Enlivening Our Mosques - Sheikh Azhar Nasser - Night 29

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[1:04]above.

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[1:16]We would also like to thank our volunteers for their commitment and

[1:20]assistance.

[1:20]We truly could not hold this program without you guys.

[1:25]You guys really are our glue here.

[1:27]We also would like to sincerely thank Shehad Nasser for taking the

[1:31]time to enlighten us and spend Ramadan with us.

[1:34]We are internally grateful.

[1:35]Tonight, it is my honor and privilege to help welcome him to

[1:40]the stage, Sheh Assad Nasser, who will be enlightening us on the

[1:43]topic of enlvening our mosques.

[1:44]Please help me in welcoming him with three loud salawats.

[1:47]Muhammad Ali Muhammad Alhamdulillah.

[2:47]Say Respected elders, my dear brothers and sisters, so I know this

[3:30]is the the last couple of nights that you guys will be

[3:35]spending in this center.

[3:36]The community will be moving to a new masjid.

[3:41]So as I was reflecting on on what to speak about in

[3:46]this final medulus, I thought it would be important for us to

[3:51]reflect on the centrality of the masid in the life of a

[3:57]believer.

[3:59]My dear brothers and sisters, when you look at the life of

[4:03]the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam, what you find is that one of

[4:08]the first things that he did when he arrived in Medina is

[4:15]that he called for the construction of a masjid.

[4:21]In Mecca, the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasall was not able to establish

[4:28]a community, a place where believers could gather because of the religious

[4:34]persecution that he had faced.

[4:36]The Muslims in in Mecca, they were essentially in survival mode.

[4:43]The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasall focused on ensuring the survival of his

[4:50]community and hence he sent a group of his followers to Abbiscinia.

[4:57]They used to meet secretly in certain residences.

[5:02]It was only after the hij that the prophet sallallahu alaihi had

[5:10]the freedom to actually establish a place where Muin could gather.

[5:17]But before the prophet built a physical structure, he did something that

[5:27]is really the prerequisite for the building of any structure, any center.

[5:34]And that is that the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasall he established the

[5:39]covenant of brotherhood between the believers.

[5:43]You see, just because you have a masjid, it doesn't mean that

[5:50]you have a community.

[5:50]I've been to many places where there's a masid, but there is

[6:00]no cohesive community.

[6:00]A masid is really only as valuable as the community that attends

[6:09]and gathers at that masid.

[6:10]So you find that before the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasall before he

[6:15]commanded the believers to put brick upon brick he ensured that the

[6:23]hearts were united that the muhajarin and thesar truly saw each other

[6:31]as brothers and sisters in faith.

[6:34]The construction of a masid is not like the construction of of

[6:41]an ordinary building.

[6:42]Allah subhana wa ta'ala in the Quran, he tells us that there

[6:50]are certain qualities that are necessary for someone to maintain a masid

[7:00]because a masid is a house of worship.

[7:02]A masid is a house of God.

[7:04]and to maintain the masid whether it's the physical construction of the

[7:12]masid or it's the maintenance and the management of a masjid there

[7:17]are certain qualities that a person must have to be qualified to

[7:25]be in that position and there's an ayah in the Quran that

[7:29]outlines for us the qualities and the characteristics of what the Quran

[7:36]calls the maintainers of the massagid.

[7:42]The maintainers of the massagid.

[7:45]We're not just talking about the person who you hire to be

[7:49]the janitor.

[7:49]We're not talking about the handyman that we call when the toilets

[7:55]aren't flushing.

[7:56]No, each and every one of us we have a role to

[8:00]play in the maintenance of the massag.

[8:05]Now the verse that I want to draw your attention to is

[8:12]from surah surah number nine ayah number 18.

[8:16]This ayah of the Quran must be understood by anyone, especially people

[8:25]who want to take up leadership positions in mosques and in religious

[8:31]organizations in general.

[8:34]It shouldn't be that any random person because they because they're influential

[8:40]in society, we roll the red carpet for them and we want

[8:46]them to be board members or people who have authority and who

[8:49]are decision makers when it comes to the masid.

