Sermon on the occasion of Mosque Day: Mosques as places of upbringing and human development

(Patria) - On the occasion of Mosque Day, a unified sermon was held today in mosques in Bosnia and Herzegovina, homeland countries, and the diaspora, as well as a collection for the reconstruction of the remaining mosques and mesjids destroyed during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In memory of the day when the Ferhadija mosque in Banja Luka was demolished in 1993, May 7th has been declared Mosque Day by the decision of the Rijaset of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The observance of this day serves as a reminder of the suffering, complete destruction, and devastation of a large number of mosques, mesjids, and other waqf properties during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995.

Mosque Day will be marked with appropriate activities and programs in the institutions and establishments of the Islamic Community, and today's unified sermon is the first of the planned events. The sermon in the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo was delivered by hafiz dr. Mensur Malkić.

We present the sermon on the occasion of Mosque Day in its entirety: 

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon the last prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, his noble family, and his esteemed companions.

Dear congregation!

All of us who have attended maktabs, who read Islamic books, visit mosques, and listen to the lectures of learned people, know that the first step of the Prophet, peace be upon him, after arriving in the "free territory" of Medina, was the construction of a mosque. He built it in Quba, a place on the outskirts of Medina.

Therefore, he built the mosque even before completing the Hijra, which marked the beginning of the expansion of Islam. Consequently, every subsequent rise of Islam and every affirmation of Islamic values and concepts must begin in the same way – by providing a place where people will gather, pray to Allah, the Almighty, learn the rulings and objectives of the faith, and discuss solutions to the problems they face.

Muslims use two terms for a mosque: 'džamija' and 'mesdžid'. A 'džamija' is a place that gathers, and a 'mesdžid' is a place where people prostrate to their Lord.

The civilization built by these humble and pious people is grand, full of mercy and warmth. It is, in principle, a civilization of great people and small structures, according to needs; a civilization of courtesy and God-consciousness. The mosque serves the purpose of building such people. The Prophet's, peace be upon him, center for raising precisely such people was the mosque. In this context, we will shed light on a term mentioned in the Quran – the term 'mihrab'.

The 'mihrab' is mentioned several times in the Quran and is associated with various individuals. It is linked to Zakariya, peace be upon him, to Hazrat Maryam, David, peace be upon him, and Solomon, peace be upon him. As for the Prophet's, peace be upon him, 'mihrab' in Medina, it is narrated that it was not built or recessed, as it later developed, but was merely the place where he usually stood, leading his companions in prayer and addressing them from it.

Under all types of 'mihrab', it is understood as a place designated for worship and devotion to God.

The architectural forms of the 'mihrab' have changed over time, according to cultures, but they have always served the same purpose, whether in public mosques or in private 'mihrabs' where people prayed to God in their homes. Maryam's 'mihrab' is interesting to us. In the mosque of that time, in her 'mihrab', she prayed to Allah, the Almighty, for a long time and fervently, preparing herself for the role and task assigned to her. The Prophet Zakariya, peace be upon him, was tasked with her care, as she was orphaned at an early age.

Whenever, as the Quran describes, he came to her in the 'mihrab', he would find food there that was not in season, so he asked her where it came from. "From Allah!" she would reply. Zakariya, peace be upon him, was already advanced in age, and his wife was barren. They had no children, although he had long prayed to Allah, the Almighty, to bless him with a child, as someone needed to succeed him in maintaining the mosque. Such an answer from Maryam sparked a question in him: if Allah can provide her with food out of season, can He also grant me a child in my old age! Narrations speak of him standing at the place from which Maryam prayed and from there offering a supplication to Allah, the Almighty, to grant him a child. And soon he received the news that he would have a son named John.

There is much wisdom in this, and only those endowed with reason receive wisdom. We too, in our current time, can achieve what we desire – if we are nurtured in the 'mihrab' and reach for the right means. 

Brothers and sisters!

The word 'mihrab' originates from the word 'harb', which means war. Therefore, the 'mihrab' is a place where a fierce spiritual struggle takes place, a war between man and negative forces. In the 'mihrab', warriors are trained, preparing for great spiritual battles within themselves, and then outside themselves, in the reality of life. They emerge from the 'mihrab' with a developed awareness of their mission in this world, carrying a friendly emotion towards all creatures.

Man, in fact, carries within him the worlds that preceded him in creation: the world of minerals, plants, and animals.

A person nurtured in the 'mihrab' has learned that they are obligated to care for these worlds, to consider their interests, to treat them as an older sibling. Because all of this is their kin!

A person nurtured in the 'mihrab' is sincere and devoted to all these worlds and will never endanger their environment or make their lives miserable.

Such a person is a true vicegerent of God on Earth. 

Brothers and sisters!

Mosques are the houses of Allah, the Almighty, and the dearest places to Him, His Messenger, and the righteous believers, and those who believe in Allah, the Almighty, and take Him as their protector strive for them. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The most beloved places on Earth to Allah are its mosques, and the most hated are the marketplaces!" (Muslim)

This is because people are built in mosques, developing within themselves the noble qualities that God the Almighty has instilled in their being, while in marketplaces there are many false oaths, deception, and theft. Mosques are visited by those whom – as the Quran states – neither trade nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah, the establishment of prayer, and the giving of zakat, and who fear a Day in which hearts and eyes will be overturned. (An-Nur, 36-37) They were the first educational and upbringing schools in Islam. The companions emerged from them. "The mosque is the house of every pious person, meaning: every believer!" (Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hul-yah).

It is narrated in a hadith that among the seven who will be in the shade of Allah, the Almighty, on the Day of Judgment, when there will be no other shade, will be a person whose heart was attached to the mosque. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Namely, such a person finds in the mosque the sweetness of closeness to Allah, the Almighty, the sweetness of worship, and the beauty of obedience to the Lord, which delights their heart and brings tranquility and relief from life's worries, and which has a very positive impact on their physical and mental health.

Brothers and sisters!

We are currently going through a phase of spiritual renewal. There are still many weaknesses and deformities within us, but they are diminishing, and the initiative is being taken by young people with positive processes, which are leading us to our origins, our foundations of strength. Soon, God willing, we will be able to see the results of the enormous efforts we have made so far in our spiritual and moral recovery. Those who have not yet been involved and have not participated in this should join. Or at least, they should not act against it.

We expect our larger mosque centers to organize scientific and professional seminars and meetings in their premises, and for us to gain new knowledge, new insights, and new inputs from there for the journey towards a better future. And for adequate answers to the challenges we face to be offered to us. And there are many of them: some are spiritual, and some are physical; some are cultural, some sociological, some medical, some psychological, some economic. We want to be educated in all areas of life, as much as possible. Let people in the spaces within mosque centers learn how to achieve the best results in agriculture, fruit growing, animal husbandry, and beekeeping.

Let these spaces be full of content, and let our community members – experts from various fields – speak about medical matters, social welfare, neighborly relations, ecology and environmental protection, pedagogy and human upbringing, etc. Let us receive quality answers, based on science and in accordance with Quranic guidance, in a beautiful and beloved place, a place of gathering and unity.

"May 7th - Mosque Day" is a suitable occasion for us to reflect on the mosque and the improvement of community content and programs. May the Almighty Allah open paths for us in this direction. Amen!