CONSTRUCTING MASĀJID

In The Name Of Allah The Most Merciful The Most Gracious

By Dr. Omer El-Hamdoon

Allah says, “The Masājid of Allah shall be constructed and maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Final Day, establish ṣalāh and pay zakāh and fear none except Allah.  It is they who are expected to be truly guided.” (Holy Quran: Chapter of the Repentance 9: 18)

Masājid are the sacred houses where Allah is worshipped and His name exalted. They serve as sanctuaries for the faithful, where angels descend, and are also divine fortresses for those whose hearts love them and whose actions are sincere. These spaces are not just buildings but embodiments of reverence and communal spirit, blessed by Allah and revered in the celestial realms.

He said: “In houses, which Allah has permitted to be raised and His Name to be mentioned. In them, He is glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, by men whom neither trade nor sale can divert from the remembrance of Allah, nor from regular prayer nor from paying zakāh. Their fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be turned about. That Allah may reward them according to the best of their deeds and add even more for them out of His grace. For Allah provides for whom He wishes without measure.” (Holy Quran: Chapter of the Light 24: 36-38)

Those who contribute in building Masājid do so out of a profound love for Islam and a steadfastness in their faith. These structures stand as bastions of religious practice and learning, hosting the teaching of the Qur’an and other Islamic sciences. Allah warns against those who obstruct worship in these holy sites or seek their destruction, promising severe consequences.

Allah says: “And who is more unjust than he who forbids that in the masājid of Allah that His name should be celebrated? And whose zeal is to ruin them?  It was not fitting that such should enter them except in fear.  For them disgrace in this world, and in the world to come, an exceeding torment.” (Holy Qur’an: Chapter of the Cow 2: 114)

The construction of a masjid brings joy to both the celestial and earthly realms, marking a site where divine mercy and contentment are abundant. Such places uphold and protect the teachings of Muhammad (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam), offering a venue for communal worship and spiritual growth. The masjid bears witness on the Day of Judgement for whoever builds it or enlivens it with remembrance and obedience.

In the hadith qudsi: “Whoever purifies himself in his home and visits me in my home, then he is my guest; and it is an obligation on the host to be generous to the guest.” (Hadith: Narrated by al-Ṫabarānī)

The Messenger  has urged us to build mosques. He said: “Whosoever builds a masjid requesting the reward of Allah, then Allah will build for him a house in jannah.” (Hadith: Narrated by Muslim)

When the Messenger (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) arrived in Madinah, his initial act was to establish a masjid, underlining their centrality in Islamic community and spirituality. Masājid are not just physical structures but the heart of Islamic worship and unity.

The Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever goes to a congregational masjid, then one step towards it erases a bad deed and the next will give him a good deed, going and coming back.” (Hadith: Narrated by Ahmed)

The act of waiting in a masjid between prayers is akin to performing a vigil for the sake of Allah, earning immense spiritual rewards.

The Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: “Shall I tell you of what Allah erases sins with and lifts up the ranks”.

They said: “Yes O Messenger of Allah!”

He said: “Making wuḍūʾ properly in hard conditions, increasing the number of steps to the masjid and waiting for the prayer after the prayer. For that is ribāt, for that is ribāt, for that is ribāt.” (Hadith: Narrated by Muslim)

Ribāt involves not only martial vigilance but also spiritual readiness and devotion.

The Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: “Give glad tidings to those who walk in the dark to the masjid, that they will enjoy complete light on the Day of Judgement” (Hadith: Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah)

Anyone who waits in a masjid for the next prayer receives the blessings of continuous prayer, with angels seeking forgiveness on his behalf.

The Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) emphasized: “The Angels pray for any one of you who is in ṣalāh, as long as he is still in prayer nothing will prevent him from going to his family except prayer. The angels pray: “O Allah, have mercy on him, Forgive him!” as long as he doesn’t leave or break his wuḍūʾ.” (Hadith: Narrated by al-Bukhārī)

Ibn ʿAbbās t reminds us that approaching prayer should be done with eagerness and joy, not lethargy or reluctance, contrasting sharply with the hypocritical who display laziness.

Allah said: “And if they get up for prayer, they get up in laziness, they show off to people, and they don’t remember Allah, but little.” (Holy Quran: Chapter of the Women 4: 142)

May Allah make us among the guided. Āmīn