Can you even imagine what a Muslim community would lose if it did not have a Masjid. It would have no place where the whole community could pray collectively – a Muslim is expected to pray five times a day and to abandon the prayer is not an option for any Muslim, since it is the greatest obligation after Tawheed (the affirmation of the worship of Allah alone).

The Hadith of Nabi ﷺ emphasises the importance of the Masjid when He ﷺ said:

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَحَبُّ الْبِلَادِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدُهَا وَأَبْغَضُ الْبِلَاد إِلَى الله أسواقها»

Abu Huraira (RA) reported Allah’s Messenger ﷺ as saying, “The parts of the land dearest to Allah are its masjids, and the parts most hateful to Allah are its markets.” (Muslim)

The masjid is supposed to be the centre for all Islamic activity as it was during the golden era of the Prophet ﷺ and His illustrious companions (RA). In the Masjid of the Madina, not only prayers took place, but it was a school of knowledge where the noble companions (RA) used to study the Holy Quraan and ask questions. It was a place for the Government to receive delegations from foreign countries. It was a treasury from which charity work was done and it was a war-room where decisions and planning for wars imposed on Muslims were made. In fact, the masjid extended to the care of the needy and orphans, and the sick as well as a place for giving Dawah to non-Muslims who had shown an interest in Islam. Thus we need our masjids not only to be a place of prayer but, a place for seeking Islamic Knowledge for the community.

Building a masjid is a prophetic and Islamic tradition of Muslim Communities. One of the first things that the Prophet ﷺ did when he entered Madinah, was to build a masjid. Subsequently wherever the Muslim’s have gone, they have built a Masjid for their needs in that community. Factually the number of Muslims or the number of Masjids could reflect the true parameters in the strength of Islam? But we need to remember that unless we build a community around the masjid to support and maintain the Masjid and strengthen the community, the masjid itself will not protect the community.

Anti-Islamic forces have always targeted the Muslims and the Masjids. For instance, at the peak of communist rule in Russia, there were only 400 mosques left in the whole of the USSR while during the revolution in 1914, there were 24, 000. Most of these mosques under communist operations were closed on week days and open only for Friday Prayer or Sundays. 700 mosques in Bosnia were destroyed by Serbs and there are many mosques in India that have been left behind, abandoned, or converted to Hindu Temples.

The adornment of the Masjid is not the fancy chandeliers and thick carpets, but rather it is the musallees who pray and congregate there.

The prophet`s ﷺ Masjid was simple but it was abuzz with Deeni activities throughout the day, whilst we have the most beautiful Masaajid today, but sadly very few congregants.

The prophetic teachings tell us that to even just sit in the Masjid is a means of attaining tremendous blessings.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ لاَ يَزَالُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا دَامَ يَنْتَظِرُهَا وَلاَ تَزَالُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ حَضْرَمَوْتَ وَمَا الْحَدَثُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ فُسَاءٌ أَوْ ضُرَاطٌ

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: “One of you does not cease to be in Salaat as long as he is waiting for it. And the angels do not cease praying for one of you as long as he remains in the Masjid (saying): ‘O Allah! Forgive him. O Allah! Have mercy upon him’ – as long as he does not commit Hadath.” A man from Hadramawt said: “And just what is Hadath, Abu Hurairah?” He said: “Breaking wind, or passing gas.” (At Tirmidhi)

It is important for us to grateful to Allah for this wonderful bounty of the Masjid and the greatest gratitude for it is to keep it alive during the day and night.