Sarda Grand Mosque

Friday sermon on 31-8-2018

1-9-2018

-        Shortly before the noon call to prayer on Friday... corresponding to 31-8-2018... I went with my son "Mohammad" — his position among my children is number 6 — who works in software as an engineer at Asal Technology Company...... and my son "Amr" who is the baby of the family and his number in the sequence is ...8... and is a student at Birzeit University, in his third year — Mechatronics Engineering... we headed toward the Sarda Grand Mosque... with its distinctive location and design, and an admirable view of the sea of Jaffa.. from afar... and we intended to perform the duty of Friday prayer..... despite the existence of several mosques.. in our residential area in Al-Bireh... there was a reason, because it was on my mind. After performing the prayer.. to meet my distinguished friend, the veteran journalist Hisham Abdullah (Abu Amir).. whose family in Sarda owns a vineyard of Sarda grapes that are irresistible... at the entrance to the town, in vast areas.. and on the main road.. and this Abu Amir is one of the town's notable men, as he was the head of the local council in the town.. and his father, the martyr Abu Mashhoor.. was the village mukhtar.. for a long time.... so we said.. we will perform Friday prayer... and take what we can of some of the grape clusters from the land of our friend Hisham.

-        We entered the mosque, and performed the initial rites with two rakʿahs as a greeting after entering.... the mosque was full ... of believers ... from the various areas ... surrounding Ramallah and Al-Bireh.. the mosque's hall is spacious... and it is newly built, and its domes and minarets captivate the onlookers..... This large mosque, to my knowledge, was donated for construction by a Palestinian benefactor residing in the United States.. in honor and in loyalty to the memory of his little daughter... who died of illness early... and this generous benefactor spared no expense that could increase the mosque's beauty and size, and the Islamic mosaic.. that appears stunning.. and pleases the viewers.... a panel... from which the fragrance of the past wafts, with its beautiful designs.... and we thank this benefactor greatly.. for this generous donation, from a faithful soul.... for this sacred building, which adds beauty and splendor ... to the entire area... and we must not forget to thank the dear friend Hisham Abdullah.. Abu Amir and his family in the town of Sarda.. who donated the large piece of land on which the mosque and its facilities were built... as a generous donation from them, to erect this mosque .... the pride ... may God reward them all with every good...

-        I will not be long, the mosque's preacher ascended the pulpit.. and I was astonished at the youth of this preacher, as he appeared to be a handsome young man in his thirties, clean-shaven... wearing a suit and a tie..... which increased his handsomeness and charm.... and when he began reciting the sermon ... I was very pleased that he chose a contemporary title.. which we urgently need.. and it is one of society's pressing issues that imposes itself. Namely, preparing our children for knowledge and raising them properly... and his argument was that focusing on educating the children is a religious and national duty on every father and mother.. for through knowledge.. society is elevated and advanced, strong, and its children become strong, leaders.. endowed with the courage and will to liberate the homeland... from the occupation.. and society from the vices that befall it.. and increase in these days.. and it lays strong bricks in building a cohesive strong society.. far from sedition.. because sedition's enemy is knowledge and it nests in the bosom of ignorance... and he focused on this topic.. educating children, boys and girls.... saying that without knowledge and work .. neither a foot will move for us .. nor will we advance .. a step.... The eloquent preacher continued... the handsome one... who did not address issues from the old yellowed papers that put the worshippers to sleep, as happens with some imams..... rather everyone was riveted to him, following him as he spoke... and he addressed the teachers, imploring them.... and told them that their responsibility is the preparation of the children, and engineering their minds in a manner that aligns with knowledge .... and strong faith. , . not weak, flimsy.... open-minded . and not rigid.. and likened the teachers to the stars ... of the sky by which children are guided.. and urged them that their stars must not disappear... lest the effect of that darkness spread. We all must address the teachers in an elevated, dignified manner... and his telling them that they are responsible, and that they are among the most important elements of society... a strong indication to this group of society, which is responsible for the current generation, and the generations that follow... that we must give them their due .. and not as they are now.. neglected.. marginalized... their spirits broken.... and that we must lift the injustice from them because they are the beacon of our children.. and the beacon of the parents as well.....

-        The sermon was sober.. and I praised God, and I wished that pulpits would be raised like this preacher's... The current social issues are many, and their afflictions are numerous.. and if we do not line up as one front, small and large, in confronting the era's vices with an open mind and heart... and we build our children's generations, and equip them with blossoming knowledge ... and balanced modernity.. and avoid extremism.... then on the contrary, farewell to our society... the occupation will remain... and drugs will spread .. and the moral restraint will wither .. and respect between generations will vanish... and there will be no reference for all sectors... Faith armed with knowledge... and modernity in thinking is a bulwark built in the edifice of society... to stop the advance .... of decline and the erosion of fertile soil.. for the generations.......

-        And before I conclude.... to my great regret, I did not find my friend Hisham Abdullah (Abu Amir).... and therefore I did not carry any Sarda grapes... and we contented ourselves with performing the prayer... and we prayed to our Lord.. to feed us when we meet Him.. from the clusters of the grapes of Paradise... after the long lives of everyone....

-        May God accept your acts of worship