Building a Masjid: A Legacy of Light

[Arabic,إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. ]

Indeed, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our wrong actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone without partner, and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger.

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Part One: The Centrality of the Masjid in Islamic Life

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let us reflect on the wisdom of our Prophet ﷺ when he made hijrah to Madinah. He did not begin by building a home for himself, or a market for trade, or a palace of leadership. The very first structure he established was the Masjid.

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"The first thing the Prophet ﷺ did upon arriving in Madinah was build Masjid Quba, and then Al-Masjid an-Nabawi."]

Even when he had no home of his own and stayed in the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA), the Prophet ﷺ prioritized the masjid before anything else. And when he finally had a home, it was a small, simple room attached to the masjid itself—so he could live among the believers, hear their needs, and lead them in worship and in life.

This is the model of Islam: the Masjid is not just a building, it is the heart of the community.

[Quote,Imam Ahmad,,"The Masjid is the house of every God-fearing believer."]

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Whoever walks to the masjid in the morning or evening, Allah prepares for him a place in Paradise for every step."]

[Hadith,Bayhaqi,"Whoever makes the masjid his home, Allah guarantees him comfort, mercy, and the path to Jannah."]

[Hadith,Muslim,"Walking to the masjid and waiting for the next prayer after finishing one—that is ribat, that is ribat."]

Dear brothers and sisters—ribat means guarding the frontlines of Islam. And our masajid are those frontlines today. They are our shield, our school, our hospital, our home. They are where our children learn their faith, where new Muslims take shahadah, where broken hearts are mended, and where Allah's mercy descends.

Let me remind you of how the Prophet ﷺ used the masjid:

1. Place of Worship—Five daily prayers, taught to be 27x greater in jama'ah
2. Spiritual Retreat—I'tikaf in the last 10 nights of Ramadan
3. Islamic Education—Qur'an, Hadith, manners
4. Hospital for the Wounded—After the Battle of the Trench
5. Charity Distribution Hub—Dates and goods for the poor
6. Food Center—Feeding the hungry
7. Court of Justice—Resolving disputes
8. Governance Hub—Planning battles and community affairs
9. Diplomatic Center—Receiving delegations
10. Shelter for the Homeless—Ashab al-Suffah
11. Marriage Hall—Conducting nikah
12. Funeral Gathering Place—Janazah prayers
13. Bay'ah Site—Pledging allegiance
14. Unity Ground—Bilal (RA), the mu'adhin, standing equal
15. Da'wah Hub—Teaching non-Muslims and new Muslims
16. Brotherhood Space—Muhajirun and Ansar united
17. Emotional Support—Comforting the grieving and anxious
18. Permissible Joy—Abyssinians dancing on Eid
19. Military Preparation—Launching expeditions
20. Public Announcements—Community news
21. Place of Tawbah—Man seeking forgiveness after sin

This is the prophetic blueprint. And if we want thriving Muslim communities today, we must begin with the Masjid.

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Part Two: A Personal Journey and Call to Action

Dear brothers and sisters,

Over 20 years ago, when I first embraced Islam, I experienced firsthand the transformative power of Islamic community and the masjid as its center. At a time when I was being rejected by my family, discriminated against in the Army, and felt completely alone in the world—the masjid was my refuge. It welcomed me. Taught me. Carried me.

And now, by Allah's mercy, I stand before you giving this khutbah—because of the light that began in that blessed place.

But not everyone has that.

In Conneaut, where I now live with my family, we have no masjid. No center. No place for Jumu'ah or taraweeh or classes. Many Muslims from surrounding areas—Fairview, Ashtabula, Geneva—are isolated because the closest masjid is 40 to 60 minutes away.

[Hadith,Abu Dawood,"The Prophet ﷺ ordered the building of masajid in every neighborhood and that they be kept clean and perfumed."]

Brothers and sisters—that is what we are working to change. Today, we are fundraising for the first Masjid in Conneaut.

A local Catholic church just closed its doors—a large hall, solid structure, big parking lot, already zoned for community use—and it's listed for only $250,000.

That's the price of a single house. But we are not a single household. We are hundreds of families. If just a few dozen of us gave $500 over a few months, we could buy it.

And next door to that church? A house. A school building. Other facilities. If we begin now, we can grow—insha'Allah—into a complete Islamic center, step by step.

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Whoever builds a masjid for Allah's sake, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise."]

[Hadith,Ibn Majah,"Among the good deeds that continue after a person dies is a masjid he built."]

[Hadith,Ahmad,"Even if it is the size of a bird's nest, Allah will build him a palace in Paradise."]

[Quote,Ibn Abbas,Tafsir al-Qurtubi,"The best jihad is to build a masjid and teach therein the Qur'an and Sunnah."]

I ask you: what legacy do we want to leave?

We all love our children. We want Islam to stay in our families for generations. That doesn't happen without institutions. Without anchors. Without a house of Allah.

And let me be clear: this is not a fundraiser for my benefit. This is a waqf. A sadaqah jariyah. A path to Paradise.

[Hadith,Muslim,"Charity does not decrease wealth."]

[Hadith,Tirmidhi,"Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity."]

[Quran,2:261,"The example of those who donate their wealth in the cause of Allah is that of a grain that sprouts into seven ears, each bearing one hundred grains. And Allah multiplies ˹the reward even more˺ to whoever He wills. For Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing."]

Let's be the ones who build the first masjid in Conneaut.

Let's be the reason others come to Islam.

Let's be the reason our children stay Muslim.

Let's leave a legacy that enters our graves as light and reward.

You can donate online at ConneautMasjid.org or meet me after the khutbah—we have pledge forms and info ready.

Don't let this pass you by. Be part of something eternal.

O Allah, accept from us our prayers, our charity, and our intentions.

O Allah, allow us to build this masjid sincerely for Your sake.

O Allah, multiply the reward for every hand that contributes—in wealth, in effort, or in du'a.

O Allah, make it a house of guidance, mercy, and unity for generations to come.

O Allah, forgive our shortcomings and raise us among those who build for Your sake and are given palaces in Jannah.

O Allah, protect our children, bless our families, and gather us in Your houses in this life, and in Your Paradise in the next.

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We ask Allah to make us firm upon His straight path, to guide us and not let us go astray, to have mercy on us and forgive us.

Whatever good was said in this khutbah is from Allah alone, and whatever mistakes or errors are from myself and from Shaytan. I ask Allah to forgive me and you for any shortcomings.

I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and you all. Seek His forgiveness—indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[Arabic,أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ. ]