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A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Kathy
07/29/01 at 20:56:47
slm What are good reasons to start a new mosque? What are the wrong/bad reasons?

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
meraj
07/29/01 at 21:53:30
slm, good reasons: need for more space (a growing community is a good thing :) ), better location (liek if its too far for some people in the general are to travel on a regular basis) bad reasons: wanting to split away form the community to create ones 'own' masjid... cause intentionally dividing is completely wrong :( the community i live in has been going throught a lot of mess the last year or two and it could get worse soon the way things are going :( inshallah i hope it doesnt, but im just sick of all the politics, etc... ah yes, america, the land of opportunity :(

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Anwar
07/30/01 at 18:27:42
Aslamu alaikum The good reasons are… providing the local community the opportunity to pray in congregation their 5 regular prayers and reaping the great reward from doing so. Strengthening the unity of the local Muslim community through meeting and getting to know each other. As well as prayers the mosque can also be an ideal place for Muslims to learn the sciences of their deen, Quran, hadith, seerah and so on. Building of a mosque would also necessitate another real positive, that is to install an Imam/s who would regulate the affairs of the mosque, be consulted by the local community for advise on various matters in addition to leading the prayers.   Another obvious plus is running a madrasah (school for children) where Muslim kids can be thought the Quran and sunnah.   There are countless good reasons to have a mosque in your area, as I believe it is the foundation to build a close-nit and religious Islamic community. The bad reasons…mmm…well I don’t think there are any, since how can it be bad to start a mosque, anywhere! However I do feel that it is of paramount importance to select the most suitable people to be responsible for running the affairs of the mosque. I also strongly believe that the amir or director or head of the mosque or whatever you want to call him should be a man who has vast knowledge of Islam, who has an excellent character, can communicate and get along with all sectors of the community and is known for his integrity and humility. Ideally he should also be the imam of the mosque, hence always present and available to help anyone who requires his advise.  The choice of imam is crucial as it is the imam who everyone turns to for spiritual and religious assistance. Using his authority and insight (one of the qualities for which he was chosen for) the imam can raise issues and implement policies that would bring about changes for the better in the Muslim community. The committee if you decide to have one should also consist of knowledgeable and pious individuals, with suitable qualities for their roles, this is also crucial. So often I find Mosque committees comprising of individuals who all happen to be related to each other and who share the same ethnicity, despite the fact that the regular Mussali’s, those devout individuals whom all the Muslim community have come to know and trust come from ethnically diverse backgrounds! Those same individuals are devoid of any Islamic knowledge, some of them are not even known by the community and most of them are completely out of touch about the needs of the community. In some cases it can be even worse, if the dominant members of the committee have a strong and rigid affiliation to one of the contemporary groups then you can kiss fairness and open-mindedness good-bye. I hope I haven’t put you off, but if you feel that there are knowledgeable, humble and committed individuals in your area who are willing to shoulder the burden of responsibility in running a mosque, then go for it, as it is great blessing from Allah (swt) to have a mosque in your locality. Wa salam

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Mary
08/08/01 at 00:21:24
As-salaamu alaikum I would have liked to been able to quote several of the remarks by Anwar but wasn't sure how to do it.  Wow is his description of a committee ever accurate. I know in our area a few brothers are trying to establish a new center to pray.  I believe it will now be open to pray the five daily prayers, with Jummah being at our area's  Masjid.  I truely believe, and Inshallah I am right, that the brothers are opening it for the blessings from Allah and for the ease of local Muslims that find it difficult to get to the new masjid.  Or if they can get to the new one the atmosphere there is tense so they choose not to go. Inshallah this new "Center" as it will be called (Center choosen as not to inflame or  upset existing executive committee, will give many in our community a place pray together  and share feeling of belonging.

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Kathy
08/08/01 at 08:42:40
[quote]I know in our area a few brothers are trying to establish a new center to pray.... Inshallah this new "Center" as it will be called (Center choosen as not to inflame or  upset existing executive committee,....[/quote] Where is it going to be and does the "executive committee" know about it? What are thier comments? Why not an Islamic name for the "center?" Are they succumbing from percieved pressure? It sounds to me, as if they are still under the executive committees yolk of oppression.

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Mary
08/13/01 at 10:42:48
Some of the brothers are calling it a Masjid.  Others would perfer to wait for a better location( as this location is admittedly not in the best of neighborhoods but centrally located) and for more people to resume comming to a place that they can pray together.  A place of acceptance, peace.  There will be a speaker comming in to this new place on the 18th.  Inshallah many brothers will show up to hear him.  All are welcome!

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Kathy
08/14/01 at 19:42:28
[quote]...as this location is admittedly not in the best of neighborhoods but centrally located [/quote] slm Even I would be to scared to go there! And I am known as "the Clam." What is the topic?

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Mary
08/14/01 at 12:15:35
As-salaamu alaikum  Yes, the area isn't one I would have choose but the location was donated.  And though no one M/F would be told they could not be there I guess right now most have been men. Inshallah it will flourish and in time become a place where all can attend.

Re: A New Masjid in an Established Community with a Mosque
Kathy
08/15/01 at 21:49:10
slm Subhana Allah. I understand that it was donated and may Allah swt reward the brother who did. Has there been any discussion by other Muslims about the location? Would they break away from the "old" masjid and go to the new one if it wasn't next to the "pen?"
NS
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