Abdullah, TwoCircles.net,
Jahangirabad, Barabanki: “Since the beginning of Islam mosque has played a pivotal road, history bears testimony that mosques have played a key role in the social life of Muslims. During the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) every legal and permitted activity was done within the premises of Mosque,” said Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, Imam-e-Eidgah, Luckhnow while participating in a program on the topic ‘Islahe Maushara Mein Masjid Ki Afadiyat’ organised by United Muslim Organisation at Jama Masjid, Jahangirabad, where he was the Chief Guest.
He further said that during the month of Ramadan the importance of Mosque increases many fold and the Muslims should devote much time during this month in mosque.
The mosque is situated near the historical fort which has been purchased by the Muslims in which Jahangirabad Technical Institute and other Institutions have been established. The first renovation and painting work was undertaken by Yusuf Kar, a new convert about two decades ago and now the painting and renovation work has been undertaken by Shan Jamshed Khan (Azami Bhai) who is Treasurer of United Muslims Organization.
Imam Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli led the Asr prayer in this historical mosque in which people from far off places offered prayer.
General Secretary of United Muslim Organisation and Senior Faculty of Aligarh Muslim University, Dr. Shakeel Samdani said that generally our mosques are vacant for 21 hours in a day. The reason being that in most of the mosques Muslims offer prayer only and no other activity is undertaken by them.
In some mosques madarsas and Maktabs have been established but in most of the mosques even these institutions are nonexistent. Dr. Samdani advised the Muslims that they should use Mosques more and more for those activities which are legally permissible by ‘Sharia’ and undertake those activities which were under taken by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the rightly guided Caliphs used to do in Mosque.
Nowadays there is a concept of community centres; Muslims can use Mosques as community centres. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to receive delegations in mosques, prisoners were kept and taught in the mosque, religious teaching was also imparted in the mosque, the delegations were sent from the mosques, the matters relating to family disputes were also settled in mosque, and even Nikah also took place in the mosque. All these activities show that mosques can be used for all those purposes for which our beloved Prophet (SAW) used to use it, he added.
Dr. Shakeel Samdani requested the audience not to shut the doors of mosques on the ground of Maslak (Schools) because every Muslim has a right to offer prayer in Mosque, no Muslim has a right to deny entry in to a Muslim in the House of Allah (Mosque).
Former Advocate General, S.M.A. Kazmi said that Islam has established a system in which the Muslims gather five times a day in a locality, one time in a town or city in a week and two times in a year in a city and one time globally during Hajj. This is a unique system of Islam by which Muslims can spread the message of Islam to non Muslims and also lead a virtues life in this world. The program was organised at the historical Jama Majsid of Jahangirabad. The mosque was built by the rulers of Jahangirabad on the outskirts of Jahangirabad and is very spacious and beautiful.After partition it was mostly neglected but over the recent years its renovation has been undertaken.
Maulana Mushtaq Ahmad, President, Sunni Board and Qari Sameer also spoke on this occasion. The program was conducted by Shan Jamshed Khan. Other important personalities who attended the program include Mohammad Khalid, Secretary UMO, Tariq Siddiqui (Lucknow),Muft Haleem (Shahab Pur), Shakeel Salmani, Haroon Ansari (Zaid Pur) ,Zeya Khan(Barabanki) ,Mohd Kafeel & Master Abdul Rehman.the office bearers of Wakf committee, Jahangirabad, Irfan Ali,(Bareilly), Mohd Istefa (Barabanki), Mohd Tahir (Barabanki).