MEC | After much deliberation, I decided go to MEC for jummah this week. It was really a tough choice to be honest, because I don’t think I could’ve handled more of last week. It was definitely a step in the right direction, I must say. However, I couldn’t help roll my eyes at a few points the khatib made. The khatib was a middle aged Arab. He also had a slight accent. |
He starts off by telling everyone in the back to move forward. He says that it’s sunnah to congregate around the khatib and not be dispersed. If he was giving $100 bills, being in the back doesn’t really do anything for you. He tells us only because he has to or he will be punished.
Importance of first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Fasting day of Arafah alleviates sins of last year and the coming year. Beautiful blessing from Allah. Small action has a huge reward.
"Be content with the fact that Allah will expiate for you your sins for the year before (the day of 'Arafah) and the year after (the day of 'Arafah)." [Reported by Muslim]
Dhikr (from what I understood it to be) is important. We must always say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, the Shehadah, etc.
There needs to be balance in life. Why work 18 hours a day and not see your children. Journey in life is fast. We must be ready to go. Could be tomorrow, next week, next month. The point is death is coming. What have you prepared?
He narrates the story of the Prophet (s) and the Bedouin who came to him asking when the Day of Judgment was. The Prophet didn’t tell him to pull out a piece of paper. He was wise so he told him, “What have you prepared?”
You have responsibility to yourself first, then family. We must raise the next generation. We have to lead them.
There are lots of issues. You can’t have an old person who doesn’t speak English (only Arabic or Urdu) in an organization that represents 50,000 Muslims. Young people have to be involved. Why is the masjid locked at night? It’s the House of Allah. You have to eat healthy. It’s our responsibility. We can’t have fat people everywhere.
Connectedness with family is important. Giving in the way of family is sadaqa. When you give to family, you build the connection. People go to Hajj every year, but their family is starving.
Eid is coming up. Make sure you take a bath for Eid. After prayer, don’t just leave. Listen to the khatib. Why are you even going to prayer if you’re going to leave? Wives, daughters, sisters must wear hijab. No secret fatwa that Americans don’t have to wear hijab.
Don’t tell your kids to celebrate Halloween. It is Shaytaan’s birthday.
I felt this was a step in the right direction for MEC. I was pleasantly surprised that the khatib said that we should do dhikr. However, he failed to mention that we should do Salawat on the Blessed Prophet (S). The khatib specifically mentioned saying a few things but nothing about salawat.
"Undoubtedly, Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet (the Communicator of Unseen News), O you who believe! Send upon him blessings and salute him fully well in abundance" (Surah al-Ahzab, Verse 56).
Muslims fail to acknowledge the importance of the Prophet (S) by not sending him blessings. There are a plethora of hadiths that say we should be doing this. The mercy is that we receive a multitude of blessings in return.
He was the most beautiful of Creation and where it not for him, none of us would be here. But you often hear how we should avoid saying blessings because you don’t want to commit shirk, or associating partners with Allah.
I find this completely ridiculous. I’m not saying that should be the only thing you say. Just whenever you can. You want to develop some sort of Love for him. No, not love. I meant Love. It’s a tough concept to grasp but you need to be exposed to it. In reality, the importance of the Prophet (S) cannot be put into words. It transcends anything and everything.
It’s funny though. The same people who vehemently oppose anybody saying anything against him are the same ones who tell you not to eulogize him. Hippo-cracy much?
That’s really the only problem I had with the khutbah. And the fact that he said Halloween was Shaytaan’s birthday. This drew laughs from the crowd but the khatib was serious. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been invited to that birthday party and I’ve been trick-or-treating for years now. I see it as an innocent day for kids. Why try to ruin everyone’s mood. No need to be a party pooper.
Another note about the khatib, whenever he had some sort of point to make, he would say “I’m not saying it’s haram, BUT [it kind of sort of is]”. He did this many times. I didn’t get the point. Maybe he was indirectly trying to hint at something?
All in all, it was a decent khutbah. Definitely some noted improvement from last week. However, I couldn’t help but feel that there were some Salafi beliefs in what he was saying.
