Flight From the Masjid

By Imam Zaid Shakir



“In houses which Allah has permitted to be raised up, that His Name may

be remembered therein. In them He is glorified, morning and evening.”

[1]



One of the noblest and most beneficial institutions in the history of

humanity has been the Masjid (Mosque). It was in the Masjid that the

great scholars of Islam were first shaped: linguists, jurists,

theologians, saints, and countless devout worshippers. The Masjid has produced men

and women who have left an indelible mark on the world. It was around

the Masjid that the great universities, hospitals, observatories,

hostels, and the other institutions that became the hallmarks of the great

Islamic civilizational enterprise appeared. The Masjid has always been

the heart of the Islamic community, serving as a house of worship, an

educational center, a center for the dispensing of valuable social

services, a meeting place, and a place of solace and refuge.



Unfortunately, today in America, we find many Muslims who have either

left, or were never fully involved in the life of the Masjid. There are

many reasons for this regrettable situation. The purpose of this

article is to examine some of those reasons, and to suggest some measures

that may prove beneficial in overcoming them.



One of the greatest causes of the flight from the Masjid is ignorance.

This ignorance begins with a lack of knowledge concerning the very word

itself. If asked, how many Muslims would be able to define “Masjid,”

linguistically and legally? This may seem a trivial point, however, the

meaning of the word is intrinsically associated with its principal

function. If we were all more cognizant of the primary function of the

Masjid, we would possibly be more careful to avoid some of the questionable

practices, which commonly occur in them. Many of those practices, as we

will seek to explain in this article, are instrumental in the flight

from the Masjid.



The word “Masjid,” in Arabic, is a place noun that means the place of

prostration. This particular noun has also been related as “Masjad.”

Al-Razi mentions in Mukhtar al-Sihah:



…and Masjad, with an “a” after the “j”, is the forehead of the man, in

the sense that the trace of his prostration is visible on it.” [2]



Legally, “Masjid” means any place of Earth where a Muslim establishes

prayer. The proof of this definition is the prophetic tradition:



“…The Earth has been made a place of prayer (Masjid) for me, and pure.

Therefore, any man from my community who is overtaken by the time of

prayer, let him pray [wherever he may be]. [3]



This facilitation is among the distinctions given to our community.

Qadi ‘Iyadh notes, in this regard



The believers before us would only pray in demarcated areas whose

purity was ascertained. We have been distinguished by being able to pray

anywhere on Earth, except in those areas whose filthiness has been

ascertained. [4]



The word “Masjid” has then been conventionally applied to a specific

place that has been consecrated to accommodate the five daily prayers.

Other places where prayer may occur, such as a prayer room (Musalla), or

a monastery (Ribat), or a religious school, are not given the same

legal status of the Masjid. [5]



Knowing this, we should never lose sight of the fact that the primary

function of the Masjid is to accommodate prayer, and by extension other

acts of worship. We should strive in our communities to make the Masjid

appealing to the worshippers, regardless of their organizational

affiliations. This involves keeping out all unnecessary distractions,

beautifying the Masjid to make it a place conducive to spiritual devotion, and

keeping it clean to minimize the appearance of foul odors, insects

associated with filth, and vermin. All of these things, when present,

diminish the quality of spiritual reflection in ones devotional acts.



Many people fail to realize how important these points are for

converts. Many converts are turned away from the Masjids because of the

confusion and repulsive physical condition that characterizes many of them.

Converts from other religious traditions are leaving houses of worship,

which are the epitome of cleanliness, order, and serenity. One would be

hard pressed to find a church or synagogue with food smudged into the

carpets, overflowing trash cans inside the premises, devotional

literature piled willy-nilly on the bookshelves, filthy bathrooms, and worship

services disturbed by roving bands of unruly, undisciplined children.

After encountering such situations in many Masjids, some converts simply

choose to stay home.



