Sūrat al-Baqarah
Section 14 of 59 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Masjids, and Who Receives Leadership
Allah (swt) then treats of a matter not raised before: the barring of people from the remembrance of Allah (swt) in the masājid, and the effort to destroy the masājid themselves. This is wholly wrong; it is what the Naṣārā did, and it must not happen. He speaks too of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, and of its building by Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) and his son.
A further point:
۞ وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَـٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“When his Lord put Ibrāhīm to a test with certain Words, and he fulfilled them, He said, “I am going to make you an Imām for the people.”He said, “And from among my progeny?” He replied, “My promise does not extend to the unjust.”” (2:124)
True leadership in religion will never fall to the wrongdoers; it belongs only to the sincere. What is meant is not the headship of a committee or of an organisation, but true religious leadership in the hearts of people.