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Message From the Imam
Observing Etiquettes of the Masjid
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Allah (SWT) states, "In houses (masajid) which Allah has ordered to be raised and in them His name shall be remembered; therein do offer praise to Him in the mornings and evenings, men whom neither trade nor sale diverts from the remembrance of Allah, or from performing prayers, nor from giving alms. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned- and that Allah may reward them with the best of what they did, and increase reward for them out of His bounty. And God provides without measure to whom He wills."(36-38)
Mosques are the houses of Allah on earth. They are where He is remembered, glorified, and praised most. If one claims to truly love Allah, he should love to visit His houses. When a guest enters the home of a generous friend, he is met with kindness and bounty. How then will be the provision and bounty provided when one enters the house of the Most Generous?
The greatest provision Allah offers those who visit His houses is experiencing the sweetness of communicating with Him and being granted the ability to witness faith. Prophet Muhammad (S) was reported to have said, "When you see a person coming to the masjid frequently, bear witness to his faith, for Allah says: `Only who affirms his faith in God and the Last Day, can maintain the masajid of Allah." (Tirmidhi) On the authority of Abu Huraira, Prophet Muhammad (S) said, "Whosoever sets out for the masjid, by either day or night, Allah prepares for him a dwelling in Paradise for every journey undertaken." (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
My brothers and sisters, you must know that there are certain etiquettes regarding the masjid which must be observed by all. One of these etiquettes is maintaining cleanliness in and out of the masjid, perfuming oneself and wearing nice clothes. Allah (SWT) says, "O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer." (7:31) One should avoid eating food which causes an undesirable smell such as onion, leek or garlic before going to the masjid as the Prophet (S) said, " He who has eaten onion or garlic or leek should not approach us or 'not approach our masjid'..." (Agreed upon) Unfortunately, this is becoming a point of neglect by many people, especially after partaking in social gatherings in the masjid and maintaining its cleanliness afterwards. The Prophet (S) said, "Spitting in the mosque is a sin and its expiation is to bury it (i.e. to remove it from the mosque)." The Prophet (S) passed by a grave and asked his companions about it. His companions replied it is the grave of Umm Muhjan. The Prophet (S) rebuked them because they did not inform him of her death and then prayed the funeral prayer over her. He then said: 'Why did you not inform me?' They replied- you were sleeping and we did not like to wake you'. The Prophet prayed for her and had great respect for her as she used to spend her efforts in cleaning the house of Allah and the Prophet's masjid." (Related by Muslim)
One should recite a special supplication when setting out towards the masjid. The Prophet (S) used to say, " O Allah, place within my heart light, and upon my tongue light, and within my ears light, and within my eyes light, and place behind me light and in front of me light and above me light and beneath me light. O Allah, bestow upon me light." (Related by Muslim) One should also be quiet and respectful when approaching the masjid. The Prophet (S) said: "If you hear the Iqamah, come to the prayer with calmness and dignity and do not make haste for the prayer, and pray whatever you get (with the people) and complete the rest which you have missed." (Agreed upon) One should enter the masjid with the right foot and recite the supplication, "In the name of Allah. O Allah, bestow Your peace and blessings on Mohammed and his family. O Allah, pardon my sins and open the gates of Your mercy for me." (Muslim) One should pray two raka'h after entering the masjid as recommended by Prophet Muhammad (S). One should not leave the masjid once the call for prayer has been made, unless there is a need. The Prophet (S) said, "When you are in the masjid and the call to prayer is made, one should not leave until he has prayed the prayer." (Ahmad)
My brothers and sisters, we should remember Allah as much as we can when we are in the masjid and refrain from discussing worldly matters. The Prophet (S) said, "The masjid is made for the remembrance of Allah, for prayer and for recitation of the Qur'an" (Agreed upon) We should also refrain from raising our voices or causing disruption. When a Muslim enters the masjid, he or she should do so with tranquility.
These are just a few etiquettes of the masjid. We must observe the rights of the masjid to feel that this is truly a place of prayer. The masjid is the house of Allah and we should remember that as guests, we must behave like guests just as the Prophet (S) has taught us.
Sh. Jamal Said
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MFCC Corner
By Connie Martin
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Members of the Month
 Othman Shubbak, an 8th Grader at Century Jr. High
 Ayat Hassan, a 5th Grader at Glenn Oaks
How long have you been a member?
Othman: Since 2005.
Ayat: Since 2008
What is your favorite program and why?
Othman: The newly formed fundraising committee because it helps me with my community service, and I like to volunteer.
Ayat: I love doing arts & crafts, especially crocheting with Connie. It's fun to make something that requires patience, and it's nice to hang out with other Muslim girls.
Who is your favorite counselor and why?
Othman: Jameel and Ahmed Aduib, they are funny I guess. They're cool and I like hanging with them.
Ayat: Everybody except Amira! Haha! No, just kidding...I love you Amira!