[8:53]Allah subhana wa t what does he say in this ayah?

[8:57]He says the verse begins with a very strong tone in the

[9:08]Arabic language it's meaning that it's conveying exclusivity meaning only these people

[9:17]are the ones who have the right to be the maintainers of

[9:21]the massagid Verily only the following people are considered true maintainers of

[9:36]massagid.

[9:35]What are the qualities of these people?

[9:37]Now before we get into the actual qualities, the maintenance of a

[9:46]masid, the of the Quran, they say that there are two ways

[9:49]for someone to maintain a masid.

[9:52]There is a physical side to the maintenance of a masid.

[9:58]The physical construction, we're talking about the construction of the building, the

[10:06]maintenance of maintenance of the building.

[10:11]the repairs.

[10:08]This is one aspect of but the ayah is not just speaking

[10:19]about the physical maintenance of a masjid.

[10:20]There is also another type of maintenance and this is what I'll

[10:26]focus on during the the second half of the lecture.

[10:28]physically constructing massagid, maintaining them, repairing them.

[10:35]Allah subhana wa ta'ala he praises such individuals.

[10:39]The a hadith emphasized the importance of participating in the physical construction

[10:46]of massag.

[10:48]In fact, the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasall he made it a point

[10:54]to include all of his companions in the physical construction of the

[11:00]masid.

[11:00]Meaning the Sahabah, including the prophet himself, they would carry the bricks

[11:05]and they would build the masid with their own hands.

[11:07]Why did the prophet do this?

[11:11]The prophet could have just ordered a handful of people to take

[11:15]care of the construction.

[11:17]The reason why the prophet wants everyone to participate is because participating

[11:24]in the physical construction of the masid, it gives everyone a sense

[11:31]of ownership.

[11:30]It makes them feel like stakeholders.

[11:34]So the prophet along with his companions, they all participated in the

[11:39]physical construction of the masjid.

[11:44]Now there are some communities that have the financial resources to big

[11:49]large mass and there are others that don't.

[11:52]Even if you can't build a multi-million dollar masid, you can still

[11:59]build something that's a bit more humble.

[12:01]And this is where we find the prophet sallallahu alaihi he says

[12:05]in a narration found in There are some places in the world

[12:15]where they need massagid here.

[12:16]It might cost us many millions of dollars to build a masid.

[12:21]But there are Muslim mu in other parts of the world where

[12:24]they only need a few thousand dollars to have a masid.

[12:30]Why not contribute to those communities?

[12:32]What happens to the one who helps build a masid?

[12:36]Even if it is, as the prophet says, Even if it's as

[12:43]simple as a bird's nest, meaning it's something very simple.

[12:52]You know, brothers and sisters, there are followers of in almost every

[12:58]country in the world.

[12:59]Many of you may not know that there are Shia who live

[13:04]in Central America, in South America, in parts of the world where

[13:09]they don't have a community center.

[13:11]And all it would take for them to have a masid is

[13:17]maybe $5,000 US, but they're left without a center because we don't

[13:24]think globally.

[13:24]You see, one of the the qualities of those who are awaiting

[13:30]the imam of their time is that they they work locally.

[13:32]Most of their work is focused on their own backyards, but they

[13:37]have a global mindset.

[13:38]Why not help some of the struggling communities in other parts of

[13:44]the world?

[13:44]And the hadith says, if you help build a masid, even a

[13:48]simple masjid, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will build a residence for you

[13:53]in paradise.

[13:56]Imagine you pass away and for tens of years, a hundred years,

[14:00]people are praying.

[14:01]They're doing in that small masid that you help build in Central

[14:09]America, South America, some of the remote villages in other countries.

[14:12]These are opportunities.

[14:14]The hadith also says in from the prophet sallallahu alaihi Let's say

[14:24]that you can't you're limited in terms of your finances.

[14:28]You can't build a masjid.

