 A
mosque is the building in which Muslims worship God. Throughout Islamic
history, the mosque was the centre of the community and towns formed around this
pivotal building. Nowadays, especially in Muslim countries mosques are found on
nearly every street corner, making it a simple matter for Muslims to attend the
five daily prayers. In the West mosques are integral parts of Islamic centers
that also contain teaching and community facilities.
Mosques come in all shapes and
sizes; they differ from region to region based on the density of the Muslim
population in a certain area. Muslims in the past and even today have made use
of local artisans and architects to create beautiful, magnificent mosques.
There are however, certain
features that are common to all mosques. Every mosque has a mihrab, a
niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca; the direction towards
which Muslims pray. Most mosques have a minbar (or pulpit) from which an
Islamic scholar is able to deliver a sermon or speech.
Other common features include,
minarets, tall towers used to call the congregation to prayer. Minarets are
highly visible and are closely identified with mosques. Normally there is a
large rectangular or square prayer area. It often takes the form of a flat roof
supported by columns or a system of horizontal beams supported by architraves.
In other common mosque designs, the roof consists of a single large dome on
pendentives. There are usually separate prayer
areas, with separate entrances for both men and women.
Mosques have developed
significantly over the past 1400 years. Many have courtyards containing
decorative pools and fountains, which originally supplied water for ablution
before prayer. Nowadays however, more private bathroom and toilet facilities
are provided. Originally simple structures with earthen floors, now, mosque
floors are usually covered with plush carpet. They are more often than not
decorated with straight lines of geometric designs that ensure Muslims stand in
straight rows to perform their five daily prayers.
There are never any images of
life or statues in mosques, for in Islam it is forbidden that such things are
kept or displayed. . At times, the interior walls of the mosque are decorated
with verses from the Quran in Arabic calligraphy, or with intricate geometric
designs. The patterns are made from a variety of materials including mosaics,
stucco, stone, ceramics, and wood. The more classical designs are referred to
as arabesque, and they take the form of a radial grid in which circle and star
shapes are prominent. Designs can be both two, and three-dimensional.
More often than not, even in arid
desert countries mosques are cool, serene havens. When a person enters a mosque
he or she would have left the hustle and bustle of the material world and
retreated into a calm shelter or sanctuary. Mosques are houses of worship. Men
are expected to pray all five daily obligatory prayers in a mosque, in
congregation. Although women are welcome to pray in the mosque it is more
praiseworthy for them to pray in their homes. Nonetheless, Muslims are permitted
to pray anywhere, excluding filthy or impure places such as toilets or in
graveyards.Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him,
said, “The entire earth was made a masjid for me”. Masjid is the
Arabic word for mosque. However, while the term mosque has come to mean a
building specifically for prayer the word masjid has retained several layers of
meaning.
In the very literal sense, masjid
means place of prostration. The Arabic word comes from the root “sa-ja-da”
meaning to prostrate. When a Muslim’s forehead touches the ground, he or she is
close to God. Prayer establishes the connection between the believer and his
Lord and prostration symbolises complete submission.
Many people have
incorrectly stated that the word mosque is not a translation of
the word masjid. They claim that the word mosque comes from the word mosquito
and attribute it to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of 15th century Spain.
However, the words mosque and mosquito are totally unrelated.
The word “mosque” was introduced
into the English language in the late 14th or early 15th century from the
French. It comes from the French word mosquée from the old French word
mousquaie. The French, in turn, derived the word from the Italian word moschea
from moscheta. The Italians got it either directly from the Arabic word masjid
or from the old Spanish mesquita.
Thus we can see that the
translation of the Arabic word Masjid, into English becomes mosque. A mosque is
a house of prayer, and a place of prostration. It is a building designed and
built specifically for the worship of Allah. It is where Muslims stand shoulder
to shoulder, united in their love for God and their desire to please Him.
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Mosque is the house of God and those who block that in ruin their lives/afterlife
(1) And who are
more unjust than those who forbid that Allah's Name be glorified and mentioned
much (i.e. prayers and invocations, etc.) in Allah's mosques and strive for their ruin? It was not fitting
that such should themselves enter them (Allah's mosques) except in fear. For them there is disgrace in
this world, and they will have a great torment in the Hereafter.