Another reason behind the flight from the Masjid is the way they have

been politicized. Almighty God clearly declares in the Qur’an:



“And the Masjids are for Almighty God, therefore call on no one along

with God.” [6]



This politicizing leads to a sectarianism that tears at the unity of

our communities. One of the functions of the Masjid is the unification of

the believers. This unifying function can be gathered from reflecting

on the description Allah gives of Masjid al-Dirar, a Masjid the

believers have been commanded to never stand in:



“There are those who build a Masjid by way of mischief and unbelief, in

order to disunite the believers…” [7]



One of the liguistic implications of this verse is that an acceptable

Masjid is one that unifies the believers. That unity is based on a

communion fostered by the shared devotion of the believers in the Masjid.

Conflicting political agendas tear at the very heart of that unity. In

many instances, those conflicting agendas become associated with

particular Masjids. We frequently hear terms such as a Salafi Masjid, an

Ikhwani Masjid, a Sufi Masjid, and other such aberrations. Although the

orientations that form the basis of these appellations may have great

benefit for their individual adherents, when they become exclusionary

appendages affixed to the Masjid, they can be extremely alienating. This is

one of the factors pushing many people away from the House of Allah.



This politicizing of the Masjid sometimes leads to excessive arguing

and disputation. In many cases, heated disputes among the defenders of

varying interpretations of Islam, repulses many Muslims. This is

especially true in the case of converts from Christianity, who were attracted

to Islam because of its clarity, and the unity of its theology. Muslims

in this category are extremely idealistic. Nothing shatters that

idealism like sectarian bickering.



Many so-called “modernist” or “secularized” Muslims are similarly

repulsed by sectarianism. Such individuals, who sometimes see the Masjid as

a bastion of “narrow-minded” fundamentalists, who have acclimated to

the bureaucratic, administrative, and managerial processes which define

modern Western society, are easily frustrated in their efforts to become

involved in the activities and running of the Masjid. Excessive

arguing, administrative and managerial ineptitude, and uninspiring programs

try the patience of many individuals who fall into this category.



Multitudes of Muslims women, here in the West, are working in every

conceivable field of endeavor. We find among our Muslim sisters; doctors,

lawyers, managers, administrators, professors, teachers, and talented,

efficient homemakers. Many of them approach the Masjid seeking to use

their myriad talents to enhance the programs and running of the Masjid.

In too many instances they find the doors of involvement slammed in

their faces, many times by men who themselves have neither the time nor

the expertise to make a meaningful contribution to the efficient running

of the Masjid. As a result, many of our Masjids are “dead”

institutions. Confronted with this situation, many of our sisters choose not to

involve themselves in the life of the Masjid.



Many of our youth are also blocked from any effective involvement in

the affairs of the Masjid, even if they are highly motivated religiously.

They gain the impression that they have to wait for the “uncles” to die

before they can have any say in the running of the Masjid. Others, who

may not be as religiously committed, drift away from the Masjid because

there are no viable classes or programs to keep their interest.



Finally, in many areas, where the percentage of African American or

Hispanic converts is too small to support the creation of a Masjid in

their respective communities, there is a perception of a subtle racism

which keeps them away from any meaningful leadership role in the existing

“immigrant” Masjids. In many instances, the failure to even acknowledge

the existence of any friction between various racial and ethnic groups

only alienates indigenous Muslims all the more, leading to a slow

attrition process that results in their gradual migration from the Masjid.



Overcoming the flight from the Masjid will require a concerted effort

on the part of us all, leaders and laity. Below, we list some practical

measures that will allow us to enhance the viability of our Masjids,

and hopefully arrest the flight from them



Education. Community leaders will have to endeavor to create and

maintain viable education programs that will help to overcome the general

lack of knowledge concerning the role of the Masjid and its associated

rulings. This process of education is also the responsibility of the

laity. Each individual Muslim has to work to enhance his or her

understanding of the centrality of the Masjid in the life of the Muslim community,

and then make a commitment to become involved in the life of this

indispensable institution.

