Post by Zameel on Feb 7, 2018 11:20:03 GMT
Avoid ‘Visit My Mosque’ Open Days
A number of masjids throughout the country have introduced a ‘visit my mosque’ initiative to give non-Muslim residents the opportunity to visit their local masjids and interact with the Muslim community. The purpose of the initiative appears to be to counter negative attitudes towards Islām and Muslims by making non-Muslims feel at ease with their Muslim neighbours.
While adopting means to bring the message of Islām to people is commendable and rewarding, the attitude of many Muslims, including those who have introduced this initiative, is incorrect. The main priority of a Muslim is obedience to the Divine Will. There is no objective, interest or purpose for a Muslim greater than this. However, on questions such as these, rather than obedience and submission to the will of Allāh being a priority, it is unfortunately treated by most people almost as an irrelevance.
To acquire some secondary benefit of dīn or dunyā, it is not permissible to disobey the Creator. There are several examples of where the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) and Ṣaḥābah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhum) disregarded an apparent worldly or religious benefit when it clashed with the clear command of Sharī‘ah. Success of all kinds lies only in obedience to Allāh. Seeking secondary benefits of dīn or dunyā will only ever be of true benefit when it is conducted within the parameters of Allāh’s obedience. If it falls outside of these parameters, there is never any benefit or success, but only loss, no matter what the apparent outcome. [For details, see: Aḥsan al-Fatāwā, 6:35-84]
A great act of disobedience takes place in these masjid open-days, namely the intermingling and interaction of men and women in a, generally, crowded and confined space. Creating such a situation is undoubtedly ḥarām and sinful, and violates core Islāmic principles of modesty and gender segregation. It is all the more egregious that this is done in the masjids, the most sacred and beloved of places to Allāh.
The Qur’ān commands averting the gaze from what is forbidden (Qur’ān, 24:30), while there is no doubt that looking at ḥarām will be inevitable for many who attend these events. In the early period, when men and women would attend ṣalāh together in congregation, efforts were taken to ensure there was no intermingling. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 850, 875) Similarly, even in the ṭawāf around the Ka‘bah, efforts were made to keep the men and women separate. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 1618; Akhbār Makkah, 1:252; al-Nawādir wa l-Ziyādāt, 8:35) There is generally no attempt in such masjid open-days to avoid intermingling, and, if anything, an impression is given of it being encouraged! [1]
Muslims should not compromise on their values in efforts to create a positive image of Islām. In fact, it is counter-intuitive to compromise on our values when trying to show the positivity of those very values to others. In order to change non-Muslim attitudes towards Muslims, we have only to imbibe the beautiful values and teachings within Islām – of hospitality, charity, kindness and generosity, especially with neighbours. Imām al-Bukhārī reported that a sheep or goat was slaughtered for the eminent Ṣaḥābī, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhumā), and he ordered that a share be given to his Jewish neighbour first, explaining that he heard the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) say: “Jibrīl kept on instructing me about [kindness to] the neighbour, until I thought he will make him entitled to inheritance!” (al-Adab al-Mufrad, 105, 128)
It is only Allāh who is in control of the hearts of people. Our duty is only to pursue the worldly means in a manner that is most pleasing or, at the least, acceptable to Allāh. Only then are we entitled to expect aid and assistance from Allāh – without which no effort, no matter how extensive and no matter how superficially “successful” in the short term, will ever come to true fruition. Allāh, Most Glorious, says: “If you show restraint, and be conscious of Allāh [and His boundaries], their ploys will not harm you in the least. Indeed, Allāh encompasses all that they do.” (Qur’ān, 3:120) He, Most Exalted, says: “If Allāh should assist you, no one can overcome you, but if He should forsake you, who is there to assist you after Him? Upon Allāh alone let the believers put their trust.” (Qur’ān, 3:160)
[1] Note: Circumstances and situations which arise in the land of non-Muslims, that are beyond our control, and which might temporarily constrain us to enter into environments of free-mixing to fulfil a genuine personal need (ḥājah), can never justify introducing such an abomination right into the most sacred of places.
