"The Five Daily Prayers: Moving from Obligation into Joy" Khutbah by Maria Khani (10/26/18)

Returning khateebah Maria Khani delivers the 46th khutbah for The Women's Mosque of America on October 26, 2018. In this motivational khutbah, Sr. Maria discusses the multiple meanings of the word "salat" in the Qur'an and how it means more than just the five daily prayers. She also gives a reflection on the words of the adthan (the call to prayer) and on wudu (ritual wash before prayer), and she shares her personal journey of viewing prayer as an act of fear and duty to viewing it as an act of joy, rest, and contentment.

Sr. Maria Khani is a Syrian American who was born in England and lived in France, India, Syria and Holland. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in French Literature from the Damascus University in Syria.

Khani has been a board member at Access California Services since 1998, a nonprofit family resources center in Anaheim, serving Muslims, Arabs and various other ethnic groups.

Maria taught at the Islamic Institute of Orange County for 20 years and served as the chair of the women committee.
Interfaith has always been a key component in Khani’s life. She is a board member of the Orange County Interfaith Network, OCIN–the umbrella of thirteen interfaith councils in Orange County. Maria is also an active member in three interfaith cities’ councils.

In 2008 she joined the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department as a chaplain, and in 2015 Maria serves as the Senior Muslim Chaplain. In 2014, Khani became the Muslim chaplain for the Orange County Sheriff’s jail.

In 2012, Khani and her daughter together founded “A Country Called Syria”, an exhibit dedicated to educating the American public on Syria’s rich history and culture, as well as its valuable contributions to the world. The exhibition has toured across Southern California and in 2016 A Country Called Syria became a (501) (c3) non-profit organization.