Why is mosque an important place?
In Muslim communities, the mosque is considered not only a place of prayer but rather the center of all Islamic life. The mosque is the vehicle by which Muslims engage in the affairs of the world, both as individuals and as com- munities.
Sitting inside mosques with the intention of doing 'Ibadah for the sake of Allah (I'tikaf) is also a form of worship in Islam. The importance of mosques is such that the first building the Prophet s.a.w. built when he reached Madinah was the mosque. It was primarily a place of worship for Muslims.
Firstly, it provides a safe place and environment for the worshipers to pray and contemplate. Secondly, Masjid is the hub of Islamic education especially for the children to learn Qur'an. Finally, the mosque helps Muslims learn more about the Islamic way of life and nurture their moral and spiritual development.
“A mosque is not an essential part of the practice of the religion of Islam and namaz (prayer) by Muslims can be offered anywhere even in open.” The phrase 'even in open' has its own connotation, but leave it at that.
One of the most visible aspects of mosque architecture is the minaret, a tower adjacent or attached to a mosque, from which the call to prayer is announced. Minarets take many different forms—from the famous spiral minaret of Samarra, to the tall, pencil minarets of Ottoman Turkey.
Beginning with Muhammad's own house, mosques came to be used for many public functions—military, political, social, and educational.
A great reward for building a mosque is being granted a palace in Jannah. Allah (SWT), our benevolent creator, will reward us for building His house of worship here on earth by building us a house in paradise!
Masjid Quba is where they constructed the foundation for Islam's first Mosque, a Mosque mentioned in the Quran itself in verse 108 of Surah Tawbah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said “Whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to the mosque of Quba and prays in it, he will have a reward like the Umrah pilgrimage.”
Prophet Muhammad (saw) informed us that Allah says that if a person builds a masjid to achieve His praise, Allah will construct them a comparable residence in paradise.
In South Asia, for example, 61% of Muslims in Afghanistan say they visit their local mosque at least once a week, while 59% in Pakistan and 53% in Bangladesh say the same.
Is mosque a legal person?
While courts have held that mosques are separate judicial entities, the privy council has an opposing view. It states that mosques are not separate legal beings and thus cannot be sued.
The simplest mosque would be a prayer room with a wall marked with a “mihrab” – a niche indicating the direction of Mecca, which Muslims should face when praying. A typical mosque also includes a minaret, a dome and a place to wash before prayers. Each feature has its own significance.
There are approximately 3.6 million mosques around the world, with each mosque massing approximately 500 prayers due to the rising Muslim population. The numbers were released by participants at an international conference held at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture — Ithra, Saudi Arabia.
Early mosques were constructed according to either the calculations of what direction qibla was approximately, or with the mihrab facing south, as that was the direction that Muhammad was facing when he prayed in Medina, which is a city directly north of Mecca.
Mosques also hold a special prayer service, called jumuah. This is done once a week. It is a form of Sabbath and replaces the Friday prayers at the mosque. Daily prayers can be done anywhere.
The English word "mosque" denotes a Muslim house of worship. The word evolved from the Arabic term masjid, which means "place of prostration." During prayer, Muslims briefly kneel and touch their foreheads to the ground as a sign of submission (literally, Islam) to the will of God.
Mosques commonly serve as locations for prayer, Ramadan vigils, funeral services, marriage and business agreements, alms collection and distribution, as well as homeless shelters. Historically, mosques have served as a community center, a court of law, and a religious school.
About four-in-ten Muslims say they attend religious services at least weekly, and a similar share say they perform five daily prayers (salah).
Mosques are the heart of the Islamic life. They serve for prayers, for events during Islam's holiest month Ramadan, as centers for education and information, places for social welfare, and also for dispute settlement. The imam is the religious leader of the mosque and the person who leads the prayers.
The first mosque built by Muhammad in the 7th century CE, possibly mentioned as the "Mosque founded on piety since the first day" in the Quran.
Where can a mosque be built?
Shariat law says a mosque can only be built on waqf (religious endowment) property or on land offered by the owner, said Mufti Arif Kazmi, professor of Islamic Law at Dar-ul-Uloom, Deoband. He also said namaaz must not be offered on any property without the owner's permission.
Istanbul: A City of Mosques.
Men are obliged to go to Friday midday prayers (Jummah) except if they are ill or too old to attend. Women do not have to go to Friday prayers at the mosque and instead may choose to pray at home.
The word Mosque مسجد mentioned 28 times in Quran 12 times as simple single word mosque, 15 times as Masjid al-Haram and 1 time as Masjid al-Aqsa . And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strive toward their destruction.
Building a mosque costs anywhere from $15,000 to several million dollars. Many factors determine the overall cost, including the mosque's size, location, and style. Many people donate to organizations that build mosques worldwide, which typically start at around $13,000.