Central Khutbah: “Toward the Palaces of Paradise”

There are moments when we realize that wealth means nothing if those dearest to us slip away, or if our children embark on the wrong path. What benefit is there in the fortune we earn if those who possess it spend it in ways that do not please their Lord? And what is the value of the wealth we leave behind to people who will not know how to preserve it?

If, on the other hand, we leave behind well-educated individuals, they will know how to find their way to material means and everything they need for life. And mosques are, without doubt, the best places where people are nurtured and where valuable members of the community are formed.

“The mosques of Allah are only maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, who establish prayer, give zakat, and fear no one but Allah. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance.” (At-Tawba, 18)

Caring for a mosque and contributing to its construction is a sign of living faith. It is important to remember this constantly, because such opportunities are rare and precious: they allow us to leave behind a lasting trace after departing this world and to increase the scale of good deeds we prepare for the Day of Judgment. A special motivation comes from the teachings (hadiths) of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ:
• “Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a palace in Paradise.” (Muslim)
• “Among the deeds of a believer that continue to reach him after his death are: knowledge he has taught, a righteous child he has left behind, a copy of the Qur’an he has passed on, a mosque he has built, a house he has built for the traveler, a stream of water he has provided, or a charity he gave from his wealth while alive and in good health, so that it may be distributed after his death.” (Ibn Mājah, hasan)
• “Whoever builds a mosque in which the Name of Allah will be mentioned, Allah the Most High will build for him a palace in Paradise.” (Ibn Mājah, sahih)
• “Whoever contributes to the construction of a mosque—even to the extent of a sparrow’s nest, or less—Allah will build for him a palace in Paradise.” (Ibn Mājah, sahih)

These hadiths clearly show the magnitude of the reward promised to those who build or contribute—even in the smallest way—to the construction of a mosque.

In today’s circumstances, especially in societies where Muslims are a minority, Islamic centers play an extremely important role. They become places where Islamic identity is preserved, where Muslim families learn their religion, deepen their knowledge, shape their character, and where new generations are introduced to the basics of history, culture, and tradition. They are also places where non-Muslims are presented with the true values of Islam, where they can hear about Allah, meet Muslims, and sometimes pronounce the shahada.

Islamic centers increasingly become bridges between communities: places where prejudices are broken, where the luminous image of Islam is shown—at a time when the media space is filled with distorted portrayals of Muslims and where the historical contribution of Muslims to science, civilization, and culture is knowingly neglected. Investing in such institutions means investing in all the good deeds (ḥasanāt) that stem from them.

The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, said:
• “You are in prayer as long as you are waiting for the prayer. The angels pray for each one of you as long as he remains in the mosque and nothing invalidates his ablution. They say: ‘O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him!’” (At-Tirmidhī, hasan-sahih)
• “Whenever people gather in one of the houses of Allah to recite the Book of Allah and study it together, tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them among those who are near Him.” (Muslim)
• “Seven categories of people will be shaded by Allah on the Day when there is no shade but His… among them a man whose heart is attached to the mosque.” (Al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

If our mosque strives to buy a place, adapt it, or build a new mosque or Islamic center, let us not wait for others to complete the task. This is an opportunity for us as well to contribute to a project that brings lasting benefit to ourselves and to future generations. Everyone can give according to his capacity and means, and the Lord will replace it for him—both in this life and in the Hereafter.

This is the correct understanding of tawakkul: to exert our effort, then place our trust in Allah, so that He protects us, preserves our children, and keeps us away from misguidance and the influence of Shaytān.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on November 14, 2025, at the “Association Islamique et Culturelle Al Rahma” in Differdange)