[14:31]The prophet says, "Whoever lights a lantern in a masjid," now today

[14:36]we don't really need lanterns, right?

[14:38]If you say that I'm going to cover the electricity bill for

[14:44]one month, for example, in the masid, the hadith says what?

[14:59]If you contribute to the illumination of a masid at that time

[15:06]it was lanterns and torches.

[15:07]Today just the electricity bill.

[15:10]The hadith says as long as the lights are on the angels

[15:17]and the carriers of the divine throne the doar for that person

[15:28]who donated.

[15:27]So this is about what this is about but the physical maintenance

[15:33]of the masid.

[15:34]But there is something more important than the physical construction of a

[15:39]masid.

[15:41]And this is when it comes to enlivening the masid with spirituality.

[15:49]You might go to different parts of the world and you might

[15:53]visit some of the most beautiful massagid.

[15:56]They look beautiful, but when you walk in them, they're devoid of

[16:01]any spirit.

[16:00]They've essentially become what?

[16:02]Museums.

[16:03]We don't want our mass to become museums.

[16:08]This shows you that this is a masjid that only focused on

[16:13]one aspect of maintenance and that is the maintenance of the physical

[16:19]building.

[16:18]It's beautiful.

[16:20]They have the nicest marble.

[16:21]It's spotless.

[16:23]But they're missing the most important part of and that is the

[16:32]spiritual enl.

[16:34]And this is where Allah subhana wa ta'ala then describes the people

[16:40]who are the true maintainers of the masid.

[16:44]Allah subhana wa ta'ala when he describes the the spiritual maintenance because

[16:51]you know we have narrations about the end of times and the

[16:59]hadith tell us that there will come a time when the massid

[17:01]they are beautiful on the outside but they are empty on the

[17:10]inside they're devoid of spirituality We don't want our mosques to be

[17:17]like that.

[17:14]We we want our massagid to be rich with spirituality to be

[17:21]filled with the light of faith to have people that attend those

[17:29]mass who frequent those massid and it's those that actually give life

[17:34]to the masid and this is where you see that the Quran

[17:37]mentions five qualities of the people who truly can maintain the massagid.

[17:48]You know, it's happened to me where I've visited mega mosques that

[17:54]feel dead inside and I have visited small massagid that could barely

[18:01]fit 20 people in it.

[18:04]You walk in there and you can feel the spirituality.

[18:06]You can feel it.

[18:09]The secret is what Allah mentions in this ayah.

[18:13]Allah subhana wa ta'ala what does he say?

[18:18]Verily the ones who maintain the massagid who keep the houses of

[18:28]Allah alive whose presence injects spiritual life into the masjid.

[18:33]Who are they?

[18:35]First quality is the first quality of the maintainer of the masid.

[18:42]And this applies to the board members to those who are managing

[18:47]the programs in the massid.

[18:49]The first thing that you need is what is iman.

[18:51]Because any action that is done that is devoid of im it's

[19:01]lifeless.

[18:59]It doesn't have great spiritual value.

[19:03]Its effect is very limited.

[19:07]Actions without iman.

[19:10]It's like a body without a soul.

[19:16]It's dead.

[19:18]Spiritually, it's dead.

[19:17]No matter how hard you work, if your efforts are not connected

[19:25]to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, it's going to expire.

[19:31]It's not going to have that lasting effect.

[19:33]There is a reason why alam is like a magnet.

[19:37]What makes Haram so valuable?

[19:41]It's a very simple structure.

[19:44]Kaa is a very simple structure.

[19:46]You go virtually to any masjid and it's much more sophisticated in

[19:50]its physical design than thea.

[19:53]Why is the so magnetic?

[20:01]It's because of the spirituality of Ibraim.

[20:06]Ibraim built it.

[20:09]The spirituality of Ibraim, it has an effect on the magnetic pull

[20:16]of that place.

[20:18]Why?

[20:19]Why are these massagid valuable?

[20:20]Because of the people who built it.

[20:25]The spirituality of those who constructed it.

[20:35]isuhammed.