Have you learned something from the MFCC you will never forget?
Othman: Jameel gave us a lecture about death, and he told us about a guy that fell off a tall building and lived!
Ayat: I like all the lectures, especially the ones about salah. I will never forget that our prayers will be the first thing we are asked about when we die!
Would you like to see anything added at MFCC?
Othman: A full basketball court!
Ayat: I wish we had our own building so the girls could come everyday instead of having to share with the boys.
Would you like to change anything at MFCC?
Othman: Make it for boys 13 & older.
Ayat: We need more games in the game room, and instead of candy in the vending machines, we need healthier stuff like fruits & veggies!
What is your funniest or most memorable moment at MFCC?
Othman: The day I repeatedly beat Jameel in the Mortal Combat game! Ahhh, it was such a sweet victory! Haha!
Ayat: One day my eye was swollen from an infection. Everybody kept asking me what was wrong with my eye and I told them Azza punched me! They believed me! It was so funny! I love you Azza! Haha!
What would you tell others who haven't attended MFCC to encourage them to attend?
Othman: It's a good place to hang out, a great place to work out, and a great place to play basketball with friends!
Ayat: It's a fun place to hang out, meet new friends, and learn about your deen at the same time.
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Islam 101 at MFCC
by Connie Martin
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Everyone should always "review and renew" their Islamic knowledge, regardless of age or level of education. So, seeking to reinforce the accuracy of Islamic knowledge and practices in our youth, MFCC recently introduced a new weekly program called "Islam 101." Counselors Azza Jammal and Islam Jaber lead the program every Friday from 7-8 PM to review the basic essentials of Islam such as prayer, wudu, and tahara, as well as the stories of the prophets. The program is interactive, allowing the youth to ask questions and clear any misconceptions they may have had. In addition to the comfortable atmosphere, MFCC has weekly prizes and monthly raffle winners to encourage attendance. For more information, contact Azza Jammal at azza3j@yahoo.com.
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Community Outreach
by Connie Martin
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The Mosque Foundation has been blessed with many opportunities to outreach to other communities. It might be surprising to learn how many groups visit the Mosque Foundation on a monthly basis, representing various schools, churches, and other organizations. The Imams, as well as the President of the Mosque Foundation Board of Directors, are often engaged in speaking events outside the mosque, such as the presentation Sh. Kifah Mustapha recently gave at the Chicago Department of Public Health training center. The training session was attended by CDPH personnel in charge of disaster response to large scale emergencies such as disease epidemics, natural disasters, etc. "The presentation was both interesting and informative, delivered in a very positive way," stated Senior Emergency Management Coordinator, Richard Zuley, "we look forward to working more with you (Sh. Kifah) and the Mosque Foundation in the future and drawing on your insight and ideas." The CDPH requested this personalized training session in its efforts to accommodate different religious beliefs.
Sh. Kifah was also asked to speak about common misconceptions in Islam at UIC during Muslim Awareness Week, sponsored by the UIC-MSA in February. "The presentation was very informative and interesting," said MSA president Mohammed Okab, "it went over most, if not all the misconceptions, and showed the truth on the spot."
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Fiqh of Hadeeth by Sh. Kifah Mustapha
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Abu Qatadah said, "While we were in prayer with the prophet (pbuh), he heard the noise of men (running to Salah)." When the prayer finished, the prophet (pbuh) asked the men what was wrong. They replied, "We rushed to (join) prayer." The prophet (pbuh) said, "Do not rush, when you come to prayer come in tranquility, and whatever (position) you reach (continue) praying and whatever you miss then finish." Hadith narrated by Bukhari.
Praying in a group (Jamaa') is an honorable act, more rewarding than praying alone. The sahabah were rushing to earn those rewards unaware that the sound they made while running to Salah disturbed the people already in prayer, including the prophet himself (pbuh). When they related their intentions to join the prayer hurriedly, the prophet (pbuh) advised them not to do that again but rather to walk slowly, in tranquility, to Salah even if they missed some Rakaa't.
Imam Nawawi said: "In this Hadith, you are urged to approach Salah in tranquility, not rushing, whether it was Friday prayer or any other prayer, regardless of whether you feared to miss the first Takbeerah (Ihram) or not."
Imam Shafei and most scholars considered the moment you join Salah to be your beginning part of Salah not the end. In other words, if you joined Isha prayer after 2 Rakaa't behind an Imam, the last two for the Imam and others will be your first two. That means when you stand to make the 2 Rakaa't you missed, they will be read silently with no surah or ayat after the Fatihah.
We learn from the Hadith that if your mind is distracted by outside factors during the Salah, it does not void your Salah. The prophet (pbuh) heard the noise yet continued praying.
We learn from the Hadith that if someone joined any part of the Salah he still has the honor and reward of the group (Jamaa') prayer. Although his reward is not equal to the one who started from the beginning and reached the last Rakaa'h with the group.
