Alhamdolillah!

On Saturday, January 20, 2024, the Sachse Muslim Society had it’s grand opening of the main prayer hall. It was a long journey of a year, with help of Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala, the renovation completed and the daily 5 prayers began in the new building.

If you were to enter the Sachse Masjid on the night of its grand opening, the sight would take your breath away. On the outside, strung light bulbs provided a soft glow in the rain, and on the inside, under the banners and balloons, over 2,500 people were buzzing with excitement. The masjid was packed to capacity, both in the prayer halls upstairs and downstairs, and the entire program was livecast on the masjid’s youtube channel (@SMSMasjid) for anyone who was unable to attend.

The night started with maghrib salah led by our renowned qari and imam, Shaykh Ramadan Elsabagh, followed by a heartwarming recitation of Surah Nur. Some Nadhirah and Part Time Hifdh students from Sachse Quran Academy (SQA) also recited portions of the Quran. SQA comprises various Islamic education programs offered for kids by SMS, including Sunday School, Nadhirah classes, and Part Time Hifdh programs.

President of the SMS board of directors, Rasheed Mohamad, introduced the SQA programs to the community, showing us a glimpse of what the programs are like for the students through a montage. After this, students from different grades of the SQA Sunday School came forth to present nasheeds and address the audience. Students from level one put on an endearing performance with puppets to portray the characters of the nasheed. Next, a group of boys from the youth junior level shared some wisdom with the community regarding the importance of having a masjid as the center of society and how unity within the community strengthens the ummah and sets up youth for future success. Lastly, girls from level five sang along to Hasbi Rabbi by Sami Yusuf, and they couldn’t help but grin the entire time. Their joy was infectious, and the nasheed performance definitely worked to hype up the crowd alhamdulillah.

Next up, Shaykh Ramadan talked to the community about how beneficial it is to be involved with local masajid and to support their growth. This enlightening talk was followed by an introduction of the rest of the board of directors, who then presented the expansion plans and vision of the Sachse Masjid. Alhamdulillah, in the span of a year or two, the capacity of the masjid has doubled to about 1,500 people. This was followed by a video featuring clips from the masjid’s soft opening for Jumuah the day before.

Once the community was familiarized with the growth plans of the masjid, keynote speaker Doctor Omar Suleiman, founder of Yaqeen Institute and imam of Valley Ranch Islamic Center, inspired the community with some gems about how our donations and support for a growing masjid can become a source of endless reward for us, even after our passing.

To wrap up the night, Shaykh Ramadan led the community in dua, and reminded everyone to become a Sachse Masjid Pioneer by donating monthly and building the future.

Alhamdulillah, the event was a sensational success, and the electric vibe remained alive through the night as the community feasted on samosas and an assortment of sweets, chatting away about our hopes for the future of the Sachse Masjid and its vibrant community.