A number of masjids throughout the country have introduced a ‘visit my mosque’ initiative to give non-Muslim residents the opportunity to visit their local masjids and interact with the Muslim community. The purpose of the initiative appears to be to counter negative attitudes towards Islām and Muslims by making non-Muslims feel at ease with their Muslim neighbours.
While adopting means to bring the message of Islām to people is commendable and rewarding, the attitude of many Muslims, including those who have introduced this initiative, is incorrect. The main priority of a Muslim is obedience to the Divine Will. There is no objective, interest or purpose for a Muslim greater than this. However, on questions such as these, rather than obedience and submission to the will of Allāh being a priority, it is unfortunately treated by most people almost as an irrelevance.
To acquire some secondary benefit of dīn or dunyā, it is not permissible to disobey the Creator. There are several examples of where the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) and Ṣaḥābah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhum) disregarded an apparent worldly or religious benefit when it clashed with the clear command of Sharī‘ah. Success of all kinds lies only in obedience to Allāh. Seeking secondary benefits of dīn or dunyā will only ever be of true benefit when it is conducted within the parameters of Allāh’s obedience. If it falls outside of these parameters, there is never any benefit or success, but only loss, no matter what the apparent outcome. [For details, see: Aḥsan al-Fatāwā, 6:35-84]
A great act of disobedience takes place in these masjid open-days, namely the intermingling and interaction of men and women in a, generally, crowded and confined space. Creating such a situation is undoubtedly ḥarām and sinful, and violates core Islāmic principles of modesty and gender segregation. It is all the more egregious that this is done in the masjids, the most sacred and beloved of places to Allāh.
The Qur’ān commands averting the gaze from what is forbidden (Qur’ān, 24:30), while there is no doubt that looking at ḥarām will be inevitable for many who attend these events. In the early period, when men and women would attend ṣalāh together in congregation, efforts were taken to ensure there was no intermingling. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 850, 875) Similarly, even in the ṭawāf around the Ka‘bah, efforts were made to keep the men and women separate. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 1618; Akhbār Makkah, 1:252; al-Nawādir wa l-Ziyādāt, 8:35) There is generally no attempt in such masjid open-days to avoid intermingling, and, if anything, an impression is given of it being encouraged! [1]
Muslims should not compromise on their values in efforts to create a positive image of Islām. In fact, it is counter-intuitive to compromise on our values when trying to show the positivity of those very values to others. In order to change non-Muslim attitudes towards Muslims, we have only to imbibe the beautiful values and teachings within Islām – of hospitality, charity, kindness and generosity, especially with neighbours. Imām al-Bukhārī reported that a sheep or goat was slaughtered for the eminent Ṣaḥābī, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhumā), and he ordered that a share be given to his Jewish neighbour first, explaining that he heard the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) say: “Jibrīl kept on instructing me about [kindness to] the neighbour, until I thought he will make him entitled to inheritance!” (al-Adab al-Mufrad, 105, 128)
It is only Allāh who is in control of the hearts of people. Our duty is only to pursue the worldly means in a manner that is most pleasing or, at the least, acceptable to Allāh. Only then are we entitled to expect aid and assistance from Allāh – without which no effort, no matter how extensive and no matter how superficially “successful” in the short term, will ever come to true fruition. Allāh, Most Glorious, says: “If you show restraint, and be conscious of Allāh [and His boundaries], their ploys will not harm you in the least. Indeed, Allāh encompasses all that they do.” (Qur’ān, 3:120) He, Most Exalted, says: “If Allāh should assist you, no one can overcome you, but if He should forsake you, who is there to assist you after Him? Upon Allāh alone let the believers put their trust.” (Qur’ān, 3:160)
[1] Note: Circumstances and situations which arise in the land of non-Muslims, that are beyond our control, and which might temporarily constrain us to enter into environments of free-mixing to fulfil a genuine personal need (ḥājah), can never justify introducing such an abomination right into the most sacred of places.