From the sermon of the Grand Mosque, guidance and remembrance 1-8

Authorship Saleh Abdullah Humaid Introduction In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness, and we seek His guidance, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and from the evil of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, there is none who can misguide him; and whomever He misguides, there is none who can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. He was sent before the Hour as a bearer of good news and a warner, a caller to Allah by His permission, and a luminous lamp. He conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, advised the nation, and struggled in Allah’s cause with true effort until certainty. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, his pure and righteous family, his companions all, and those who follow their way and call with their invitation until the Day of Judgment. And may peace and blessings be upon them abundantly. Afterward: The mosque is the heart of the Islamic community, and the gathering place for believers morning and evening. It is where the rights of Allah are fulfilled, and where hands are raised seeking His help, for it is a source of strength in worship and an increase in knowledge during gatherings and festivals. The Muslim crowds listen quietly and humbly to reminders and guidance. They attend knowledge circles that are established in their mosques, and they listen to admonitory words from the imam or scholar of the neighborhood, thus bringing about goodness, spreading benefit, uniting hearts, and removing alienation between knowledge, scholars, youth, and the general public. This is because mosques have their role, their function, and their impact. It is appropriate in this introduction, before these sermons, to mention some of the functions of the mosque and what should be observed in the Friday sermon in preparation and etiquette: 1. Mosques are centers of الدعوة (call to faith) for the noblest goal and most desired aim, which is the monotheism of Allah and dedicating worship solely to Him. "And that the mosque is for Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah" [Al-Jinn: 18], and "And establish your faces toward every mosque and call upon Him, sincere to Him in religion" [Al-A'raf: 29]. 2. Allah commands and elevates their status, cares for them, and takes interest in them in houses that Allah has permitted to be raised and in which His name is mentioned. "[The] light of Allah is [everywhere] in houses which Allah has ordered to be raised and His name to be mentioned therein" [An-Nur: 36]. The true elevation of the mosque is confirmed when it is inhabited by righteous servants of Allah, who are not distracted by trade or selling from the remembrance of Allah. 3. The love of Muslims for building and establishing mosques, which results in great reward. He said: "Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise" (1). The importance of the mosque in the Muslim community is exemplified by the first action of the Prophet, peace be upon him, when he arrived in Medina: he built the mosque, which Allah described as "The mosque founded on piety from the first day" [At-Tawbah: 108]. Therefore, preparing the mosque begins from the very first day. 4. Mosques are the noblest and most beloved places to Allah. In a authentic hadith: "The most beloved places to Allah are his mosques" (1). In another narration by Ibn Hibban: "The best of places are the mosques, and the worst are the markets." 5. Encouragement to frequent and habitually visit mosques, as neglecting prayer and falling short in congregational prayer are signs of hypocrisy. "And they do not come to prayer except lazily" [At-Tawbah: 54]. The Prophet said: "Give glad tidings to those who walk to the mosques in darkness with complete light on the Day of Resurrection" (2). Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah prepares for him a lodging in Paradise each time he goes or returns (3). And among the seven who will be shaded by Allah on a day when there is no shade but His, is a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (4). All this clearly encourages reviving the message of the mosque and emphasizing its importance. 6. Additionally, encouraging waiting in the mosque and remaining there has countless benefits, especially with remembrance, reading the Qur'an, learning, and checking on the affairs of the Muslim community. He said: "Shall I not inform you of what Allah erases sins and raises ranks?" They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Performing ablution despite difficulties, increasing steps to the mosques, and waiting for prayer after prayer, for that is the bond" (1). 7. The Prophet commanded maintaining cleanliness and protecting the mosque from impurities, bringing good scents, and keeping away foul odors—whether from the worshippers or others, whether through use, eating, or otherwise. 8. Allah warns everyone who prevents the mosques from fulfilling their message properly or seeks to destroy them, with disgrace in this world and severe punishment in the Hereafter: "And who is more unjust than one who prevents [people] from the mosques of Allah from being mentioned therein and strives to ruin them? It is not for them to enter them except in fear. For them in this world is disgrace, and they will have in the Hereafter a great punishment" [Al-Baqarah: 114]. 9. Knowledge and learning in the mosque are among its most prominent functions, and they are counted among the remembrance of Allah and His glorification. The Prophet said: "Whenever a group of people gather in a house of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, angels surround them, and Allah mentions them among those with Him" (2). Given the great importance of mosques, it is undoubtedly even more important and the responsibility even greater for the House of Allah (the Kaaba), which the hearts of Muslims everywhere yearn for and their eyes and hearts long to see, with longing and anticipation for what emanates from it.