room in which he lived.
The place was chosen in which they would build the masjid and then the Sahaabah began building and constructing it. From that day, this place continues to be an abode for the worship of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى for the believers to offer prayer therein and to invoke Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and to perform all sorts of righteous deeds and actions which brings them closer and nearer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
So to reiterate, this task of building the masaajid is from the important duties of the chosen slaves of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى - those preferred slaves of Allaah عز وجل from the angels, prophets, messengers and the righteous. They hold this as a noble task and an honourable duty and they see this as a great deal and a tremendous affair by which they seek closeness to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. Similarly they rush forth and they hasten and they compete with each other in doing good deeds by building the masaajid.
MAINTAINING AND TAKING CARE OF THE MASAAJID
Shaykh Zahid mentioned the verse:
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آَمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآَخِرِ
{The mosques of Allaah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allaah and the Last Day...} [At-Tawbah 9:018]
He also mentioned that construction of the masaajid is from the most important attributes of the Muslims and from the most significant and distinctive characteristics of the believers. This is a sign proving the truth of their eemaan and the strength of their eemaan (i.e. that they take care and they look after the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى).
Taking care of the masaajid is divided into two categories:
Physical construction of the masjid and the physical maintenance and custodial affairs of the masjid
Worshipping Allaah سبحانه وتعالى therein and mentioning His Name سبحانه وتعالى and glorifying His praises therein.
Both of these categories are from the attributes and actions of those pious slaves of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى who seek Allaah’s Pleasure, those who have aspiration and who look forward to their reward and to what Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has prepared for them in the Hereafter.
These masaajid which are the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, Allaah has ordained upon the believers constructing them, preserving and looking after them, and worshipping Allaah in them. This is a very important affair. Not only has Allaah سبحانه وتعالى commanded us to build the masaajid and to construct them, and to worship Him and mention His Name therein, but He has ordered us and ordained that we preserve these masaajid and look after them.
For this reason, from the legislated goals of jihaad and fighting is that by them, Allaah سبحانه وتعالى defends eemaan (al-Islaam) by repelling the people of corruption (the people of fasaad) who don’t want to worship Allaah عز وجل but who wish to ruin and spoil that which is good. So Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has made it obligatory upon the people of belief (the people of Eemaan) to do this. Hence, we find that historically some of the people of corruption destroyed many masaajid of the Muslims and tore down these places built for worship of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. For this reason Allaah عز وجل commanded and ordained fighting these people as He mentioned in the verse of the Glorious Qur’aan:
وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا
{For had it not been that Allaah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allaah is mentioned much, would surely have been pulled down} [Al-Hajj 22:40]
This verse proves two very important things:
Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has made it binding upon the believers to establish and defend His houses.
Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has prohibited the believers from boycotting these houses, abandoning them, not mentioning His Name therein, not offering the prayer therein and so on and so forth.
Hence this verse proves to us the importance of the masaajid in the life of the Muslims. It is incumbent upon the Believers to look after the Houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
From these texts of the Qur’aan and these benefits which I have mentioned and which we have heard from Shaykh Zahid, it becomes clear to us that the masaajid hold a very lofty status. As such, it is imperative that the Muslims cooperate with one other and come together in building the masaajid, the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
continued in next post ...
By Shaykh Abdullaah Al-Jarboo حفظه الله
Delivered on Saturday 29th November 2008
INTRODUCTION BY SHAYKH ZAHID RASHID
Dear brothers and sisters, we at al-Quraan was-Sunnah Society of New York, Masjid Ahlul-Quraan was-Sunnah, albaseerah.org welcome you all to our live lectures with the Scholars and Mashaa’ikh of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa`ah. It pleases us very much to resume our intensive courses and special sessions by the Scholars which will take place on a regular basis. Please visit our website www.albaseerah.org for details and the schedule.
