Wish List - Masjid

(pic cilok from cibil - boleh kan...?)

A friend asked me one time, for some possible things to do at his area's newly formed masjid (in Bangi) so that it attracts youngsters to frequent the joint.

To me, we should bring it back to what it was before. Masjid is pusat ibadah (which includes administering/governing) - isn't god kingdom heaven & earth, and we are the governors (for the earth portion at least). Where best to govern if not from masjid. So I proposed some ideas to him, among others:

1. Learnings, kuliah subuh not just on Islamic studies/feqah/tauhid stuff, but also on economics, how to participate in stock markets. How to read annual reports and those accounting stuff.

2. Saturdays - entrepreneurship seminars - minimal fee/perhaps sponsored by tabung masjid/lecturer takes minimal token (duit minyak - aloo minyak mahal woo!)

3. Games in compounds of masjid - Hmmm, what kind? How about takraw, volleyball, badminton, tennis (if compound big enough), basket ball. Only after Asar, and 20 minutes before azan maghrib stop game - kalau tak, sunat kan lagi sekali sekor2.

4. Cafe, wifi - ok, pushing it.

5. Library - full ok, not just buku agama. Macamana nak jadi ahlil kitab, kalau tak baca kitab.

6. Site for Kids Camp (call it Khemah Pimpinan Ibadat if u want to), where kids get thought about life, some history of the world - esp. the part how the Muslims got to such a low level today, leadership, purpose of life, unity

and all this, non-muslims can join too. We want to bring unity, not dis-unity remember? Ya ayyuhannas remember? Islam is for everyone, not our copyright.

But at the end of the day if I remember correctly, that masjid turned out like the ones we already have. Sigh! .. so much for asking for ideas...

On another note, a write up by a guy named Hamizul on Masjid & kids here and a good article by SS Dr Asri here