I had the fortune of calling out the Adhaan, Iqaamah as well as leading the Salaah. I'm sure that you must be thinking that I was indeed very fortunate � here's how come:

There is a Masjid that I attend frequently; I'm not resident in the suburb and it's not the closest to me, yet I go there by vehicle (about 5 minutes drive) due to the fact that they have stipulated fixed times for salaah and they even accommodate patrons whenever and wherever necessary, for example, when the time for Isha salaah came very early, the Adhaan time scheduled to be 19:00 was changed to 19:15 after a number of musallees signed a petition requesting the change.

I arrived at the Masjid directly from work at 16:16. Asr Adhaan time is scheduled at 16:15. There was nobody present upon my arrival and I did not hear any Adhaan being called out. I then proceeded to the toilet, thereafter made wudhu and by 16:25, there still wasn't anybody else.

By this time I was feeling quite strange (I'm sure that you must have had an experience where you sometimes mis-read your watch and jump into a frenzy, rushing about), and checked and re-checked the time to see that I didn't make a mistake.

At 16:30 I went outside and waited to see if anybody was coming.
At 16:35, I went back in and decided to call out the Adhaan.

As the Adhaan "room" is locked I could not call out the Adhaan using the sound system, so I just called it out, went into the Masjid, called out the Iqaamah and read my salaah. By the time I finished my salaah and left the Masjid � still nobody arrived!

THUS: I felt it imperative that I write (and speak) about this.

The only person who can possibly be excused is the Muezzin, who at Zhuhr time had mentioned that his wife was in hospital. Other than that, where was everybody else?

There are a number of Ulama and Huffaaz resident in this suburb. Its become fashionable nowadays to prefer reading salaah in the Madrasah even though its right next to the Masjid, so that "accounts" for some of the Ulama.

Others were still out, so they can be excused. Who else?

Oh yes, the businessmen and working people � they were all at their respective places. Some businessmen have even made "Jamaat Khanas" in their shops, another fashionable trend. OK, so they are also "excused".

Those men who may have been at home didn't hear the Adhaan being called out, so they are also "excused". And, the (younger) youth were all in the Madrasah whilst the elder youth were studying for exams. OK, also "excused".

Obviously, anybody else who may have been ill couldn't come to the Masjid, thus they are also "excused".

Well, take a guess what � maybe we should amend our ruling that the Muezzin open the Masjid 15 minutes prior to each salaah and lock it again 15 minutes after each salaah � maybe we should only open it on Fridays and special "big nights" and Ramadhaan and definitely the 2 Eids (isn't that when the Masjid is really full?)

Seeking forgiveness… To everybody out there who reads this:

If you are offended by anything I have written, please forgive me. Over and above that, point out to me what in particular has offended you. My intention in writing this is to bring home to you the situation we are faced with � you know best how accurately this has a bearing to you in your life and community. Much has been said and written on the virtues of salaah in the Masjid. Similarly, the warnings on discard of salaah with jamaah.

I humbly appeal to you to analyse your own situation and I make dua unto Allah that He keeps us steadfast on the Straight Path and does not make us from amongst those who have earned His Anger nor of those who have gone astray. Aameen.