RNA – Speaking on August 21, the anniversary of the burning of al-Aqsa Mosque by a Zionist, which also marks the International Day of Mosques, Ayatollah Mohsen Faqihi said: “Good morals along with proper behaviour towards the youth would attract them to attend mosques more often.”
The morning of August 21, 1969, a fire engulfed the southeastern wing of the holy al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem al-Quds. Denis Rohan, an Australian citizen set fire to the pulpit of the mosque, which is one of the holiest shrines in Islam.
The member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom said: “I spend a lot of my time dealing with the young generation and I believe Iranian youth are eager to learn more about religious teachings more than ever before, to prove this, we can see how enthusiastic they are to participate in religious ceremonies, New Year’s celebrations at holy sites and prayer ceremonies during the Nights of Power.”
Ayatollah Faqihi stressed on the necessity of encouraging the youth to attend mosques by means of modern and attractive ways, he added, “Mosque authorities including their custodians as well as the prayer leaders play a significant role in attracting the young generation to attend religious ceremonies.”
Explaining that the main reason that people became interested in Islam and led them to support the Prophet Muhammad was his good manners, he added, “If we really wish to make our youth more interested in going to the mosques and attending religious ceremonies, we must aim at protecting them from cultural invasions.”
In this regard, His Eminence said we need to exhibit good morals in our behaviour and make efforts to promote the sincere and friendly communication with the public, only then can we attract the youth generations to attend mosques.
“We also need to provide them with valuable content to make a basis for their effective cultural and social activities,” he said.
Ayatollah Faqihi adding that mosques should develop and implement attractive and educational cultural and missionary programs for teenagers, especially in the summer time, as well as the recitation and interpretation of the Quran, entertainment programs, competitions and book-reading contests for the children.
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