Bismihi Ta`ala ‘’KNOW THAT THE MASJID IS FOR ALLAH ONLY.’’(72:18) The Coran delimits the area known and ascribed as Masjid as the sanctity under the ownership of Allah Ta`ala. For administration purposes, muslims are supposed to set up a committee and a mutawalli for the Masjid management. The management should manage the Masjid according to SHARIAH LAW ONLY. That is why if a non muslim donating for the Masjid to impose his opinion or influence the management of the Masjid, then it is not permissible for the management to accept that donation. Yes, a non muslim donator that will not have influence on the Masjid management, then permissible to accept that donation. All these massails and precautions are to protect the democracy of the Masjid to be ruled on Shariah only. The management of a Masjid are supposed to look after the daily activities of the Masjid. Make sure that every salaah, there is an imaam/muezzin, the Masjid be clean and look after the facilities of the musallis. Wouzu/toilet facilities and also make sure that musallis have qualified well cultured deeni education, moral preaching according the sunnah of Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. The management has the veto over who to employ as imaam and when to dismiss him. But the Masjid committee or authority has no right to drag someone out the Masjid. You can duly inform the imaam that he has been dismissed via a formal official letter. From then the imaam will stop officiate salaahs/khutbahs. The committee will manage the bayaans/preaching activities of the Masjid as per their affinities. The management should know that the property of Masjid is given into waqf Lillah. Which means that the sanctity of the Masjid belongs to Allah Ta`ala alone. So no such activities or decision be taken to breach this sanctity. At the times of Imaam Abu Yusuf r.a., there was a muslim king that mistakenly attached 3 Talaaqs of his wife on the condition that she spends the night outside the kingdom. The Islamic empire that time covered part of Europe, Northern Africa, the Arab subcontinent and Asia. Impossible for her to be out of kingdom before months travelling. So the king called imaam Abu Yusuf r.a. to save his wife from Talaaq. Imaam Abu Yusuf r.a. advised the King to leave his wife in the delimitation of a Masjid nearby and she will spend the night outside the Kingdom of the King. Because Masjid is for Allah and not in the property of any king: وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا And the masjids are for Allah only. So do not invoke anyone besides Allah Ta`ala.(72:18) The ayah that follows are revealed 1400 years ago and yet well connected to the current issue: وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا And that when the Servant of Allah stood up supplicating Him(Allah), then they almost crushed him over. (72:19) This ayah is describing how the Qureish pagans used to oppress the beloved prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam when Rasouloullah SAW was calling ONE Allah Ta`ala. In fact they wanted to kill the beloved prophet Muhammad SAW na`ouzoubillah. In fact all da`ees/khatibs should know that we have inherited that portion of sunnah also. Rasouloullah SAW was dragged, beaten, spat upon, hurt with thorns and they plot to assassinate him. Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. So that this deen reach me and you. On the way of Da`wa, we should be ready to bear all these tribulations of dragging…with the sunnah of a silent passive patience. In fact, muslims should be ready to sacrifice the life given by the Creator in the path of uplifting the faith of the Creator. أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَنْ يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ It is not new to history that muslims are target of assassination or brutality. Someone in the assembly of Pharaon called the audience to retrieve from the evil intent to assassinate Moossa a.s. أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَنْ يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ Do you kill a man [merely] because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah ‘ while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord?(40:28) So we should not fear to lose our life also in promoting the true religion of Islam. In fact the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam encouraged us to jeopardize our life in the expression of truth in front of a tyrant. عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ أَوْ أَمِيرٍ جَائِرٍ Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘‘The best holy struggle(jihaad) is to say the rightful words in front of a tyrant king or an oppressive leader.’’(Sahih Abu Dawood) Because the repercussion of this truth may means to be imprisoned or secretly executed. On the way of patience, the beloved prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam gave us the glad tidings of being ill treated or looked down: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَدَأَ الْإِسْلَامُ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ كَمَا بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said : ‘’Islam started seen as a weird religion and it will soon return to that same state, AS IT STARTED. So glad tidings to all those strangers!(seen weird because of Islam)!’’(Muslim) Those niqaab ladies that has to face a trauma in front of the entry of an islamophobic officers receive the glad tidings of the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. The imaams dismissed with disrespect due to his call for haq are the well wishers of the prophet. Those was declined from a work or a promotion due to their Islamic names or attire have had the glad news from the prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. The briefness of this world and the eternity of the other world make it worthwhile to be patient here and reap enormous in the hereafter. And know that as we are descending towards the day of judgement, our situation will degenerate more. حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ الزُّبَيْرِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَدِيٍّ قَالَ: شَكَوْنَا إِلَى أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ مَا نَلْقَى مِنَ الْحَجَّاجِ فَقَالَ: ” اصْبِرُوا، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَأْتِي عَلَيْكُمْ عَامٌ أَوْ يَوْمٌ إِلَّا الَّذِي بَعْدَهُ شَرٌّ مِنْهُ، حَتَّى تَلْقَوْا رَبَّكُمْ ” سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ نَبِيِّكُمْ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ Ibn Adi said that we complained to Hazrat Annas r.a. about we were enduring with the tyrant Hajaaj. He councelled us to be patient as he heard Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said that years after years situation will worsen for muslims. So do sabr on today`s situation as tomorrow will be even more bitter for muslims. Nothing pessimist here. But rather an encouragement and support for us to be more patient on those difficulties that we are facing today. Mufti Mackoojee @MuftiMackoojee +23057921333 Islam-qna.org |