For example, the notion that the khatib didn’t want to be punished if he didn’t tell people to move closer to him. Or the fact that he kept repeating “I’m not saying it’s haram but....” Anyways, I’m sure God has bigger fish to fry.
Enjoy the weekend!
Importance of first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Fasting day of Arafah alleviates sins of last year and the coming year. Beautiful blessing from Allah. Small action has a huge reward.
"Be content with the fact that Allah will expiate for you your sins for the year before (the day of 'Arafah) and the year after (the day of 'Arafah)." [Reported by Muslim]
Dhikr (from what I understood it to be) is important. We must always say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, the Shehadah, etc.
There needs to be balance in life. Why work 18 hours a day and not see your children. Journey in life is fast. We must be ready to go. Could be tomorrow, next week, next month. The point is death is coming. What have you prepared?
He narrates the story of the Prophet (s) and the Bedouin who came to him asking when the Day of Judgment was. The Prophet didn’t tell him to pull out a piece of paper. He was wise so he told him, “What have you prepared?”
You have responsibility to yourself first, then family. We must raise the next generation. We have to lead them.
There are lots of issues. You can’t have an old person who doesn’t speak English (only Arabic or Urdu) in an organization that represents 50,000 Muslims. Young people have to be involved. Why is the masjid locked at night? It’s the House of Allah. You have to eat healthy. It’s our responsibility. We can’t have fat people everywhere.
Connectedness with family is important. Giving in the way of family is sadaqa. When you give to family, you build the connection. People go to Hajj every year, but their family is starving.
Eid is coming up. Make sure you take a bath for Eid. After prayer, don’t just leave. Listen to the khatib. Why are you even going to prayer if you’re going to leave? Wives, daughters, sisters must wear hijab. No secret fatwa that Americans don’t have to wear hijab.
Don’t tell your kids to celebrate Halloween. It is Shaytaan’s birthday.
I felt this was a step in the right direction for MEC. I was pleasantly surprised that the khatib said that we should do dhikr. However, he failed to mention that we should do Salawat on the Blessed Prophet (S). The khatib specifically mentioned saying a few things but nothing about salawat.
"Undoubtedly, Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet (the Communicator of Unseen News), O you who believe! Send upon him blessings and salute him fully well in abundance" (Surah al-Ahzab, Verse 56).
Muslims fail to acknowledge the importance of the Prophet (S) by not sending him blessings. There are a plethora of hadiths that say we should be doing this. The mercy is that we receive a multitude of blessings in return.
He was the most beautiful of Creation and where it not for him, none of us would be here. But you often hear how we should avoid saying blessings because you don’t want to commit shirk, or associating partners with Allah.
I find this completely ridiculous. I’m not saying that should be the only thing you say. Just whenever you can. You want to develop some sort of Love for him. No, not love. I meant Love. It’s a tough concept to grasp but you need to be exposed to it. In reality, the importance of the Prophet (S) cannot be put into words. It transcends anything and everything.
It’s funny though. The same people who vehemently oppose anybody saying anything against him are the same ones who tell you not to eulogize him. Hippo-cracy much?
That’s really the only problem I had with the khutbah. And the fact that he said Halloween was Shaytaan’s birthday. This drew laughs from the crowd but the khatib was serious. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been invited to that birthday party and I’ve been trick-or-treating for years now. I see it as an innocent day for kids. Why try to ruin everyone’s mood. No need to be a party pooper.
Another note about the khatib, whenever he had some sort of point to make, he would say “I’m not saying it’s haram, BUT [it kind of sort of is]”. He did this many times. I didn’t get the point. Maybe he was indirectly trying to hint at something?
All in all, it was a decent khutbah. Definitely some noted improvement from last week. However, I couldn’t help but feel that there were some Salafi beliefs in what he was saying.
For example, the notion that the khatib didn’t want to be punished if he didn’t tell people to move closer to him. Or the fact that he kept repeating “I’m not saying it’s haram but....” Anyways, I’m sure God has bigger fish to fry.
Enjoy the weekend!
Contributed by Abu Sinbad