Question:
Assalamu’alaikum Ya Mawlana Syaikh Hisyam,
Originating from a country with Islamic values and now living in a western country, a number of moslems who are concerned with the behaviors of their young generation that begin to loose track from Islamic teachings have recently gathered and discussed the best ways to protect this generation. One of the biggest obstacles is many of the parents of these children have very low attention to Islamic teachings. We have a mosque but our activities seem unattractive for the parents and their teenagers. We believe that guidance is only from Allah, we just can’t do nothing witnessing this. Most of us are not of tarekat people. What can we do to enliven our mosque and make ways for our community to be more and more faithful to Islam? Thank you Mawlana for your du’a and guidance.
Wassalamu’alaikum
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
Since the mosque-goers are not mainly involved in tariqah you must do something that is acceptable to them. The best thing for engaging youth and adults both, is Mawlid an-Nabi (s). Note that Mawlid may be done on any day, not only on the 12th of Rabi` al-Awwal, and you can include in it recitation of Burdah Sharifa and other qasaid, and teach the children these wonderful recitations, in both Arabic and in English so they get the valuable teachings of the Greatness of our Holy Prophet (s) as well as the spiritual tajalli of the recitation. Doing so will attract the vision of the Prophet (s) to the gathering which will uplift it further and direct them towards goodness, insha-Allah.
Taher Siddiqui
