How to build a heart that is attached to the Masjid

All praise is due to Allah, and His praise and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, his family, his companions, and his followers until the Day of Judgment. I bear witness that Allah is the only one worthy of worship, and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is his last and final messenger.

My dear brothers and sisters, first of all let me say that I'm so glad that we all — الحمد لله — made it. We fasted 30 days of Ramadan, prayed together, came together, we prayed Eid together, most of us, الحمد لله. And those who I have never gotten the chance personally to wish — a very happy Eid for you for years to come. You and your family and the Muslim Ummah and the world, in peace and prosperity. Allahumma Ameen.

The Masjid in Ramadan and Beyond

In Ramadan it is very noticeable that people increase in number in the masajid. Every masjid is telling me how this Ramadan, ما شاء الله, was filled with people. Salatul Eid had so many people coming to the masajid. Some masajid prayed four or five prayers just to accommodate the number of people. And that's something so good to see — that our community is getting attached to the masjid more and more.

So I thought it would be appropriate today to remind myself and my brothers and sisters of the importance of making your heart attached to the Masjid. Because this is something not only for Ramadan — it should be something all year long. Yes, I know Ramadan has its own special flavor, but the issue of you being attached to the masjid is not restricted only to a month, or a few days, or certain occasions.

The Seven Under the Shade of Allah

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, in the very famous hadith in Bukhari and Muslim — in the hadith of Jabir and others — he said صلى الله عليه وسلم about the seven people that will be in the shade of Allah on the Day of Judgment:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 660; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1031)

The shade of Allah is thrown on the Day of Judgment — and to explain what the shade means — he said: "A man whose heart is attached to the Masjid."

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said it means someone who loves the Masjid. The attachment — like when you're attached to someone, you love someone. You're attached to the Masjid. And مُعَلَّق — it's like when you hang something. As if the heart, even if your body leaves, your heart is left there. And this is a very interesting way of saying it. I want you to reflect upon this — attached to the Masjid.

The Right Reason for Coming to the Masjid

That's interesting — that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is saying that your heart is attached to the Masjid. Because I have seen, especially among the young people who hear my khutbah today — now, or later on online — make sure that your heart is attached to the Masjid for the sake of the salah, for the sake of the ibadah. Not because you hang out with your friends. Not because it's a social gathering. Not because it's fun. Not because of food. Not because of any other reason other than: I am here because I want to pray. I love salah. I want to be with Allah. That's the number one reason I'm coming to the Masjid. And that's so important — attached to the Masjid.

And the Masjid also shows you a level of sincerity. It's not because it is my group. It's not because they are from the same background. It's not because of my ethnic background. No, it's not a party issue or a national issue. The Masjid is for Allah. The Masjid is for Allah. So my attachment to the Masjid is for the sake of Allah.

This Applies to Both Men and Women

Also, when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said "a man whose heart is attached to the Masjid," it is not restricted to men. The scholars said this also applies to women. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned men specifically because Salatul Jumu'ah is obligatory on men — and also for women to have their hearts attached to the Masjid; it includes women as well. The rules are different — Salatul Jumu'ah is obligatory on men but not on women — but the attachment of the heart applies to both.

This Applies to the Young and the Old

Also, this hadith is not only for the elderly men, not only for the shuyukh. It also includes the youth — the young and the old. This hadith is general and it must be kept general. The young people should be attached to the Masjid, should love the Masjid, should think about the Masjid — it should be part of their priority.

And unfortunately we need to work a lot on this issue with the young generations — to make them attached to the Masjid. And one of the worst things we can do to the youth is to de-attach them from the Masjid. Even I see in some communities when I travel — "Oh, the Masjid is not important, more important is a youth center, a social club." These are good, but the Masjid is the foundation. There is sometimes an unintentional effort to de-attach people from the Masjid, and that's not a good thing.

The Words of Ibn Mas'ud

Ibn Mas'ud رضي الله عنه said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 654)

"Take care to be where the adhan is called — where the Masjid is — because these are the ways of guidance. And if you leave them, you will be misguided."

Winning the Heart, Not Just the Body

I love the fact that the hadith focuses on the heart and the attachment of the heart to the Masjid. That's why it's not enough to force your kids to come to the Masjid. That means I have to win my child's heart — I have to attach my child's heart to the Masjid. Not only as a parent, but as an imam, as a community — we all have to work together to make sure that hearts are attached to the Masjid collectively.

So it is not just being there. It's not just fulfilling some financial responsibility. These are good, but it's not enough if the heart is not there. I love when I hear someone saying, "I just got a bonus," or "I got my tax return — I'm gonna put part of it to the Masjid." Or someone says, "I think the Masjid needs this, I think the Masjid needs that." Some people, when they buy a carpet or something, they come to me: "Shaykh, I saw this very nice carpet — do you guys need a carpet?" Or, "I found this beautiful air freshener — how about if we bring it to the Masjid, Shaykh?" Even somebody who came and said, "Shaykh, I want to put a fish tank in the Masjid, I'll pay for it, just to beautify the Masjid, and I'll take care of the finances for years." It's just somebody thinking about how to make this a good place. That's a heart that is attached to the Masjid.