Dear brothers and sisters, those of us who don’t own a home are always exploring the opportunities to buy our own home; and those who are blessed with their own home spend a lot of money making sure that their homes are kept safe, clean, tidy and beautiful. But when it comes to the house of Allaah, a place where the believers come to worship the Creator of the heavens and the earth, it is expected that the believers would race against each other to build the houses of Allaah. We see that every single believer would do whatever it takes to construct and furnish the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
Dear brothers and sisters, we at Masjid Ahlul-Quraan was-Sunnah believe it is our duty to serve our community in the best manner possible. We have a strong desire to educate, cultivate and unite our community upon the Qur’aan and Sunnah. We want to take care of your needs and live up to your expectations. To accomplish this goal, it pleases me very much to inform you that inshaa’Allaah we will be moving to a better and bigger location. Alhamdulillaah, we are negotiating the contract for a new building and major renovation is going to take place soon inshaa’Allaah. But we are in need of Allaah’s help and tawfeeq, so please continue to make du`aa (supplication).
Dear brothers and sisters, in addition to your du`aa we are also in need of your financial help. We have strong faith in you and we know that as always, you are going to do your best to play a major role in building this masjid, a House of Allaah عز وجل.
Alhamdulillaah, Allaah has opened the doors of sadaqatun-jaariyah (on-going charity) for you so that you list yourself among those who will inherit a nice home in Jannah inshaa’Allaah, as the Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever builds a masjid for Allaah ta`aalaa, seeking the Face of Allaah, Allaah will build for him a house in Jannah” [1]. So here is an opportunity for you so that Allaah can build a home for you in Jannah.
Alhamdulillaah, Allaah عز وجل blessed us with a generous and concerned community who never hesitates to spend in the cause of Allaah. We are certain that as usual, they will come forward to help construct our new property. As Allaah says:
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ
{The mosques of Allaah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allaah and the Last Day; perform As-Salaat (the prayers), and give Zakaat (obligatory charity) and fear none but Allaah. It is they who are on true guidance.} [At-Tawbah 9:18]
Dear brothers and sisters, I do not wish to take up too much of your time because I am very sure that you all are very eager to listen to the words of our noble guest for today’s tele-lecture. Alhamdulillaah, we are blessed to be in the company of one of our beloved Shaykhs from al-Madeenah an-Nabawiyyah - the city of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Dear brothers, our guest today is our beloved Shaykh Abdullaah ibn `Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Jarboo حفظه الله. He is a professor at the Islamic University in Madeenah and the ex-Deen of the College of `Aqeedah. He is well known to you as he has done many lectures before and has participated in person in our yearly seminars, may Allaah reward him tremendously. He is also very active in da`wah and has many da`wah projects. May Allaah reward and bless him.
INTRODUCTION BY SHAYKH ABDULLAAH AL-JARBOO
Translator: Firstly, the Shaykh حفظه الله ordered me to introduce myself to you; I am Muhammad Hameed, and inshaa’Allaah I will be translating for the Shaykh tonight here in al-Madeenah.
The Shaykh حفظه الله began by sending you all the salutations and by declaring that all praises belong and are due to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy, the only Owner of the Day of Judgment. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah alone without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah send prayers, salutations and peace upon him, all of his family, companions and followers until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed: It pleases me greatly to be in this meeting with my brothers for Allaah’s Sake in America, despite the far distance between us all. We thank Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and praise Him, the One Who has facilitated for us the means of this meeting and made it easy for us to come together and speak with each other despite the distance between our homes.
The topic of tonight’s lecture is very important. It has a great status, just as the virtues Shaykh Zahid mentioned; as it pertains to the importance of the masaajid (mosques), building them and the virtue in doing so. He mentioned some verses from the Qur’aan and some ahaadeeth of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم proving the importance of building the masaajid and the role of the masaajid in spreading Islaam and in mentioning and remembering Allaah. Also, that Allaah سبحانه وتعالى will protect and preserve the Muslims if they take care of the masaajid by physically building them and taking care of them by having lessons and mentioning Allaah’s Name سبحانه وتعالى, and so on and so forth.
