Proposed Markazi Jamai Masjid al-Riza
'A user friendly Mosque coming soon in Leeds'
Community concerns!
From a concerned Muslim
You have heard of user-friendly. This is usually the phrase used to describe technology that makes the user feel at home, helping him or her to navigate and make efficient and effective use of technology. So what is a Muslim-friendly Mosque? Well, I hope and pray that you are ready for a frank discussion about our Mosques in the U.K. If you are not, then you are in for a surprise. If you are… then you will at least accept what I am saying as a depiction of our sad reality - whether you agree with me or not.
I rarely feel welcome at a Mosque. People don't treat me poorly. No, that's not what I mean. People don't stand at the door telling me I am not welcome. No, that's not what I mean either. So why don't I feel welcome at the Mosque? Because, for the most part, the Mosque in the U.K. is not a vibrant, lively place where I would love to spend my time. Rather, it is this physical structure, too often held hostage by board members who mistakenly treat it as a personal project (in the case of policies or renovations), as a propaganda machine (in the case of a movement), or worse yet, as their personal property (in case they have donated large amounts of money or resources).
So, who suffers when this happens? The Mosque-goers of course. When a Mosque board or executive committee is too involved in administrative and bureaucratic processes, the main mission of the Mosque gets neglected, if not completely ignored. Take for example various segments of our Mosque-going population. How welcome do they feel at the Mosque?
New Muslim-friendly Masjid
Perhaps the people who feel the least welcome at our Mosques are those who are new entrants into Islam. After undertaking a difficult spiritual journey, unfortunately, most new Muslims cannot seek solace in our Mosques. For most new Muslims, their only family is really those members of the Mosque. They go there seeking Allah's company, knowledge, and new brothers and sisters in Islam. They have usually been attracted by the system of Islam that makes the religion a way of life. What they find is anything but systematic. Rather than being encouraged to learn and improve, they are often met with harsh, intolerant, dogmatic and cultural interpretations of Islam that they could do without.
So, who is to attend to the needs of the new Muslims? Which Mosque has a comprehensive support program for them? Who worries about them on 'Eid day? Too often, we have time to criticize and point out the mistakes of a new Muslim. Very rarely does a Mosque congregation take time to appreciate, nurture, and bond with our new Muslim brothers and sisters!
Senior Muslim-friendly Masjid
Imagine growing old as a Muslim in the U.K. ! The seniors in our community have either been in the U.K. for decades or are recent arrivals. Those who have just arrived as voluntary immigrants or refugees will need special attention if they cannot speak English. Those who have been here for some time can at least speak some English and make their way around the Mosque. They can read the newsletter, if there is one; they can read flyers announcing future events; they can even listen to the lectures or presentations in English and get some benefit. But, do they really feel welcome? I doubt it. I know of very few who do. In fact, I am struggling to think of even two Mosques in the U.K. that have programs and activities devoted to the seniors in our community. After all that they have contributed towards the development of our communities here in the U.K. , you would think that a Mosque would create a forum for the seniors to meet and pass their time, learn, or to teach the younger adults!
A Muslim worked with non-Muslim senior citizens for two years. One of his duties was to develop and implement programs and activities for the seniors. They could not have been happier that someone cared for their enrichment and welfare! The Mosques should start devoting some of the same energy to the senior Muslims in our community.
Young Muslim-friendly Masjid
A story often repeated within the community concerns a teenage boy who barely used to go to the Mosque. One day, he went… wearing a gold chain. He was told by an uncle in the Mosque that he cannot pray while wearing the gold chain. So…the boy obediently took off the chain. He prayed. And as he got up to leave, he put the chain back on. The uncle got upset and yanked the chain saying, "I told you not to put that chain on." He scratched the boy's neck in the process. The boy was obviously confused. He had only been told that he could not pray while wearing the gold chain. He had complied. And now this uncle was upset and had hurt his neck. This sort of misguidance and subsequent confusion is all too familiar a phenomenon.
Most Mosques claim to have a youth program. A young single brother or a newly married young man is recruited and told to manage the youth program. This youth coordinator most likely has never taken classes or even learned about adolescence in a formal manner. And yet, he will shoulder the burden of managing the youth. What does he get in return? Little or no money is set aside to pay the coordinator. In most cases, it is a volunteer position, with board-mandated promises of great rewards in the hereafter. To date, no national organization has a full-time, paid, youth coordinator. A few local organizations have such a paid-position but the person in that position is most likely untrained to deal with youth. Even when this person plans future events, it is rarely in consultation with the youth. And when the youth express their dissatisfaction, they are often made to feel guilty, and told that they are ungrateful and do not appreciate the blessings Allah has given them.
The result? Youth scarcely feel welcome. They are basically told that they should be seen and not heard. Their talent, enthusiasm, and raw energies are not appreciated in the Mosque; nor does the Mosque recruit them to make meaningful contributions. It amuses me, sometimes, when young men with the most beautiful voices for adhan (call to prayer) are kept muffled, hidden, and hushed up while a board member or a close friend or relative of a board member struggles, with neither a good voice nor a good style, to give the adhan. If the adhan is supposed to invite or call people, it might make more sense to train our youth to use their beautiful voices for a meaningful purpose!
These days so many youth are excelling in public schools; giving speeches; making daw'ah (invitations to Islam); being recognized for their talents; and being appreciated for who they are. Unfortunately, when they enter our Mosques, they become sullen, morose creatures, who would rather be anywhere else but the Mosque. They are not to blame. It is not their fault that we have built and continue to perpetuate the existence of non-Muslim friendly Mosques.
