It was a true presentation of the spirit of our Deen to uplift, help and make positive contributions to society.

All praise is due to Allah with who’s majesty and favour all noble works are completed.

It is the desire of every Muslim to attain a high rank in the sight of Allah thereby securing success in both, this world as well as in the Akhirah.

However, very often we find ourselves overlooking the value of certain actions not realising that they may be weightier in our scales of deeds on the day of Qiyaamah.

Rasoolullah ﷺ has informed us of the rank of those who serve others in the following prophetic transmission:

عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إن لله عبادًا خلقهم لحوائج الناس، يفزع الناس إليهم في حوائجهم، أولئك هم الآمنون من عذاب الله

The companion Abdullah bin Umar may Allah be pleased with them both narrated that Rasoolullah ﷺ said:

Verily for Allah are selected servants who He created for fulfilling the needs of people. They are those towards whom people turn at their times of need, they are protected from the punishment of Allah.

He ﷺ also said:

عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما وعن ابن عباس ر ضي الله عنهما قال عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم «من مشى في حاجة أخيه كان خيراً له من اعتكاف عشر سنين، ومن اعتكف يوماً ابتغاء وجه الله جعل الله بينه وبين النار ثلاثة خنادق، كل خندق أبعد مما بين الخافقين»

The person who walks towards fulfilling the needs of his brother, that would be better for him than spending ten years in i’tikaaf/spiritual seclusion and the person who spends one day in i’tikaaf sincerely to please Allah, Allah will create three trenches between him and the fire of Jahannam, the size of each trench being further than the distance between East and West.

Based on this prophetic promise of reward, I wish to commend our West street Masjid trustees, committee,musallees, MASA, doctors, volunteers and community members for the invaluable contribution made via the vaccination drive. It was a true presentation of the spirit of our Deen to uplift, help and make positive contributions to society.

May Allah reward all those who participated and sacrificed with their time and resources selflessly for many weeks. May your special reward be preserved for you and your families on the day of Qiyaamah.
May Allah grant all of you barakah in your time and families. May He grant us sincerity in all our activities and honour us with acceptance..

Aameen

Qari Muhammad Sauleh Peck
Qari Huzaifah Essack
Qari Yusuf Osman

HOUGHTON MASJID HITS 50K #VACCINATION MILESTONE

HOUGHTON MASJID HITS 50K #VACCINATION MILESTONE

Johannesburg — Fifty thousand people have received either the Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Houghton Masjid (West Street), marking a major community milestone in the efforts to end the pandemic.

In the past few weeks, teams of volunteers have been ramping up our “VacciNation” campaign by opening up the HOUGHTON MASJID (West Street) parking area to the public as a “#VacciNation drive-thru” and reducing the wait time aiming to get more people vaccinated.

“The Houghton #VacciNation drive-thru has been incredible” said Premier David Makhura and committed to use the model throughout the province.

Numbers are as follows:

  • #VacciNationHoughton Masjid: 50 038 in 32 working days
  • Homebound #VacciNation: 701 (Included in Houghton Total)
  • Outreach #VacciNation: 4 939 in 16 events

“We will continue to see local outbreaks, which will hopefully be identified and contained in time. The most important aspect is that if we all continue to do our part, including encouraging vaccination and being vigilant, we will continue to advance toward the end of the pandemic” – Arshad Bodiat, coordinator of the #VacciNation Campaign.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers across the sites, our doctors, nurses and medics and the teams that make this possible each day. To the thousands upon thousands of citizens who have trusted us to give them their jab, we thank you.

THE NEXT PHASE:

Taking Vaccines to the people – Over the next few weeks members of our volunteer team and healthcare professionals will identify areas and communities that demand their right to be vaccinated. “We need to continue ensuring that we do what we can to make vaccination accessible, easy and convenient to the South African public and through our existing partnerships we aim to reach more people”, said Bodiat.

These outreach events will ensure that we maintain a committed team of volunteers.

The Houghton drive-thru site will continue till Saturday 11th September 2021 and will host a number of pop-up #VacciNation days to accommodate residents that require their scheduled vaccine, including the second Pfizer jab.

Some religious leaders not happy with limit number on gatherings

Church leaders say President Ramaphosa’s decision to reopen churches is a partially answered prayer. Faith-based gatherings are permitted with a limit of 50 people for indoor venues, and 100 for outdoors. eNCA reporter, Nqobile Madlala is out getting reaction to this decision. Courtesy #DStv403

 

Allah Ta’ala has made this world an abode of ever changing and fluctuating conditions. 

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah Ta’ala has made this world an abode of ever changing and fluctuating conditions. 

Allah Ta’ala says in the Quran:

الذي خلق الموت و الحياة ليبلوكم ايكم احسن عملا

(He has created death and life to test you as to who has the best of actions) 

Allah has promised great rewards for those who adopt Sabr/patience at the time of tests and adversities.

Allah says:

انما يوفى الصابرون اجرهم بغير حساب

(The person exercising Sabr receives an unlimited reward from Allah) 

Believers turn their hearts to Allah during adversity.

Allah Ta’ala says:

ما اصاب من مصيبة الا باذن الله و من يومن بالله يهد قلبه

(A calamity does not befall accept with Allah’s permission and he who believes in Allah, Allah guides his heart) 

During these trying times every person is enduring some type of stress, anxiety and even trauma. The most being experienced by those affected directly with Covid-19 and thereafter by those invaluable health workers and doctors who serve in hospitals along with those entrusted with burial preparations and rituals.

Rasoolullah ﷺ says in a prophetic tradition:

الله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون اخيه

(Allah assists His servant as long as he is in the service of his brother) 

Rasoolullah ﷺ also said ‘For me to assist a person in difficulty is more virtuous than one month of i’tikaaf/seclusion in Masjid al Nabawi.’ 

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Imams of West Street Masjid, Houghton to express our gratitude and appreciation to all the doctors and health workers of our community, those who are on the frontline trying to treat and be a means of support to families and individuals affected with Covid-19. 

We also equally express our gratitude and appreciation to all the brothers and sisters of our burial committee, who are selflessly sacrificing their time, fulfilling a community obligation of ensuring that our Muslims are honourably shrouded and buried with dignity in accordance with the teachings of Islam, even in these extremely trying time. 

May Allah accept all your efforts and reward you all abundantly. May He protect you and your families from all types of physical and spiritual harm and sickness

آمِيْن يَارَبَّ الْعَالَمِينْ 

Wassalamu Alaikum  

Qari Muhammad Sauleh Peck