[20:46]>> I should be sitting there and listening to say it.

[20:50]But the dunya is upside down these days.

[20:55]So the first quality of those who maintain the mass is what?

[21:04]It's not just about action.

[21:07]It's not just about effort.

[21:09]What gives life to a masid is what?

[21:14]Is the faith of those who are constructing it.

[21:16]There are some massagid they're dead because perhaps the ones who built

[21:23]it there was a deficiency in what?

[21:25]In their im.

[21:26]What gives value to action is what?

[21:31]This is the first quality.

[21:33]The second quality of those who maintain the massid is what?

[21:43]What gives value the what the quality of the maintainer of the

[21:48]masid is what?

[21:47]They should believe in the hereafter.

[21:50]Meaning what?

[21:52]The person who serves in the masid, the one who maintains and

[21:59]manages the masid, they should not be involved because they are seeking,

[22:05]they're seeking status.

[22:08]There are some people they want to be on the board because

[22:13]it's a status symbol.

[22:14]What they are seeking is what?

[22:19]Status, reputation.

[22:21]They want to feel that they have an important position, a prominent

[22:25]position in the community.

[22:26]This is not the right intention.

[22:29]The person who's maintaining in the masid, they have faith in Allah

[22:34]and the final day.

[22:35]meaning that everything they are doing is what is for that day.

[22:39]They're not using their position in the masid as a feather in

[22:46]their hat.

[22:46]You won't believe this, but I've spoken to people who have told

[22:51]me in confidence that one of the reasons why they want to

[22:54]serve on the board of a masid, they say, "She because I

[22:58]want my daughter to get married to a good family and it

[23:03]will raise the prestige of my family if I am on the

[23:09]board of this masid or that masid." This means what?

[23:11]This means this is someone who is using a religious institution for

[23:18]his own status.

[23:24]The person has to have what?

[23:29]And faith in the hereafter.

[23:30]And then what does Allah subhana wa ta'ala say?

[23:33]The next quality of the one who maintains the massag is what?

[23:41]One of the best things to do to enliven the masid is

[23:47]what?

[23:48]Is to establish prayer in the masid.

[23:51]This is the person the person who prays in the masid.

[23:55]They are giving life to the masid.

[23:59]You know what happens in some of our communities?

[24:02]Often times we consider the one who writes the biggest paycheck to

[24:10]be the one who enliven the masid.

[24:12]The one who writes a big check even if they don't pray

[24:17]in them.

[24:17]They don't even come to the masjid.

[24:19]They'll write a big check for the masid.

[24:22]And we might consider this person as more important than the one

[24:26]who is poor.

[24:28]But they pray in the masid in the sight of Allah subhana

[24:33]wa ta'ala.

[24:32]Who is actually enlivening the masid?

[24:35]It's the one who's praying in it, the one who offers their

[24:41]worship.

[24:40]Inshallah, when you guys relocate to the new the new masjid, many

[24:46]of you guys live close to the masid.

[24:48]We have a a beautiful narration from >> the imam in a

[25:00]famous hadith, what does he say?

[25:07]There is no prayer for the neighbor of the masjid except in

[25:14]the masid.

[25:15]What does this mean?

[25:16]This means that if you don't have a legitimate excuse, let's say

[25:21]that you're able to pray in the masid, but you decide for

[25:25]no reason, just because you're lazy, you're not in the mood to

[25:27]go, you pray at home.

[25:29]Now it doesn't mean that it doesn't mean that your salah is

[25:32]but it means the reward for your prayer is much less than

[25:39]if you were to pray in the in the masjid.

[25:42]It's a type of deficiency in your in your salah.

[25:45]So we should make it a habit especially those who live close

[25:50]to the masid.

[25:52]The masid is a place that you should attend to as much

[25:57]as you can.

[25:59]Not just if there is a program.

[26:00]You know, there are some people they'll only come to the masid

[26:03]if there is a lecture.

[26:05]It should be enough that you're coming to the house of Allah

[26:11]subhana wa ta'ala.

