What role do masjids play here in the West, and how is it different from the masjids in the Muslim world, or the masjid your parents and grandparents went to? How do we ensure that the masjid becomes the place Muslim individuals and families long to go back to?

In this latest episode of Behind the Minbar, Dr Hatem Al-Haj (a senior scholar of Islamic law at AMJA and a founder of many local institutions) unlocks for listeners what revitalizing the masjid as a community hub geared towards spiritual, social, and educational activities looks like. He emphasizes the importance of mosques not only as places of worship but also as a center for learning and socioemotional support, and walks us through some fundamental rulings that should facilitate effecting this multifaceted role.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

AMJA Decisions:
https://www.amjaonline.org/research/c...

Reviving the Role of the Masjid by Dr Hatem al-Haj (2 parts):
https://muslimmatters.org/2014/12/20/...
https://muslimmatters.org/2014/12/27/...

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00:00 Introduction
02:02 The main purpose of the masjid
05:40 The Prophet’s masjid was the center of community life
08:15 The masjid being clean and serene
12:15 Children playing in the masjid
14:50 Can the masjid set a policy for children?
17:38 A culture of tolerating children’s slip-ups
20:28 Should women pray at home?
26:08 Can the masjid set a policy for dress code?
28:30 Advising someone you don’t know
31:15 An important wisdom from Sh Uthaymeen
33:42 The gentle way Al-Hasan & Al-Husayn corrected an elder
36:45 Non-Muslims entering the masjid
37:55 The masjid is just the prayer hall
39:05 Accommodating non-Muslim visitors
40:10 Building the masjid using Zakah money
42:08 Masjid operations being Zakah eligible
45:40 The intellectual battleground for Islam
46:35 AMJA resources on masjid management
48:23 Zakah for active vs inactive masjids
50:34 A recap on Zakah for Islamic centers
51:25 The balance needed with third spaces
53:09 Kindness is paramount in masjids
54:30 Conclusion & duaa