Boring Friday Sermon

I attended the Friday sermon at Masjid Terapung today and I must admit, the sermon was really, really boring!

As with many other mosque in BN's controlled states, Masjid Terapung's sermon had to be based solely on prepared text. So as accordance to Hari Pahlawan/Patriot's Day on the 31st of July, the title of the sermon was something like, "Memperingati Hari Pahlawan". Or Merai, or something close to that matter, I don't really remember.

Now don't get me wrong, I have the highest respect dan menyanjung tinggi mereka semua. Without their brave hearts, what would have become of Malaysia. They sacrificed a lot for their future generations, even though it meant they wouldn't live to see them. Portuguese, Holland, the Brits and Japan all witnessed first hand our patriots' courage and strength. Hats down to them all!


But why the Friday sermon? Of all places, why there? Heck, the audience wasn't even right. Old men who were incapable physically and small boys who couldn't even understand the sermon all together. And the sermon asked people to be always prepared to give it all to the country.How could these group of people do that? Schools would be a much better location for such speech.

And not to mention, in a list of steps taken by the government to help patriots, the khateeb didn't forget to mention about sending kuih-muih raya to armed forces stationed overseas. Wow, what a contribution!

I remembered a few years back when I atended a Friday sermon at a masjid in KL. The title: How to prevent Aides mosquitoes. Now khateebs even act as health directors! Fuh, I never knew.

The step to enforce khateebs to read prepared text, if I'm not mistaken, was taken to prevent political 'smelling' sermons at masjeed. But how many masjeeds were actually giving politic sermons were there? If any, it was only one or two PAS masjeeds. Most PAS masjeeds I attended have actually offer political free sermons.

The PAS masjeed behind Sekolah Menengah Sains Dungun's Friday sermon was really first class. The khateeb had a very 'lantang' voice. His eyes were moving from corner to corner, as if he were looking to every attendee in the eye. His grasp on the 'tongkat' was really tight, as if his life depended on it. And he was talking very enthusiastically, which in turn made us enthusiastic just by listening. It was very enjoyable.

This contradicts with khateebs in government controlled mosques. The khateeb is slightly above lifeless. They grasp the tongkat lightly, and hardly look at anyone. And the sermons, well, as above. Hence, the sermon was nothing more and nothing less than a boring speech by the Khateeb.