We also learn that the person who joins Salah late should enter the prayer with takbeerah (ihram) and immediately join in whatever position the Imam is in. It is narrated through (Ibn Abi Shaibah) that the prophet (pbuh) said, "Who finds me in (Ruku') or standing or in prostration let him join me in the position I am in."
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Message From the President - Managing Crises More Effectively
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Once again, our Chicago Muslim community found itself in the midst of a crisis of great proportions. The aggression against Gaza has stopped temporarily, but the grief, dispossession, suffering, and human disaster continue to unfold and our responsibility as a community likewise continues. Regardless how emotionally difficult a crisis can be, it is vital that we evaluate our response and candidly point out our strengths and weaknesses.
Crises are facts of life. We are explicitly in the Quran told that we shall be tested in our health, our wealth and our lives. We "pass" the test if we rise to the challenge and persevere, but if our response is late, weak, fainthearted, or ineffective, then we have failed the test.
In order to respond effectively to major crises, our community should have in place a clear and applicable crisis management plan. So, what steps do we need to take in order to improve our crisis response and management? I suggest the following:
1) Have in place a comprehensive, articulated and coherent Crisis Management plan with clear assignments of responsibilities.
2) Better message control. Our message should be clear, thoughtful and well-worded and conveyed to the community, the media and public officials by qualified, native-speaking writers and spokespersons.
3) Improve our communication with our community, using technological advances and tools.
4) Strengthen our alliances with our civic partners in the African American, Latino, and other communities; educate them about our issues and educate ourselves about their issues, and form new alliances with new partners.
5) Improve our media strategy. Changing the "unbalanced and unethical" coverage can be done only by developing long term and strong relationships with editorial boards and reporters, frequent writing of letters to editors and opinion editorials, and encouraging young Muslims to become journalists, reporters, producers, board members and owners of major media outlets.
6) Improve our lobbying efforts with our representatives at the state and federal levels.
In a complicated and dangerous world amidst looming financial disaster, we need to expect and plan for the worst. We need to be vigilant and ready for the unexpected. We need to be well prepared. Trust is not lazy, so in God, let us place our trust. Upon Him do we rely.
Dr. M. Zaher Sahloul
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Volunteer of the Month:
by Connie Martin
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A mechanic by profession, Baha Haleem spends his days around cars. Yet this dedicated Mosque Foundation volunteer devotes a significant portion of his time to direct traffic and assist in parking to ensure everyone has a smooth entrance and exit from prayer services. "Volunteering is one of the best things you can do for the sake of Allah," Baha states, "it's a good feeling to get close to Allah and get to know so many people." Baha has been a regular volunteer for ten years, and says he was greatly influenced and encouraged by his cousin, Fawzy Hassan, who is also a regular volunteer. In addition to his traffic and parking duties, Baha also snow plows the parking lots, and has even assisted people who have had car trouble after prayer, thanks to his kind heart and mechanical skills! May Allah reward Br. Baha Haleem and all the dedicated Mosque Foundation volunteers.
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| Community Announcements |
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Congratulations to Samer Shalabi & Rawan Zayyat for the birth of their baby boy, Zein, on January 13th, 2009!
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| Knock, Knock, Who's There?
by Janaan Hashim, Esq.
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When law enforcement knocks on your door, can you tell them that you don't want them to come in without a search warrant? Absolutely. In fact, if you let them in and they find something suspicious in plain view and seize it, then that item can be lawfully used against you because you voluntarily consented to their entrance. Whatever you say can also be used to hurt you later on - no matter how harmless or accidental your comment may seem at the time.
The U.S. Supreme Court has maintained that a person's house is "his castle" and that the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the federal government from entering that castle without the owner's permission or a court permitting them to enter and search only those areas clearly stated on the search warrant. The Fourteenth Amendment and the Illinois Constitution prohibit State law enforcement from entering your home on the same basis.
If you get that knock on the door, stay in control of the situation with a calm, courteous demeanor. Avoid anger and using exaggerated hand gestures. Insist on remaining outside, and be smart - don't fall for the line that it would be better to be out of your neighbor's sight or that you'd be more comfortable inside.
Ask for the officer's business card and, while being polite, don't answer any questions. Instead, confidently refer them to your lawyer, or if you don't have one, tell them to call you later once you've retained legal counsel. They may tell you that there's no need to spend money on an attorney, or that you're not entitled to one. This is wrong, and will only lead you toward what law enforcement wants: an interview and peek inside your house through voluntary consent.
Armed with this know-how, you are protecting yourself and your castle from anything that can be twisted and used against you.
Janaan Hashim, Esq. is a criminal defense and civil rights attorney with Amal Law Group, LLC. Visit their website at www.amallaw.com.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice in any manner. Seek competent counsel for advice on any legal matter.
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