Sent as Mercy to the worlds, our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) woken up to the last day in his worldly life. He was not able to go to the masjid that morning because of his illness. He cracked open the window of his room overlooking the masjid and watched for a while his companions performing the morning prayer. When he saw the rows of his companions performing the prayer all together in awe under the imamah (leadership) of Abu Bakr (r.a.), he got happy, smiled and thanked his Lord (s.w.t).[1]
Honorable Muslims!
Gathering us with the promise of peace and tranquility, mosques are the symbol of Islam and the sign of our unity and amity. With the expression of our Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.), mosques are, "the most favorable places in the sight of Allah."[2] Mosques are sacred structures that call humanity to salvation with the adhan; wage war against blasphemy and ignorance with the Mihrab; enable believers to climb up the knowledge and wisdom stairs of the minbar and the pulpit; and reinforce the brotherhood and the consciousness of being an ummah for the believers who perform prayer shoulder to shoulder in rows.
Jama'ah is the common name of the believers who come together in the presence of Allah with the purpose of performing prayers. Jama'ah is a religious concept that has deep roots in our civilization. Unfortunately, an organization that exploited all our religious values and concepts tried to devalue the concept of jama'ah as well in such a way as to deviate it from its original meaning, making it the organization's identifying feature and causing divergence. It turned that symbol of tawhid and wahdat into a concept remembered together with corruption, mischief, separation, and betrayal. Yet, jama'ah in our tradition means to unite with the consciousness of tawhid, and thereby reaching amity in unity. In this sense, the word "jama'ah" contains Muslims of all ages and all classes from all walks of life, including men-women, old-young, rich-poor, disabled-abled.
Dear Believers!
There are some rules of etiquette to be followed in mosque individually and in congregation. The believers, on the way to mosque to purify their soul, pay attention to their bodily cleaning, perform ablution properly as required by the following verse: "O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, …"[3] They ensure that their clothes are clean and in compliance with the satr al-awrah (for clothes to leave no private parts on body uncovered), which is a condition of the prayer. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) informs that the prayer performed in the mosque in congregation is twenty-seven times more meritorious.[4] A Muslim, who wants to become the beneficiary of the good tiding by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) knows that it is against the Sunnah to eat smelly food before going to a mosque.[5] They wear good perfume, do not disturb any brother or sister, and avoids any behaviors to obstacle the performance of prayers by others in the mosque in awe. They pay attention to not violating the rights of others while performing their duty of servitude to Allah. They never forget the following warning of our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) to the congregation: "Beware! Every one of you is calling his Lord. Do not disturb each other!..."[6]
Honorable Muslims!
Sermons and khutbas are the sounds of the mosques, which are educational homes, that invite humanity to have faith, wisdom, and morals. Just as being in a mosque and in a congregation has its rules and etiquette, so does listening to the khutbah. It is a religious necessity to listen to the preacher in awe as khutbah is preached. Talking with each other, being engaged in other things such as mobile phones cause you to miss the essence and message of the khutbah, and to be deprived of its rewards. Our Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.), expressed the sensitivity that a believer should show during the khutbah as follows: "When the imam is delivering the khutbah, even asking your companion to keep quiet and listen is an incorrect behavior."[7]
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Let us keep our mosques alive by making an effort to join the congregation for our prayers. As it was in the Age of Bliss (Asr al-Sa'adah), illuminated with our Beloved Messenger (s.a.w.), let us go to the mosques with our families today so that our children can get familiar with the mosque. Let us not distance our children from the mosques because of their naughtiness. Let us explain them the value of being a member of congregation, and teach them its rules and etiquette. All Muslims, men and women, let us not fail in showing respect to our mosques that we are heart-bound. Let us be all ears to listen to the sermon and the recitation of the Qur'an. Let us not forget that khutbah is one of the conditions of the validity and a part of Friday prayer. Let us give our attention and interest to preacher and the khutbah only. Let us be one of those who listen and follow the best of the word. Let us live with the awareness of being in the presence of Allah and in the state of worshipping constantly.
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[1] Bukhari, Adhan, 46, Muslim, Salat, 98.
[2] Muslim, Masajid, 288.
[3] A'raf, 7/31.
[4] Muslim, Masajid, 51.
[5] Bukhari, I'tisam, 24.
[6] Abu Dawud, Tatawwu, 25.
[7] Bukhari, Jumu'ah, 36.
General Directorate of Religious Services