So inshaa’Allaah in my speech, I would like to mention some further points and some further evidences proving the importance of this and the details of this subject matter.
THE MASAAJID ARE THE HOUSES OF ALLAAH
The masaajid, just as we have heard, are the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. Allaah has attributed these houses to Himself and they are called the ‘Houses of Allaah’ and the ‘Masaajid of Allaah’. The likes of this attribution which Allaah attributes to His Name سبحانه وتعالى or to Himself, is something that is done out of nobility. Allaah attributes these houses to Himself for the purpose of making them noble and honourable.
Allaah سبحانه وتعالى does not have a house in which He lives. He is perfect and free from the likes of this. Instead He attributed these houses, the houses of Allaah, out of tashreef (making them noble and honorable) as Allaah سبحانه وتعالى mentioned in the Qur’aan:
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ
{In houses (mosques) which Allaah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honored), in them His Name is remembered [i.e. Adhaan, Iqaamah, Salaat (prayers), invocations, recitation of the Qur'aan]. Therein glorify Him (Allaah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings} [An-Noor 24:36]
Allaah has given permission for the people to raise houses and for the Muslims to take special places to worship Allaah سبحانه وتعالى besides their homes in which they live and rest; even though they worship Allaah in these places. They worship Allaah and remember Allaah in all places, including their homes. However Allaah عز وجل has made special places just for His remembrance. The remembrance of Allaah includes the salaah, making dhikr (saying words of remembrance), reciting the Qur’aan, and the other acts of worship that the people do by which they seek a means of closeness and nearness to Allaah the Sublime and the Exalted.
BUILDING THE MASAAJID ARE FROM THE DUTIES OF THE ANGELS, PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS
So therefore, Allaah the Sublime and Exalted has informed us that building of the masaajid is from the duties and tasks of the angels, the prophets and the messengers. They build the masaajid as Allaah has mentioned:
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
{And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham) and (his son) Ismaa`eel (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah)} [Al-Baqarah 2:127]
The Scholars of Tafseer have mentioned that the one to lay down the very first foundation of the Ka`bah was Jibreel عليه السلام. Then came Ibraaheem and Ismaa`eel and they built upon this.
Therefore this proves that building the masaajid is a task that the angels, prophets, messengers and righteous slaves of Allaah do by which they honor themselves.
THE YOUTH PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BUILDING THE MASAAJID
From the story of Ibraaheem and Ismaa`eel عليهما السلام some of the Scholars have deduced a very simple and good benefit which is that the youth have a very important role in building the masaajid. They derive this from the part of the story where Ismaa`eel عليه السلام was a young man when he helped his father Ibraaheem in building the first House and that was the Ka`bah and al-Masjid al-Haraam.
Similarly, we find that when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a young man around the age of Ismaa`eel عليه السلام, he assisted the Quraysh when they reconstructed the Ka`bah and al-Masjid al-Haraam. He assisted and aided them in doing this and he was at a young age. So this shows us that the youth had a very important role in doing so.
THE PROPHETS, MESSENGERS AND RIGHTEOUS WOULD BUILD MASAAJID
Similarly, the prophets, the messengers and the righteous never ceased to build the masaajid and worship Allaah عز وجل in them. The Shaykh mentioned the story of Maryam عليها السلام and how she prayed in a mihraab which is a place in which prayer is offered.
Likewise Allaah mentioned that Daawood and Sulaymaan had mahaareeb – special places in which they worshipped Allaah سبحانه وتعالى; they were for no other purpose except for worship. Similarly they built Baytul-Maqdis in Jerusalem for salaah in it.