A Final Thought
Islam is the fastest growing religion, or very soon will be, the second largest religion. More Muslims should mean more Mosques. But, more Mosques that are not Muslim-friendly will only exacerbate the situation and not help us at all. Each of us has a responsibility to take an active role in the affairs of our Mosques. We should become involved and commit our time, energy and finances to ensure that the communal Mosque is not held hostage by a chosen few. The ideas in this article need to be examined and developed further. We should demand that whoever is elected to head the Mosque works tirelessly to ensure that it becomes more Muslim-friendly for our new Muslims, seniors, teenagers, college students, newlyweds and families. This should be our collective goal. And we should settle for nothing less!
Our al-Riza Mosque Complex Project
We have sympathy for the above mentioned concerns regarding the management of Mosques by lay Muslims respectfully who had taken their time to build Mosques for the Muslims but it is also true that they are not serving their purpose. Muslim Scholars are not listened to, nor thought as community leaders , rather treated as second class employees, no youth programmes, no community services. . . . . . . this is the bitter reality of our Mosques in the 21 st century unfortunately. But not all is doom and gloom, the Muslim Society of Leeds wants to build a Mosque for the Muslims surrounding LS7, which would serve the Muslims of Chapel Allerton, Moortown, Carr Manors, Hyde Park , Harehills, Sheepscar, Potternewton, Alwoodley and Roundhay.
Majority of our present Mosques, even the purpose built ones are not built for purpose. Majority of the Mosques being male oriented, they are not serving the Muslim women nor have well spaced classrooms for children, who are still taught in cramped spaces and crowded rooms against health and safety regulations, and majority of the times the teachers are not even CRB checked.
The Muslim Society of Leeds has a vision for a Mosque and a women centre open plan women worship area upon to them five times a day, seven days a week, not just open for the Friday prayers or religious programmes. We want to build a Mosque with a purpose, a user friendly Mosque open to all, to make feel Muslims and non-Muslims welcome to the Mosque Complex. But to make this vision a reality we need your donations.
Donate for the New Leeds Mosque Now!
Muslims everywhere are increasingly placing importance upon the fundamentals of Islam- faith, praying five times a day, reading the Qur'an. Islam is a way of life.
We the Muslims, who also know the virtues of charity in this life, and who believe in the life hereafter. All our Islamic institutions, Mosques, full-time schools and organizations are in the red, and we have to make frequent fund-raising efforts to sustain and maintain them. In addition, the political problems which have been created in Muslim nations, whether Bosnia , Kashmir , Palestine , or Somalia , require our utmost attention.
If we consider the Mosque, the house of Allah, as our house, and the problems or sufferings of other Muslims as our own, then we do not need to do fund-raising since we do not raise funds for our own house when the roof leaks or for any needs of our own children.
Allah says: : And be steadfast in your prayer and pay clarity; whatever good you send forth for your future, you shall find it with Allah, for Allah is well aware of what you do.” (2:110)
Miserly people think that their money will decrease or that they will become poor by giving money to charity; but our belief says the contrary. Remember the Qur'an: “The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain that sprouts seven spikes. In every spike there are 100 grains, and Allah multiplies for whom He will. Allah's will is embracing, all-knowing.” (2:261)
Charity has to be from lawfully earned money; there is no concept of Robin Hood- like acts in Islam.
The concept of ownership of wealth in Islam is that all wealth, after necessary personal and family expenses, belongs to Allah. It is up to the individual to decide how much of this excess wealth he should give back to the cause of Allah; if lie does not give some of it, then it is claimed by Satan.
All charity should be for the pleasure of Allah alone.
There are two types of Islamic charity:
There is zakah , which is obligatory, and is the right of the poor over the wealth of the rich, which amounts to 2.5% of the year's savings. The other is sadaqah , or voluntary charity, which depends on need and the amount of excess wealth. The word “zakah” itself means “purification”, and the purpose is to purify legally earned wealth.
Charity should not be used as a tax shelter or to win personal recognition, but only for the love of Allah. “To spend of your substance out of love for Him – to your kin, orphans, the needy, the wayfarer, those who ask and for freeing slaves.” (2:l77)
One of the reasons some Muslims cannot come up with charity is that they are not sure to whom the Mosque belongs. Does it belong to the donors, to the officials of the organization, or to the users? There need not be doubts because a Mosque belongs to all; but mostly it is the house of Allah – and He has given it for our use, so we must pay the rent. On a larger scale, a Mosque belongs to the whole Muslim community.
Allah says: “Your wealth, your children, are only a temptation, whereas to be with Allah is an immense reward. So keep your duty to Allah as best as you can, and listen and obey and spend, That is better for your soul, and whosoever is saved from his own greed is the one who is successful. If you lend to Allah a goodly loan, He will double it for you and will forgive you, for Allah is the Responsive Element.” (64:15-17)
Sometimes we do not want to part with our wealth due to love of our family and children – so that they might not suffer from poverty; but if we know that it is Allah Who is the Provider for all of them, we should not worry. Therefore, Allah asks us to send good deeds like this for the future before we reach it. It is like putting money in a savings account in this world and cashing it in the next world, multiplied many times.
“If you disclose the act of charity, even so it is well; but if you conceal it and make it reach those who are really in need, that is best for you. It will remove from you some of your stains of wrongdoing, and Allah is well acquainted with what you do.” (2:171)
If the charity is for a public cause, it must be known and concealment itself may be a fault of the official. The harm of publicity lies in the motive of ostentation (showing-off). When charity is to be given to an individual, it is better that it be given secretly.
Allah says: “Oh believers, let not your possessions neither your children divert you from God's remembrance, who ever does that, they are the losers. And spend from the sustenance We have given you, before death overtakes any of you, and he says, ‘O my Lord! If You grant me respite for a short while, then I would freely give and would be among the righteous” (63:9 -10)
Why not make an online donation today!!!
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