Abu Jahl is in the masjid

You might be shocked by the title but let me explain what I mean. We see events occur that are not only shocking but are outrageous. One such thing is the stopping of religious activity in the Masjids across the country. This is an unfortunate phenomenon occurs too regularly in our local masjids. Someone be it a committee member or even the Imam do not like Islamic knowledge to be taught. So they block or put obstacles in the way so that Islamic knowledge cannot be taught. 

Yes, this does happen and you’ll be shocked at what happens behind closed doors. Majority of the time its because a local ‘mufti/Imam/committee member’ feels slighted that people are studying so he fabricates lies and believes them once he has told everyone. Why? Because he does not want anyone to study Islam and neither do some of the committee members. So they allow people in their communities to be bereft of any knowledge. Even though they are not teaching they do not want anyone else to. Especially not someone who teaches in the English language because all they can do is teach in Urdu. But nobody wants to listen to them and nobody cares about them.

How does this fit with Abu Jahl then? Well the answer is simple Abu Jahl was the main opposition to Islam in the Mekkan period. He stopped people praying at the Kaaba. This is vividly portrayed in the Quranic passage known as Al-Alaq/the Clot (Sura 96),

أرأيت الذي ينهى عبداً إذا صلى

“Do you not see him who prevents a servant from prayer?” (96:9-10)

Abu Jahl stopped people from reciting Quran in the vicinity of the Kaaba as well as praying. So he was stopping anything Islamic taking place in the holy sanctuary. So the spirit of Abu Jahl is alive and well in the voices and actions of those who stop religious activity in our Masjids.

Some might say that they have a reason and that reason is valid. I have only come across one such occasion and that was from someone who was actually causing problems but he was let straight into the masjid!

If we are really concerned about causing fitna then we should eject those who are displaying the behaviour of Abu Jahl. But we do not, we hold those who act like Abu Jahl in high esteem and they sit on the highest places of the masjids. Is it not any wonder that our regions are in such a mess despite the masjids present in our areas. These people do not fear Allah (the Exalted) and will arrive on the day of judgement with more sins than good actions.

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ 

“Does he not know Allah can see him?” (Alaq 96:13).

If you are on a masjid committee then you have a big responsibility and there is a price to be paid for your failure. As you are responsible for the spread of Islamic knowledge in the masjid and this goes double for the mufti or imam. Ponder the hadith in which amongst the first of people who will be thrown into the fire is a scholar. Why? Because he was not sincere and all he wanted was for people to call him a scholar. So its your choice to either keep Islamic knowledge alive or keep the spirit of Abu Jahl alive. If what I am saying does not make sense then read the following links and ponder your situation. 

The responsibilities of the masjid:

http://sheikhynotes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/role-that-masjidsmosques-committees.html


Importance of Knowledge

http://sheikhynotes.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/importance-and-search-for-knowledge.html