The previous Saturday on Day 2, Tevfik Baba invited me for Jumah Prayers.
Alhumdulillah, I biked from Downtown Toronto and arrived in time at the Sufi Centre to take some photographs that weren’t possible earlier.
We read Jumah Friday Prayers, then hung around for a while.
By the end of my Jumah in the Sufi Centre there was possiblity of three–not just one–blog posts.
This first post will only be a few photographs and something of the Khutbah.
Professor Ahmet Sinav visiting from Turkey, Tevfik Baba, Imam Abdulvehab Hoxha.
Having arrived for Friday Jumah Prayers right on time, but still early enough that sisters weren’t here yet. I was able to photograph where women read their prayers.
Women have a choice as to where they may read their prayers. Behind a movable curtain, sitting on cushions beside the men’s area, or behind the men.
Turkish Art and Tilework. Islamic Calligraphy.
Greetings from the Province of Ontario Legislature acknowledging the Sufi Centre’s Fundraising and Relief efforts for Burkino Faso.
Another Greeting from the Province of Ontario Legislature acknowledging the Sufi Centre’s Fundraising and Relief efforts for Burkino Faso.
Adhan al Jumah. The Friday Call to Prayer.
Imam Abdulvehab Hoxha about to deliver Jumah Khutbah, The Friday Sermon.
The Sufi Centre has only been open a few years. It is a Destination Masjid.
People may not be familiar that Jumah Prayers are offered here. In time that will change. Today, we are one full line of men and few women who are present to read Jumah Prayers.
Down the street, one of the first Masjids in Toronto dating to the mid 1970s, The Bosnian Islamic Centre, has also seen fewer but a consistent number of Muslim pray there. BIC is a Neighbourhood Masjid.
Imam Abdulvehab Hoxha delivers his sermon in Arabic and English. I was expecting Turkish. I am pleasantly surprised to understand everything.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيراً مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضاً أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتاً فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicion is a grave sin (liable to God’s punishment); and do not spy (on one another), nor backbite (against one another). Would any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother?
You would abhor it! Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety. Surely God is One Who truly returns repentance with liberal forgiveness and additional reward, All-Compassionate (particularly towards His believing servants).
— Qur’an Surah 49, Ayah 12
His primary reminder today was not to back bite.
It was the same reminder Shaikh Faraz Rabbani had shared with us in SeekersHub the night before… all but just a few short hours ago.
Backbiting will consume good deeds as fire consumes wood.
another beautiful post from my favorite center.
When you get there, you feel like you’ve reached home.
I had a question in regards to something you mentioned in this post: what do the terms “Destination Masjid” and “Neighborhood Masjid” mean?
I probably have the right idea about the latter but would like to understand the context of it.
My take on the different types of Masjids around town comes from observing who is praying where and from how far did they come. Also, why did they come.
Bosnian Islamic Centre in South Etobicoke at 75 Birmingham has a congregation of people who literally walk to the masjid to pray. It’s close enough to their homes. It’s in their neighbourhood. The masjid is open for all five prayers, every day.
Down the same street, at 274 Birmingham Street is the Canadian Sufi Cultural Centre. People come from far away for Juma Friday Prayers. Unless there is a regular program scheduled like the Saturday night programs, the Sufi Centre is closed. Other than Jumah, and for the month of Ramadan Isha and Taraweeh, you can’t pray there. It is a destination Masjid.
Lastly, a Commuter Masjid. It’s on the way, it’s convenient, perhaps on a transit line. They are open for all five prayers and Jumah, and people know that. So, when they need to, they pray there. Masjid Toronto or Taric Masjid I will suggest are Commuter Masjids.
Whaddya think?
Thank you, that explains a whole lot.
And I am sure you have heard this already, but these have been truly beautiful and inspirational reads.