Hadith 734

Commentary

The reason being that he deliberately declined the merit of joining the congregational prayer. No true believer, aware of the importance of doing of virtuous deeds, can do such a thing.

a. The mosque is, without doubt, the most important of all structures in an Islamic state and an Islamic society. b. In the early days of Islam all devotional acts and non-obligatory prayers were only carried out in the Sacred House at Makkah. But when an organized Islamic authority came into being, after emigration, in Al-Madinah, the first thing the Prophet ﷺ did, was to lay with his own blessed hands, the foundation of a mosque at Qubâ'. He then followed it up with the construction of what came to be called the Prophet's Mosque. Side by side with the Prophet ﷺ the Emigrants (Muhâjir) and Helpers (Ansâr), with great zeal and fervor, participated in the construction of the mosque. c. Receiving wages for providing various facilities such as arrangement for lighting and the performance of ablution etc., in the mosque, is permissible in Islam, but it is a highly commendable act if some one donates, free of charge, a piece of land or building materials etc., just for the sake of Allâh. d. Although the entire face of the earth has been proclaimed as mosque for the Believers, it is not in order to perform prayer in places like garbage dumping spots, animal slaughterhouses, graveyards, baths at public places, camels' enclosures, and the top of the Sacred House. e. Mosques play an extremely significant and fundamental role in the building of the Islamic society. The Messenger of Allâh ﷺ used the mosque for a myriad of purposes — as the capital of the Islamic state, as a command center for military expeditions, as a consultation chamber for state affairs, as a public treasury, as an Islamic court, as the first Islamic university, as a Civil secretariat, as a state guest house, and for many other constructive purposes. The Noble Qur'ân, however, particularized the mosque only for purposes of prayer and remembrance of Allâh, and as a place most suited for bowing and prostrating before Allâh, for delivering sermons and for the communication of the Divine message, as well as for the recitation of the Noble Qur'ân and the learning and teaching of the tenets of faith. f. Management of the mosque and their upkeep is the primary duty of the Believers. But the way the mosques are being increasingly used for purposes contrary to the precepts of the Prophet ﷺ is a matter of great concern, and needs critical examination. For more information about the institution of the mosques and the necessary etiquettes in respect of them, one would do well to study the forthcoming Ahâdîth.