[26:10]Even if there's no lecture, just to come and do your salah.

[26:15]So the ones who are truly maintaining the massagid, who are enlivening

[26:21]the massagid are the ones who believe in Allah.

[26:23]They believe in the hereafter.

[26:25]meaning that they don't have ulterior motives.

[26:29]They are in these positions of management and leadership for the right

[26:32]reasons.

[26:34]They have las and they establish prayer in the massid.

[26:44]The one who is truly maintaining the masid needs to also be

[26:51]concerned with what?

[26:53]be concerned with the well-being of the marginalized.

[26:56]The masid needs to be connected to social justice.

[27:01]The masid is not just a place that you come, you do

[27:06]your and you're completely disconnected and indifferent to the suffering of others.

[27:12]Sall during the early days in Medina, he had designated a space

[27:24]for some of the poor to even live.

[27:28]There were many refugees, many people who were muajarin.

[27:34]They had left their villages and their cities and their homes and

[27:38]they came to Medina and they had they had nowhere to stay.

[27:42]They did not have shelter.

[27:43]So what did the prophet do?

[27:45]The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasall on many occasions he would reach out

[27:50]to some of the Sahabah some of his followers to raise funds

[27:55]to take care of these are some of the who are who

[28:01]were essentially homeless.

[28:02]So the masid was what it was connected to what to social

[28:09]justice.

[28:08]So Allah subhana wa ta'ala what does he say?

[28:10]He says those who maintain the mass and then what does Allah

[28:25]subhana wa ta'ala say?

[28:25]He says and one of the most important qualities is what?

[28:33]The one who is maintaining a masid.

[28:38]They should fear no one but Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

[28:45]There are many massagid.

[28:47]Do you know who they fear more than Allah?

[28:50]I'll tell you, I've been to some centers.

[28:55]Believe me, they fear the wealthiest donor more than they fear Allah

[28:58]subhana wa tala.

[28:58]This happens more than you would imagine.

[29:02]It happens.

[29:03]The one who is running the masjid, the one who is managing

[29:08]the masid needs to be someone who has the ta to say

[29:13]if you want to donate, don't donate with strings attached that is

[29:21]going to compel me to compromise Islamic values.

[29:24]Believe me, brothers and sisters, it would be better for us as

[29:31]communities to get into the habit of saying to people who want

[29:35]to donate big money, but they also want to dictate what should

[29:38]be said from the member and what should not be said from

[29:41]the member.

[29:40]It's better for us to say it's okay, keep your money.

[29:44]It's better for us collectively to pitch in and build our community

[29:50]rather than to rely on one person.

[29:54]There are many communities they rely on one person and usually this

[29:59]one person when they give there are a lot of terms and

[30:02]conditions don't talk about this don't talk about that and then you

[30:09]have a masid that's become completely censored so Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala

[30:16]in the Quran he says the ones who maintain the massagid their

[30:21]priority should be the fear of Allah subhana wa tala not to

[30:28]appease this donor or that donor this is the mindset of the

[30:33]ones who maintain the massagid you know I've been to some communities

[30:37]they say sheh we have a center and we have expenses and

[30:44]this guy who donates he's a bit of a dictator we have

[30:48]to take his money and then we have to go along with

[30:52]what he says What should we do?

[30:55]Believe me, brothers and sisters, it is better in some cases to

[31:04]downsize and have a masid that has baraka in it and is

[31:06]not beholdened to donors who are just going to dictate as opposed

[31:13]to compromising our Islamic values.

[31:15]So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in this ayah he highlights that the

[31:24]ones who truly give life to the masid.

[31:27]It's not about it's not about who has the biggest paycheck or

[31:31]the biggest bank account.

[31:32]The ones who enliven the masid are those who have im those

[31:37]who are mindful of the those who attend the the mass who

[31:42]enliven the masid with their salah who fear nothing other than Allah

[31:47]subhana wa ta'ala and you find that when you look at the

[31:52]the traditions you find that Allah subhana wa ta'ala he tells us

[31:57]of a masid that was built during the time of the prophet

[32:01]but It was not a masid that had any sanctity.

