As I dutifully make my way to the nearest mosque every Friday, I find myself wondering what the sermon of the day would be. Lately, I must admit that I have found myself becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the topics our preachers choose to dwell upon.
I am sure that readers would agree with me that sermons on historical occasions, while being informative, do not necessarily address real-time issues facing us in this country. And besides, there are plenty of well-researched books on Islamic history that provide a more thorough analysis.
Nor am I interested to learn of the happenings in Palestine or Iraq or anywhere else on this planet in a prayer hall. We have live TV and other organs of the media for that, and they are often descriptive enough to leave no questions unanswered. And along those lines, I do not want our imams to dwell on the ills of the East or the West. We have plenty of our own to worry us, have not we?
I would, on the other hand, welcome sermons that focus on topics that affect the residents of this country in their day-to-day life. Themes on social and civic responsibilities that seem to have been either ignored or forgotten.
I would like to hear a preacher address the evils of corruption and neglect of duty, especially among those in the civil service whose duty it is to provide efficient service to their customers. While our media often carry such news, very little is brought up in the prayer halls though our religion has a clear stand on such social ills.
The rights of workers are another theme that I would like to see more preachers take up in their sermons. Islamic teachings are very clear on this issue: We should be kind and just to those under our guardianship. There are many examples for this in Islamic history. These must be hammered out, week in and week out, to get the message across. There are those among us who continue to abuse the workers under their sponsorship.
The protection and cleanliness of our environment is another area our religious scholars should pay attention to. A drive around the city strikes me that this is an area of concern that should be brought up during Friday sermons. Those callous enough to throw thrash and litters on our roads may perhaps be alerted to the disastrous effects of such habits.
Our propensity to promise things we can’t deliver and our lack of discipline and ethics in the workplace should be another topic for our preachers to expand on. The need for adhering to traffic laws or standing in queues should be another. It is Islamic to be respectful of one another in such situations, and yet how often do we actually observe such dictums?
Tolerance of one another, regardless of faith or background is another tenet laid down by Islam. It could be a topic of sermon by preachers. How long are they going to discuss the same subjects again and again?
I do admit that occasionally they bring up subjects such as terrorism. There are other topics of equal importance and urgency. And while we are at it, I would like to see translated copies of such sermons distributed to non-Arabic speaking worshippers. A glance around any mosque during Friday prayers would convince you that a sizable part of the congregation is expatriates. Copies in Hindi, Urdu, Bangla, Indonesian, English and Filipino languages would facilitate a better understanding of Islam and its virtues.
Preachers should understand that their patrons come from all walks of life and from various professions. Friday congregations, when a majority of people, residents and expatriates, look to the pulpit for guidance, should thus be tailored to present-day concerns. The world is moving faster now; so should be the reaction of our imams.
It would be a shame not to take full advantage of such a captive audience.
