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.

Why did the Prophet ﷺ establish the masjid first? Because he understood that a Muslim community without a masjid is like a body without a heart—it may survive for a while, but it will never truly thrive. The masjid is where revelation was taught, where the Companions learned their religion, where disputes were resolved, where the community found its identity and direction.

Allah Himself commands us to maintain His houses:

[Quran,9:18,"The masajid of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided."]

And He declares:

[Quran,72:18,"The places of worship belong to Allah alone, so do not call upon anyone besides Him."]

These are not just places we visit for salah and leave. The masjid is where our children learn to love Allah, where new Muslims find their community, where the broken-hearted find comfort, where the confused find guidance, where the isolated find brotherhood. It is the anchor that keeps us connected to our Lord and to each other.

[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.

Think about the communities that have masajid. Parents drop their children off for Quran classes. Youth gather for basketball and halaqas. Families break fast together in Ramadan. New Muslims take shahadah surrounded by their brothers and sisters. Janazahs are prayed with dignity. Marriages are conducted with the community as witnesses. When someone falls into sin, they have a place to return for counsel. When someone faces hardship, they have a community that rallies around them.

Now think about communities without a masjid. Where do the children learn? From YouTube videos of unknown authenticity. Where do new Muslims go after taking shahadah online? They remain isolated, often falling away because they have no support. Where do families gather for Eid? In rented halls that feel temporary and disconnected. Where do youth find halal social opportunities? They don't—so they drift toward haram alternatives. Where does the janazah get prayed? Sometimes it doesn't, or it's rushed in a funeral home with no Muslims present.

The difference is not subtle. It is the difference between a living, breathing community and scattered individuals trying to practice Islam in isolation. And isolation is exactly what Shaytan wants. The Prophet ﷺ said:

[Hadith,Ahmad & Tirmidhi,"The wolf only eats the sheep that wanders away from the flock."]

The masjid keeps us together. It protects us. It reminds us who we are and Whose we are.

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Part Two: A Personal Journey and Call to Action

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let me share something personal with you. Over 20 years ago, I became Muslim while serving in the Army, right after September 11th. At that time, I was one of the people who hated Muslims. I believed what the media told me. I thought my mission would be to fight them.

But Allah guides whom He wills. Something clicked in my mind—there are almost two billion Muslims in the world. Could the media really be telling the whole story? I started reading. Not to become Muslim, but to understand what I thought I would be fighting against. And the more I read, the clearer the truth became. Within weeks, I knew I had to become Muslim.

But becoming Muslim and knowing how to BE Muslim are two very different things. I didn't know how to pray. I didn't know what was halal or haram. I had no Muslim friends, no Muslim family. My actual family rejected me. My chain of command in the Army made it difficult—sometimes refusing to let me pray, telling me it conflicted with training schedules. I would sneak away during breaks to make salah in corners, rushing through it before someone noticed.

I was drowning.

So I did what any new Muslim in that situation would do—I went online and searched for a local masjid. I found only one: the Erie Masjid, across the street from where we stand today. I came here nervous, not knowing what to expect. And brothers and sisters, this masjid saved my life.

The brothers here didn't judge me for my broken Arabic or my mistakes in wudu. They taught me patiently, step by step. They invited me to iftar. They called to check on me. They made me feel like I belonged. When my own family turned their backs, this masjid became my family.

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. And Conneaut is not alone—across Ashtabula County, in Fairview, in Geneva, in Jefferson, there are Muslim families scattered, isolated, struggling to raise their children with Islam when the closest masjid is 40 to 60 minutes away.

Do you know what that means? It means parents trying to teach their children to pray while competing with every distraction in the house. It means teenagers who have never prayed in congregation, who have never experienced the sweetness of standing shoulder to shoulder with their brothers in salah. It means new Muslims who take shahadah online and then have nowhere to go, no one to teach them, no community to support them—and many of them fall away within months because isolation kills faith.

It means that when someone dies, their janazah might not be prayed properly because there aren't enough Muslims nearby to form a proper congregation. It means Jumu'ah is missed because driving an hour each way every Friday isn't feasible for working families. It means Ramadan is spent alone, breaking fast with just your immediate family instead of the vibrant community iftars that make the month so special.

This is the reality for Muslims without a masjid. And the Prophet ﷺ knew this would happen, which is why he commanded:

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

Every neighborhood. Not just major cities. Not just where it's convenient. Every neighborhood where Muslims live.

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 spend thousands ensuring they have good schools, safe neighborhoods, opportunities for success in this dunya. But what about their akhirah? What about ensuring they grow up with Islam, surrounded by a Muslim community that will support them when we're gone?

We want Islam to stay in our families for generations. But that doesn't happen by accident. It doesn't happen without institutions. Without anchors. Without a house of Allah that will be there long after we're in our graves.

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

Do you understand what sadaqah jariyah means? It means ongoing charity—charity that doesn't stop when you die. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that when a person dies, all their deeds stop except for three things, and one of them is sadaqah jariyah.

A masjid is the ultimate sadaqah jariyah. Imagine: you contribute today, and 50 years from now, a child takes shahadah in that masjid. You get the reward. A young man learns to pray there and becomes righteous. You get the reward. A family breaks fast there during Ramadan. You get the reward. Someone makes du'a in that masjid and Allah answers it. You get the reward.

Even after you die, even after your children die, even after your grandchildren die—that masjid will still be standing, and you will still be earning rewards. Every single prayer prayed there, every lesson taught, every heart softened, every soul guided—all of it goes on your scale on the Day of Judgment.

This is not an expense. This is an investment in eternity.

[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.

The Question You Will Be Asked

Brothers and sisters, let me leave you with this: One day—and that day is coming for every single one of us—you will stand before Allah. And He will ask you about your wealth. How you earned it and how you spent it.

What will you say when He asks, "I gave you wealth, I gave you health, I gave you the opportunity to establish My house in a city that had none. I placed it right in front of you. What did you do?"

Will you say, "O Allah, I was too busy"?

Will you say, "O Allah, I was saving for a bigger house, a nicer car, a vacation"?

Or will you say, "O Allah, I gave what I could. I contributed to Your house. I helped establish a place where Your name is remembered, where Muslims gather, where children learn Your Book, where hearts are turned to You"?

Brothers and sisters, wealth is a test. Comfort is a test. The opportunity to give for Allah's sake is a test. We will all be tested, and we will all be asked about how we responded.

The Companions understood this. When the Prophet ﷺ called for contributions, they raced to give. Abu Bakr gave everything he owned. Umar gave half of everything he owned. Uthman funded entire armies. Why? Because they understood that this dunya is temporary and that every dirham spent for Allah's sake is worth more than all the gold in this world.

We are not asking you to give everything. We are asking you to give something. Whatever Allah has blessed you with—give a portion of it for His house. And trust that He will replace it with something better, because He promised:

[Quran,2:261,"The example of those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah is like a seed 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."]

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. ]