By Dr. Jasem Al-Mutawa

Source: Al-Farha Magazine

There was once a man who would tour the states of America, and whenever he found a state where the Muslims residing there don't congregate for prayer, he would rent a flat situated in the heart of that state, invite the Muslims living near to the rented property, and have them congregate for prayer. Then he would offer the Friday sermon, and after he would tell the, "I'm here for one week to train the imam how to deliver the sermon and establish the prayers. I've rented this place to be your masjid and your place of gathering. I don't have money, so you all must continue to pay the rent because this is your place and it's all yours."

Then he'd leave them, having helped them to congregate and establish prayers. He'd then go to another state to do the same thing. That's how he goes around the USA, calling to Islam.



When I met him, I asked him about the number of masjids he had established using this smart method. He cheerfully replied to me, "I haven't counted them, but they're more than three hundred."



It's a smart idea which costs nothing more than action and initiative, which subsequently helps people gather around that which is good. This incident affirms one of the religious scholar's sayings, who was once approached by one of the students who was expressing his discontent with the vice that had spread throughout the land. The scholar turned to him and said, "Son, the supporters of evil have lifted a banner of evil, thus people gathered behind it, so you lift a banner of goodness and people shall gather behind you."



Initiative is the ritual we've long waited for. It's required that a pioneer is undaunted, brave, has put his trust in Allah, Most High He is, and is willing to go through with the initiative despite obstacles. If we take a look at the lives of all successful, creative people we find that this quality called initiative is one of the most vital qualities they possess. How would one ever expect a person to establish more than three hundred masjids in the USA without even owning a single dollar? Truly it's with planning and initiative that humans achieve astonishing results.

Relevant to this topic, I mention an incident where a man was separated from his wife for a whole year. He wanted to go back to her but didn't know how, so I advised him, "You make the initiative of break the ice by phoning her."

He asked me, "What if she refused?"

I replied, "Try once again."

He said, "And if she turns me away?"

I replied, "Try for a third time, and eventually the doors will open for you."

That's exactly what happened. Therefore, initiative is a ritual we've long waited for.



This article has been translated with slight modifications to the original text. Quotations are not accurate.

Original text from Al-Farha Magazine, Issue 139, page 66.