( سورة البقرة ,
Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #114)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
In Mosque it is forbbiden to have sexual activity for its holiness
(2) It is made
lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum
(the fasts). They are Libas [i.e. body cover, or screen, or Sakan, (i.e. you
enjoy the pleasure of living with them - as in Verse 7:189) Tafsir At-Tabari ],
for you and you are the same for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive
yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you. So
now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allah has ordained for
you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn
appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete
your Saum (fast) till the nightfall. And do not have sexual relations with them
(your wives) while you are in I'tikaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly
activities) in the mosques. These are the
limits (set) by Allah, so approach them not. Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat
(proofs, evidence, lessons, signs, revelations, verses, laws, legal and illegal
things, Allah's set limits, orders) to mankind that they may become Al-Muttaqun
(the pious - See V.2:2).
(
سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #187)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
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Mosques are not habitat to the disbleivers
(5) It is not
for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness
of Allah), to maintain the mosques of Allah
(i.e. to pray and worship Allah therein, to look after their cleanliness and
their building,), while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The
works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.
( سورة التوبة ,
At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #17)
(Arabic, Transliteration, Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
Mosques are habitat of the beleivers
(6) The
mosques of Allah shall be maintained only by
those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat),
and give Zakat and fear none but Allah. It is they who are on true
guidance.
( سورة التوبة
, At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #18)
(Arabic, Transliteration, Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
Some Mosques, secting are used to divide Muslims
(7) And as for
those who put up a mosque by way of harm and
disbelief and to disunite the believers and as an outpost for those who warred
against Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) aforetime, they
will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good. Allah bears witness
that they are certainly liars.
( سورة التوبة , At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #107)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
Mosques pure in worship of God to be distinguish from Mosques that serve other purposes
(8) Never stand
you therein. Verily, the mosque whose
foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand
therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And
Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure [i.e. who clean their
private parts with dust (which has the properties of soap) and water from urine
and stools, after answering the call of nature].
( سورة التوبة ,
At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #108)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
One of the greatest Mosques is Al Aqsa Mosque
(9) (And We
said): "If you do good, you do good for your ownselves, and if you do evil (you
do it) against yourselves." Then, when the second promise came to pass, (We
permitted your enemies) to disgrace your faces and to enter the mosque (of Jerusalem) as they had entered it before,
and to destroy with utter destruction all that fell in their hands.
( سورة الإسراء ,
Al-Isra, Chapter #17, Verse #7)
(Arabic, Transliteration, Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
Persecution of Mosques and its Muslims happened over the years
(10) Those who
have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: "Our Lord
is Allah." For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of
another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allah is mentioned much
would surely have been pulled down. Verily, Allah will help those who help His
(Cause). Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.
( سورة الحج , Al-Hajj,
Chapter #22, Verse
#40)(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian)
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God promised the land to those are habitat to Mosques
(11) Those
(Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin
Iqamat-as-Salat [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salat
(prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the
Zakat and they enjoin Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam
orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that
Islam has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur'an as the law of their country in
all the spheres of life]. And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters (of
creatures).
( سورة الحج
, Al-Hajj, Chapter #22, Verse #41)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
Mosque are ordained by God to be raised for his worship
(12) In houses
(mosques) which Allah has ordered to be raised
(to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is remembered [i.e. Adhan,
Iqamah, Salat (prayers), invocations, recitation of the Qur'an etc.]. Therein
glorify Him (Allah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings,
( سورة النور , An-Noor,
Chapter #24, Verse
#36)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
The real Mosque is for God and only God and non but God
(13) And the
mosques are for Allah (Alone): so invoke not
anyone along with Allah.
(
سورة الجن , Al-Jinn, Chapter #72, Verse #18)
(Arabic, Transliteration,
Urdu, Yusuf Ali, Shakir, Picthal, Mohsin Khan, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Malay, German, Bosnian, Russian) |
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