Summary of the Friday
Khutbah by Shaykh Abdullah Al-Butaijan, 8/2/1442 AH
"The Virtue of the
Congregational Prayer"
1. The masjids are the
houses of Allah and the most beloved places to Him. They were built for
worship, prayer, and for the remembrance of Allah. To it, those who believe in
Allah and are protected by Him rush (for worship).
2. From its minarets, the testimony of Tawheed
is repeated daily, for all ears to hear: I bear witness that there is no one
worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allah.
3. It was the first
school for education and cultivation in Islam. The generation of the Companions
graduated from it, and they were the most worthy of knowledge and action.
4. Maintaining the
masjids is achieved by building them, worshipping (Allah) in them, going to
them to establish the prayers, and answering the call of the one calling
"hayya 'alas-salah" (come to the prayer).
5. Dedicate a set time
for the houses of Allah. Dedicate a portion of your worship to take place in
the masjid. Put forth for yourself what will benefit you and what will cause
Allah to raise you on the Day of Resurrection.
6. The Corona Pandemic has become a great
difficulty upon the Muslims. Their congregational prayers were suspended. The
yearning of those whose hearts are attached to the masjid increased. Their
longing and desire for the masjids only increased.
7. Allah has removed the
difficulty, and He made every hardship turn to ease, and every worry turns to
relief. Here are the masjids. Their doors are open and ready. Here are the
houses of Allah waiting for those who will come to them and visit them. The
sounds of the minarets amplify with hayya 'alas-salah, hayya 'alas-salah, hayya
'alal-falah, Hayya 'alal-falah (Come to the prayer, come to success).
8. Praise Allah and thank
Him. Ask Him to remove what remains of this pandemic, to remove hardship, and
to grant us complete security and a cure from disease. Rush, 0 servants of
Allah, to the houses of Allah. Respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he
calls you to that which gives you life, which rectifies your affairs and gives
you happiness and guidance. Maintain yourselves [in the worship of Him] at every
masjid. Guard the obligatory prayers wh rever the call is made for them.
Excerpts from the Khutbah
1. Allah (the Most
Exalted) said, "The masjids of Allah are only to be maintained by those
who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish the prayer and give zakah
and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the
[rightly] guided." [9:18]
2. Abu Hurairah (may
Allah be pleased with him) said, "Allah's Messenger (may Allah's praise
and peace be upon him) said, 'Shall I not inform you with what Allah erases
sins and raises ranks?' They said, 'No, [tell us], 0 Messenger of Allah!' He
said, 'Perfecting wudu when it is difficult, increasing one's steps to the
masjids, and waiting after one prayer for the next prayer. This is the firm
hold. This is the firm hold. This is the firm hold."' [Reported by Muslim]
3. Buraidah Al-Aslami
(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's praise
and peace be upon him), said, "Give glad tidings to those who frequently
walk in the dark to the masjids of a perfect light [that they will receive] on
the Day of Resurrection." [Reported by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]
4. Ibn 'Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's praise and peace be
upon him) said, "The congregational prayer is better than one's prayer
alone by twenty-seven degrees." [Reported by Muslim]