[32:04]Just because a place is called a masid, it doesn't mean that

[32:10]it's it's truly a masid in the sight of Allah subhana wa

[32:12]ta'ala.

[32:12]During the time of the prophet, the also built a masid.

[32:17]But the building the construction of their masid was for what sake?

[32:21]It was to create fitna to divide the community.

[32:26]And they wanted the prophet to pray in that masid to give

[32:31]it to give it legitimacy.

[32:31]And Allah subhana wa ta'ala forbade the prophet from worshiping in that

[32:38]center.

[32:36]In fact, the prophet ordered the demolition of this place because not

[32:44]every place that is called a masid is truly a house of

[32:52]worship.

[32:48]If you look at the the narrations of if you look at

[32:54]actually before we get to that the Quran Allah subhana wa ta'ala

[32:57]when he describes the first masid that was built in Islam the

[33:04]first masjid mid Allah subhana wa ta'ala look at how he describes

[33:07]this masjid he says what in surah 7 ay 108 he says

[33:19]This is a masjid that was built on God consciousness from day

[33:26]one.

[33:27]It was built on tawa.

[33:29]And then what does Allah subhana wa ta'ala say?

[33:32]This place, this masid is more deserving that you stand in it.

[33:39]Why?

[33:46]See what gives the masid value?

[33:52]What gives the masjid value is that in this masid there are

[33:57]people who are seeking to purify themselves who are trying to purify

[34:07]their hearts who are are trying who are trying to attain nearness

[34:10]to Allah subhana wa ta'ala there might be pl massag in the

[34:13]world that are much more fancy and extravagant more extravagant more beautifully

[34:20]designed than but why is praised?

[34:23]It's praised because of the people who are there.

[34:27]What's the use of a beautiful masid if we don't have people

[34:34]in that masid who are trying to purify their souls?

[34:37]They're not trying to appease this person or that.

[34:41]They're looking for what?

[34:40]They are seeking what?

[34:45]And then the Quran says what?

[34:50]Allah loves Allah loves those who are making an effort to purify

[34:57]themselves.

[34:58]You see Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so kind.

[35:01]He's so merciful that he doesn't say that my love is only

[35:04]reserved for the ones who have purified themselves.

[35:07]Allah says, "I love the one who is making an effort, who

[35:15]desires to purify themselves." So whenever there's a program, whether it's on

[35:21]a Tuesday night, a Wednesday night, say does classes, say Ahmed does

[35:28]classes throughout the week, your attendance in these programs, this is what

[35:35]gives value to the masid.

[35:35]This is what enliven the masid, your attendance, your presence.

[35:41]Believe me, in some cases it might be even more important than

[35:44]the donations that are coming in.

[35:47]The donations are important.

[35:47]We should donate.

[35:52]We should support.

[35:51]But one part of enlivening the masid of is to enliven it

[35:58]with your presence to be there.

[36:01]Because ultimately when you when you visit the masjid you are visiting

[36:09]the house of God which means what?

[36:12]Whenever you come into the masid you are the guest and who

[36:18]is the host?

[36:17]Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the host.

[36:20]And we know that whenever you enter into the presence of a

[36:28]host the host feels responsible for what?

[36:32]for honoring you, for looking after you.

[36:34]When you go to a human being's house, you know, they'll honor

[36:37]you by giving you a good meal.

[36:40]They'll show you a level of hospitality.

[36:44]When you come to the masid, Allah subhana wa ta'ala gives you

[36:50]something deeper than that.

[36:50]And that is what?

[36:51]He elevates your spirituality.

[36:55]He grants you.

[36:55]He showers you with what?

[36:59]With spiritual gifts.

[36:59]This is the best way for Allah subhana wa ta'ala to honor

[37:05]his guests.

[37:03]You find that in the narrations some of the practical you know

[37:09]there are certain etiquets that we should observe when we come to

[37:13]the massagid.