How many times have we seen people stop and come in — people I know from Dallas and Austin passing through — and they say, "Shaykh, we're going to Galveston, but when we were passing by I said, I need to stop and pray. I go to Galveston, I want to make sure I go to the Masjid and pray as well." That's a heart attached to the Masjid — wanting to be there. Even when they travel, they look and search for the closest Masjid, they need to visit. Somebody who passes by a Masjid says, "Let me go check it out, let me pray two rak'ah there."

Some people, when they are sick or traveling for a long time, they feel so sad that they have not been to the Masjid for a while. They miss the Masjid. That's a heart attached to the Masjid. Not someone who says, "Oh man, I have to go back now to pray Jumu'ah — I was on a long break, traveling for a month." Or, "Oh man, I have to go for Isha." That doesn't show that the heart is attached to the Masjid.

Signs of a Heart Not Attached

Be careful to be like the one who is in such a rush — like burning on the stove — where the salah finishes and the first thing they do is rush out. You find them outside before the imam has even finished.

Allah said that one of the signs of the hypocrites — those who don't truly believe in Allah — is that when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become uncomfortable, as if they shrink. Their face tightens. But if you mention someone else — some celebrity, some worldly matter — they are talking, joking, laughing, very relaxed. It's not a bad thing to relax, to have fun, to joke and laugh about other things — that's fine. But what is not fine is that you're so comfortable spending so much time in that, yet when Allah is mentioned, when the Quran is mentioned, you feel uncomfortable. That is a sign that something is wrong.

Those Who Are Not Distracted from the Masjid

Allah told us that those whose hearts are attached to the Masjid will never be distracted — not by wealth, not by work, not by business, not by family. Allah says in the Quran:

"Men whom neither business transactions nor selling distracts from the remembrance of Allah, establishing prayer, and giving zakah."

Allah said: neither business transactions nor selling. If anyone here does business, they know: when you purchase, there is no guarantee of profit. You might be stuck with the merchandise, the value might go down, you might not be able to sell it. There is hope but not a guarantee. But when you sell — you have guaranteed the money. You got your money back, you got the profit. That's the best moment in business — when you sell, not when you buy. That is when the profit is guaranteed.

So Allah said: even when the profit is guaranteed, that will not distract them from the Masjid.

How to Attach Your Heart to the Masjid

How can I attach my heart to the Masjid? Remember — the Masjid is the house of Allah. If you love Allah, you love His house, and you love to be with Him. Attach your heart to Allah, and your heart will automatically be attached to His house. When you love someone, you love to visit that person. If you don't like to go home, there is a reason. If you can't wait to get back home, there is a reason.

Al-A'mash once had a fight with his wife. Al-A'mash — it was easier to pull his teeth than to get a hadith out of him, he was so careful. So Al-A'mash went out and started teaching people. They said, "Oh, you like us today?" He said, "Not really. But I guess I like you more than the one inside — that's why I came out of my house." So when you are attached to someone, you will love to be with that person, love to spend time with them. So when you love Allah, you immediately feel love for the Masjid. When you sit in the Masjid, it is as if you are sitting in His house with Him. And who would not love to be in the company of Allah?

The Example of the Prophet's Own Life

One of the things to help you — look at the way of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The first thing you notice: the Prophet built his house right next to the Masjid. I know several people who, when they look for a house, ask first: "Where is the Masjid? How far is the Masjid from the house?" When the Prophet prayed Fajr, he would stay in the Masjid. When he returned from travel, before going back to his house, he would go to the Masjid and pray first. How many of us feel that way — coming from the airport and going to the Masjid first?

The Prophet's Final Journey to the Masjid

I cannot think of anything that better represents this idea than this narration. Aisha رضي الله عنها said: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, in his illness, was being supported between two of his companions — Al-Abbas and Ali, or Usama ibn Zayd and Al-Fadl ibn Al-Abbas — there are two narrations. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was putting his hands on their shoulders because he wanted to go to the Masjid, but he was so exhausted from the fever he could not walk on his own.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 664; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 418)

Aisha رضي الله عنها said: "I could see two lines on the sand from the feet of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — he could not even lift his feet to take steps. His feet were being dragged along the ground, making two lines behind him." Yet he still wanted to go to the Masjid. And he went, and sat there. This is Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم — القلب المعلّق بالمسجد — the heart attached to the Masjid, attached to the salah.

