Indeed, Among You Are Those Who Repel Others

Yesterday, on the way back from the Isha prayer, I accompanied a virtuous brother from the people of the first row in the mosque... a cheerful and kind man, most distinguished by his gentleness with children in the mosque and his affection toward them. He told me about something that happened to him in his childhood that turned him away from mosques for 25 years, during which he did not enter any mosque, neither for Friday prayer nor for congregational prayer! From the age of 14 until he was thirty-nine. This piqued my curiosity, so I asked him about the reason, and he said:

"I felt that I was not welcome in the mosque... annoyance from the adults for the trivial reasons... once in my youth, I entered the mosque wearing a shirt with 'Chicago Bulls' on it, so someone kicked me out and said to me: 'Are you bringing a cow to the mosque?!' I felt that some adults were hostile toward me if I made a move or a sound! No welcome, no understanding that this is a young boy. Therefore, I intentionally act kindly with the young ones to make the houses of Allah beloved to them."

Then the brother told me how he entered the mosque after a 25-year hiatus, and that was in the year 2018. He heard a short lesson about a companion of the Prophet, which affected him, and then he continued. I now consider his heart to be attached to the mosques. Imagine the sin and crime of the one who repelled this brother from the mosques in his youth! Someone acts with rudeness and harshness and does not realize that by doing so, he may be recorded among those who hinder others from the path of Allah!

A man came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and said: "I stay away from the morning prayer because of so-and-so, due to how long he makes it for us." The Prophet, peace be upon him, was never seen angrier in an admonition than he was that day! He said: (O people, indeed among you are those who repel others. Whoever among you leads the people in prayer should be brief; for behind him are the elderly, the weak, and those with needs). This was because the Imam lengthened the prayer. So how would the Master of the Merciful, the one who was gentle with children, peace be upon him, react if he saw those who scold children and turn them away from the houses of Allah?!

And when? In this time when many Quran memorization houses and summer centers are being closed!! So where do you want our children to go after that?!

So to those who repel others: Fear Allah! Leave the children alone... if you cannot excel in making the mosques attractive to them, then spare them your harm! It is very natural for children to move back and forth in the mosques, to laugh, and for their voices to rise sometimes. They should only be alerted with kindness and friendliness if they disturb the worshippers. The presence of children is the life of the mosques, and they are the ones relied upon to maintain them in the future. Repelling them is an effort toward ruining the mosques without the repellers even realizing it.