[37:14]One of them is what is mentioned by in a book that

[37:20]I would urge all of you to read.

[37:22]It's been translated is one of the greatest scholars of hadith.

[37:30]He literally has a book where he collects a hadith where the

[37:36]imams of B speak about the various rewards for different types of

[37:42]actions.

[37:41]He says, you know, this is this is why we follow not

[37:50]only can he tell you what's in the Quran, he can tell

[37:54]you what's in theat.

[37:54]And they say to us, why do you follow bring me one

[37:58]Sahabi who can tell me what's forget about who can tell you

[38:02]even the of the Quran?

[38:07]They can't.

[38:09]I says, It is written in the that my houses on earth

[38:21]they are the massid.

[38:32]So glad tidings be to the servant who attains purity, who does

[38:42]wul for example in his home and then comes to my house.

[38:45]You see brothers and sisters, if you want to go visit someone

[38:51]who you have a lot of respect for, what do you do?

[38:52]Do you roll out of bed in your pajamas and you go

[38:57]visit them?

[38:59]Usually you you dress up, you groom yourself, you adorn yourself before

[39:03]you visit this important personality.

[39:05]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is most interested in the state of our

[39:16]souls.

[39:14]The best way to adorn yourself for the masid is to do

[39:20]what?

[39:21]Is to go in a state of to go in a state

[39:24]of It is incumbent upon the host to honor the guest.

[39:37]Im is saying that when you go to the masid in a

[39:42]state of woo, you're mentally preparing to enter the house of God

[39:50]and you enter that place in wvoo.

[39:53]Allah subhana wa ta'ala he feels responsible to honor you.

[39:56]How does Allah honor the one who visits the hadith says in

[40:06]another narration glad tidings be to the ones who walk to the

[40:14]masid at night.

[40:16]You know in some communities many of them are non-SI communities you

[40:20]find that they have massive prayers for I was in Dallas last

[40:32]year a brother from he told me every morning we have so

[40:40]I said mashallah that's great how many people attend I thought maybe

[40:46]he's going to say 10 20 he said 500 people come to

[40:51]imagine where are we?

[40:56]So the hadith says what glad tidings be to the ones who

[41:03]walk to the masid.

[41:04]What is their reward?

[41:16]These people who frequent the massid, who go to the massid in

[41:23]a state of on the day of judgment when there is no

[41:25]sun, there is no moon, there is no source of light except

[41:31]what emanates from the heart of the believer.

[41:35]This mmin will be like a shining light on that day.

[41:40]One final thing I'll mention two two final narrations and we'll conclude

[41:46]when it comes to massagid my dear brothers and sisters the masid

[41:52]is the house of Allah we should all feel a sense of

[41:57]responsibility towards the masid I've seen in many massagid people throw garbage

[42:04]on the floor and people they'll see the garbage and they'll keep

[42:08]walking because in their minds.

[42:09]It's not my job.

[42:12]The j the masid has a janitor.

[42:16]Someone will do it.

[42:15]Theith of imam he says he shares aith from the prophet.

[42:27]Whoever sweeps the masid and here it basically means whoever cleans the

[42:34]masid whoever maintains the cleanliness of the masid.

[42:43]The prophet says, "Whoever sweeps the masid and removes a speck of

[42:50]dust out of the masid," meaning that you do the smallest act

[42:55]to make the masid cleaner.

[42:58]The hadith says, "Your sins are forgiven." If we really believe in

[43:07]the words of Allah, every single person who comes to the masjid,

[43:12]you should be looking to see if the masid needs to be

[43:18]cleaned.

[43:19]You and I, we should not feel that cleaning a masid is

[43:21]beneath us.

[43:22]Allah cleaned the masid.

[43:24]Used to clean the masid.

[43:26]This is an honor because you're not cleaning the house of fan

[43:33]and you're cleaning the house of God.

[43:34]Do you know how much people appreciate it?

[43:37]They even feel embarrassed if you're a guest and you try to

[43:42]even take your dish to the the kitchen, especially if it's a

[43:46]Middle Eastern family.