Avoiding Sectarian Politics. No one disputes the role of politics in

Islam. Similarly, Islamic movements and groups have their part to play in

the revival of the Ummah. However, the Masjid is neither the place for

political organizing and recruiting, nor sectarian pontification. The

Masjid is the House of Allah, consecrated for His worship. Every other

function is secondary. Our homes, schools, campuses, offices,

institutes, and meeting halls provide ample platforms for us to present our

particular views concerning politics and society. The political neutrality

of the Masjid must be maintained. By so doing, perhaps our enhanced

communion will put more love between our hearts, and this will go a long

ways towards ultimately strengthening the Ummah. It should be noted that

what is being condemned here is not the discussion of political issues

which are of import to all Muslims, rather using the Masjid as a

platform to advance sectarian political agendas.

Openness. The Masjids are for Allah. We should consciously work to

foster an open atmosphere in the Masjid, an atmosphere that is inviting to

all; men, women, youth, conservatives, modernists, converts, everyone.

If we all commit ourselves to the creation of such an atmosphere, will

bring it about. It is essential to remind ourselves that the collective

“we” is weightier than the individual “me” in Islam. On the Day of

Judgment when all of the people are concerned with themselves, our Noble

Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Almighty God be upon Him, will be

concerned with the entire community, he will be crying out, “Ummati, Ummati,”

(my community, my community).

Cleanliness. As the old adage goes, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.”

Our Masjids should be a living embodiment of this saying. If we

describe them as the “Houses of Allah,” we should make every effort to keep

them clean and to beautify them. It is a shame that many Muslims maintain

immaculate residences, but pay scant attention to the cleanliness of

the Masjid. If our edifices are aesthetically appealing, their innate

attractiveness alone will encourage their visitation. 

A final point we wish to mention is the need to understand the

religious stature of the Masjid and the virtue of worship in it. We are all

familiar with the fact that the congregational prayer in the Masjid is

twenty-seven times more virtuous when performed in the Masjid. [8] A great

reward is also promised to those who sit in the Masjid between the

congregational prayers. [9] Similarly, both the Tarawih prayers, and the

prophetic tradition of ‘Itikaf encourage all Muslims, male and female, to

involve themselves in the life of the Masjid during the blessed month

of Ramadan. The Noble Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,

has reminded us that among the people shaded by Allah in the shade of

His Throne on the Day of Judgment will be a believer whose heart is

attached to the Masjid. [10] All of these reminders should be sufficient to

endear the Masjid to us, and to encourage us to frequent it regardless

of problems that may be plaguing it.



If we can reflect on these reminders, and take the steps we have

outlined in this article, perhaps we will be able to arrest the flight from

the Masjid. If we succeed, we can ensure that the Masjid assumes its

rightful place as the center of our communal life.



Imam Zaid Shakir

New Haven, CT

03-29-03

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Al-Qur’an 24:36.



[2] Muhammad Abu Bakr al-Razi, Mukhtar al-Sihah (Beirut, Lebanon:

Maktabatu Lubnan, 1985), p. 121.



[3] Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqilani, Fath al-Bari: Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari

(Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Dar al-Salaam, 1997), vol. 1, p. 565, #335.



[4] Quoted in Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Zarkashi, ‘Ilam al-Sajid bi

Ahkam al-Masajid (Cairo, Egypt: Wizara al-Awqaf, 1996), p. 27.



[5] Ibid. p. 28.



[6] Al-Qur’an 72:18.



[7] Al-Qur’an 9:107.



[8] Al-Bukhari #618, Muslim #650.



[9] Quoted in Imam Abu Zakariyya al-Nawawi, Riyadh al-Salihin,

(Damascus, Syria: Dar al-Ma’mun li al-Turath, 1994), p. 342, #1065.



[10] Al-Nawawi,  p. 155, #376.