Likewise, we find that our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed a great deal of importance upon building and constructing the masaajid and assisting and cooperating in doing so. We find that the very first thing that he did when he came to al-Madeenah was building Masjid Qubaa. Before he built his home and a place to rest he began with building Masjid Qubaa. Masjid Qubaa was very close to Madeenah but now it has become a part of Madeenah. We find that the Sahaabah had a great deal of zeal and they participated in building Masjid Qubaa. Some of them helped out physically by carrying the bricks and stones. Some of them supported it with their wealth and funding the building, and others provided tools and instruments for construction of the masjid. So we find the very first thing that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did when he reached Madeenah was to build a house of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى in the very first city established as an Islaamic State for the worship of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى i.e. al-Madeenah.
Similarly when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم left Qubaa after a number of days, the very first thing that he did when he reached Madeenah was planning the construction of his masjid, al-Masjid an-Nabawi (The Prophet’s Masjid صلى الله عليه وسلم). This was the very first thing that he did, even before he built the room in which he lived.
The place was chosen in which they would build the masjid and then the Sahaabah began building and constructing it. From that day, this place continues to be an abode for the worship of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى for the believers to offer prayer therein and to invoke Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and to perform all sorts of righteous deeds and actions which brings them closer and nearer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
So to reiterate, this task of building the masaajid is from the important duties of the chosen slaves of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى - those preferred slaves of Allaah عز وجل from the angels, prophets, messengers and the righteous. They hold this as a noble task and an honourable duty and they see this as a great deal and a tremendous affair by which they seek closeness to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. Similarly they rush forth and they hasten and they compete with each other in doing good deeds by building the masaajid.
MAINTAINING AND TAKING CARE OF THE MASAAJID
Shaykh Zahid mentioned the verse:
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آَمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآَخِرِ
{The mosques of Allaah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allaah and the Last Day...} [At-Tawbah 9:018]
He also mentioned that construction of the masaajid is from the most important attributes of the Muslims and from the most significant and distinctive characteristics of the believers. This is a sign proving the truth of their eemaan and the strength of their eemaan (i.e. that they take care and they look after the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى).
Taking care of the masaajid is divided into two categories:
Physical construction of the masjid and the physical maintenance and custodial affairs of the masjid
Worshipping Allaah سبحانه وتعالى therein and mentioning His Name سبحانه وتعالى and glorifying His praises therein.
Both of these categories are from the attributes and actions of those pious slaves of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى who seek Allaah’s Pleasure, those who have aspiration and who look forward to their reward and to what Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has prepared for them in the Hereafter.
These masaajid which are the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, Allaah has ordained upon the believers constructing them, preserving and looking after them, and worshipping Allaah in them. This is a very important affair. Not only has Allaah سبحانه وتعالى commanded us to build the masaajid and to construct them, and to worship Him and mention His Name therein, but He has ordered us and ordained that we preserve these masaajid and look after them.
For this reason, from the legislated goals of jihaad and fighting is that by them, Allaah سبحانه وتعالى defends eemaan (al-Islaam) by repelling the people of corruption (the people of fasaad) who don’t want to worship Allaah عز وجل but who wish to ruin and spoil that which is good. So Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has made it obligatory upon the people of belief (the people of Eemaan) to do this. Hence, we find that historically some of the people of corruption destroyed many masaajid of the Muslims and tore down these places built for worship of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. For this reason Allaah عز وجل commanded and ordained fighting these people as He mentioned in the verse of the Glorious Qur’aan:
وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا
{For had it not been that Allaah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allaah is mentioned much, would surely have been pulled down} [Al-Hajj 22:40]
This verse proves two very important things:
Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has made it binding upon the believers to establish and defend His houses.
Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has prohibited the believers from boycotting these houses, abandoning them, not mentioning His Name therein, not offering the prayer therein and so on and so forth.
Hence this verse proves to us the importance of the masaajid in the life of the Muslims. It is incumbent upon the Believers to look after the Houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
From these texts of the Qur’aan and these benefits which I have mentioned and which we have heard from Shaykh Zahid, it becomes clear to us that the masaajid hold a very lofty status. As such, it is imperative that the Muslims cooperate with one other and come together in building the masaajid, the houses of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.
continued in next post ...