[43:49]They'll tackle you if you try to do that.

[43:51]Allah subhana wa ta'ala he appreciates the ones who make an effort

[43:58]to make his house clean.

[44:00]And the reward is what?

[44:02]The reward is the best thing that Allah can give us.

[44:03]He forgives us our sins.

[44:07]This darkness that enters our hearts because of our sins.

[44:10]Allah subhana wa ta'ala, he removes it.

[44:12]And I'll end with this final narration.

[44:16]And again, I'm sharing this with you because you guys are moving

[44:23]to a new masid.

[44:22]And I know that when we move to a new masid, usually

[44:28]there is some euphoria and excitement during the first month, two months.

[44:32]And then people they go back to their old ways.

[44:37]We need to appreciate these massagid.

[44:39]I've visited many communities, brothers and sisters.

[44:41]They wish they had centers like the centers that you have here.

[44:47]They have nowhere to congregate.

[44:48]They don't even have in their communities.

[44:52]You guys are very blessed to have to have spaces that you

[44:57]can gather.

[44:57]And this requires gratitude.

[45:00]It's not enough to just finish building this center.

[45:04]Every day we should thank Allah subhanana wa ta'ala for the of

[45:08]having a house of worship, a place to gather.

[45:12]The final hadith that I'll mention is what the prophet says to

[45:20]Abu Dar.

[45:22]This is part of the was that Allah gave to Abu Dar.

[45:24]Abu Dar is not an ordinary person.

[45:25]This is very special advice that Allah is giving to someone like

[45:32]Abu Dar.

[45:30]He says, the prophet he says to Abu Dar, "Oh Abuar, whenever

[45:51]you sit in the masid here, the prophet is not saying whenever

[45:56]you come while I'm giving a sermon." No, no, no.

[45:57]just to be in a masid and even if you're not doing

[46:05]anything says you're just sitting in the masid and you're breathing for

[46:09]every breath that you take in the house of God.

[46:14]Allah elevates you a degree in paradise.

[46:18]Why?

[46:19]Because you're Allah's guest.

[46:24]Allah is the host.

[46:24]The same Lord who is showering you with all of these blessings

[46:27]in the month of Ramadan who says to you that your sleep

[46:32]is in the month of Ramadan.

[46:33]He's the same host who is your host when you come to

[46:39]his masid.

[46:40]You know some of the blessings that we earn in the month

[46:42]of Ramadan.

[46:44]We can earn some of those rewards and those blessings by simply

[46:48]being in the house of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

[46:52]So my dear brothers and sisters, this brings our discussion to an

[46:58]end.

[46:59]I want to first thank Allah subhana wa ta'ala for giving us

[47:02]the to spend two weeks with each other learning together and reflecting.

[47:08]I want to thank and his his sons for their gracious invitation.

[47:15]You know brothers and sisters when I was when I was a

[47:21]teenager say remembers this.

[47:21]If it wasn't for these Friday programs back in the day, I

[47:27]don't want to give you my exact age, but let's just say

[47:30]back in the day, these weekly programs, they immunized many youth from

[47:41]going astray.

[47:43]Appreciate this.

[47:44]There was a time when we were growing up.

[47:48]It was very difficult to find a single English majus.

[47:50]Now you guys have many options.

[47:54]You have many programs.

[47:56]These all require gratitude.

[48:01]This requires a sag of it requires us to believe in thank

[48:04]Allah subhana wa tala.

[48:04]So I want to extend my gratitude to say the the NYC

[48:10]the Islamic Institute of America for their hospitality.

[48:14]I want to thank all of you my dear brothers and sisters

[48:17]for your attendance because your presence also enliven the melus.

[48:24]I want to ask you to pardon me and forgive me for

[48:27]any any shortcomings.

[48:30]If there were any shortcomings they were my fault.

[48:34]If there's anything that you benefited it's all from the grace of

[48:39]Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

[48:50]So there is a Toyota that is blocking.

[48:52]No, I'm kidding.

[48:54]It's not usually

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