Today's salatul jumah, or Friday Prayer, was conducted by the Islamic Center's permanent imam, Shaikh Moataz Al-Hallak.
Shaikh Moataz focused his lecture on children and young adults in the Muslim community. The Imam cited the recent terror scares on Christmas Day and early December, noting that both incidents involved parents that preemptively reported their children's potential terrorist activities.
The imam commended the actions of the parents, as most Muslims do, but also asked the million dollar question of, 'how is it that the children do not know better?'
He did not provide an answer for the 300+ listeners; instead he stressed the importance of educating and showing attention to one's children. Once a parent fills their child's cup, another person cannot easily empty and refill that cup with a despicable substance.
Shaikh Moataz reminded the audience why orphans are of immense importance in Islam. Without the rulings and rewards surrounding the act of caring for orphans, these children would be left to their own devices and preyed on by others. He claimed that the real orphans were children whose parent's were living yet were slaves to their job or another worldly pursuit.
Imam Moataz concluded the lecture by driving home the idea of giving sufficient attention to one's children. It is the parents' duty to raise the child to know better. And for that to happen, they need to pay close attention.