Aisha's Description of the Prophet's Relationship with Salah

Aisha رضي الله عنها said: He would spend time with us, help us, work with us, socialize with us, joke with us, smile and laugh with us. But when the time of the salah came, he would leave — as if he did not know us and we did not know him. His heart was attached — to the Masjid and to the salah — صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The Companions and Their Attachment to the Masjid

Not only the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — some of the companions would be so sick that they were barely able to stand, yet they would stand up and hold their brother's shoulder just to be able to stand in the row, because they had no chairs. I can only imagine — so many of our أهل الكراسي today, if we didn't have chairs, some of the brothers you see in the Masjid might need to hold on to someone because it is genuinely hard for them to stand. Yet look at how the companions prioritized being in the Masjid.

The Salaf and Missing the Jama'ah

Look at how the Salaf cared about being in the Masjid and caring about salah in the Masjid. Sa'id ibn Zayd once missed Salatul Jama'ah. He was holding his beard and crying that he had missed it. And one of the scholars, rahimahu Allah, also once missed Salatul Jama'ah, and he was in tears. Someone asked him: "What happened?" He said: "If I lost my business — something happened to my business, it got burned or ruined, or in modern times a car accident — I would have a hundred people come to give their condolences. But wallahi, missing Salatul Jama'ah is worse than losing all my business."

Anas ibn Malik and the Conquest of Tustar

Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه — whenever Tustar was mentioned, he would cry. Tustar was one of the great jewels of Iran and the Persian Empire, one of the greatest cities of the Persian kingdom. It was conquered by the Muslims. So someone asked him: "You cry on the day when Allah gave victory to Islam and the Muslims?" He said: "Yes. Because on that day, we missed Salatul Fajr — we were engaged in battle all night and we missed Salatul Fajr. And wallahi, catching Salatul Fajr is more beloved to my heart than conquering Tustar."

This is a heart attached to the salah, attached to the masajid. And if you're attached to the salah, your heart will automatically be attached to the masajid.

Practical Steps to Build the Attachment

How do you do that? Get in the habit of not rushing out. Stay an extra minute. Make your adhkar. If you don't have to rush, don't go. It was said that Ata' — the masjid used to be his home for 20 years, studying with Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما.

Make sure that you bring your children to the masajid if you can — especially on weekends, especially on days when they can come for Isha when it's not too late for school the next day. Give them the habit of coming to Salatul Fajr. Give them the habit of coming to Dhuhr, to Asr.

The Masjid Deserves Our Care

A heart that's attached to the Masjid cares about the Masjid being clean and organized. I'll be honest — it hurts me. Anybody who has junk at home and wants to get rid of it — they come and put it in front of the office. We're not the Salvation Army. It's not like you have extra stuff you don't need and you just dump it in the Masjid and want to make yourself feel good by saying "it's for donation." Whenever you do that, you know that we don't have that kind of service. Some people just don't think it through.

And it hurts when our children — I don't know, even if your home is not clean — the Masjid should be clean. Why would somebody urinate on the floor of the Masjid? Of the bathroom? Why would somebody flush diapers in the toilet? Why would somebody leave food and drink and be so careless, not even cleaning up after iftar or suhoor? Especially among the young people — if this is how your room looks, something needs to change. And by the way, the good examples are far more — الحمد لله. I'm just giving you an example because I care.

That's why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that one of the good deeds you earn is when you see something in the Masjid and you pick it up. Not just pass by as if someone else will take care of it. Even in the parking lot — don't pass by as if it's someone else's job. It is our Masjid. It's not any one person's — it is our Masjid. We take care of it, we make it clean, we make it better. I want the best for it. بيت — it's not a commercial building, it's a house, a home. You have to have that homey feeling.

The Rewards of Being Attached to the Masjid

Remember — those whose hearts are attached to the Masjid are in the shade of Allah on the Day of Judgment. Remember that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: for each step that you take to the Masjid — going and coming back — Allah gives you reward for each step.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: those whose hearts are attached to the Masjid, those who spend time in the Masjid, stay in the Masjid, come often to the Masjid — they will live in goodness, die in goodness, and when the Day of Judgment comes, they will be as if free from sins, like a newborn child. Whoever prays the five daily prayers, always in the Masjid, and stays in the Masjid as much as they can, he has accumulated acts of worship as vast as the earth and the sea.

Remember the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: those who establish the Masjid and support it are the true believers in Allah and the Hereafter. Good company will help you. Good imams, good leadership, good management, good facilities — all of this will help to attach the heart to the Masjid. The Masjid being free from dispute, fighting, politics, and things that divide the community — this will help make hearts attached to the Masjid. Good programs for youth and families will make the heart attached to the Masjid.

Du'a

May Allah make us among those whose hearts are attached to the Masjid. May He forgive our sins and bless our community. May He bless our Masjid. May Allah bring quick relief to our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Gaza. May Allah make things turn around against those who are abusing them, killing them, and massacring them, and against those who have forsaken them. May Allah protect their blood and give them victory over those who have turned aggressively against them. I ask Allah to bring relief to all people who are suffering around the world.