Principles of Islam
28. The Mosque
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28. THE MOSQUE
What is the role of the mosque in Islam? ‘Masjid’, or
mosque, literally means ‘a place for self-
prostration’, that is, a place formally designated for
saying the prayers. According to a
hadith,
the
Prophet of Islam observed: “The masjid is a house
of God-fearing people. This means, in effect, that it
is a center for the inculcation of reverence, where
individuals learn what is meant piety and are thus
prepared for a life of devotion to the Almighty.
The Masjid is built so that people may visit it to
read the Book of God, to remember their Creator,
silently in prayer, and to hear His commandments
on how they should lead their lives, that is, how to
conduct themselves according to His will.
The most important of all these activities is saying
of prayers, a ritual to be carried out five times day
as prescribed by Islam. This act of worship, the
greatest means of instilling a sense of awe in the
devotee, may be carried out at any place, but
ideally, is performed in an organized manner, in
congregation, within the mosque. There the
