Importance of Mosques
The name of the place where Muslims worship is called a Mosque, or Masjid in Arabic. Each Muslim community of reasonable size generally has at least one mosque (or Islamic Centre); although in countries where the majority of the people are Muslims, there will be a mosque in every neighbourhood. One of the main reasons for this is that the mosque is a very important part of the Muslim community and activities there are not simply limited to prayers. It is a place of learning, socialising, celebrating and more. Furthermore, because men are strongly encouraged to pray their compulsory five-times-daily prayers at the mosque, it is practical that mosques are close at hand wherever a Muslim may be. By Muslims meeting and greeting each other throughout the day it helps to keep them in touch with one another and builds a close-knit community where everyone knows and is able to support one another.
Above: Xian Great Mosque in China.
Whilst it is not asked of women that they attend the mosque on a daily basis, if they wish to go to the mosque there is nothing preventing them providing that they dress in the appropriate Islamic manner.
On Fridays, the holy day for Muslims, men (and women if they choose to) attend a congregational prayer at the mosque and listen to a short sermon (known as a khutbah). During the 'Eid celebrations, congregational prayers are also often attended at the mosque, but it is preferred for them to be held outdoors.
Despite the fact that one of the reasons for building mosques is so that Muslims have somewhere to pray, this does not mean that they cannot pray elsewhere. Indeed, Muslims regard the entire earth as a mosque and can therefore pray anywhere that is religiously clean. Places like toilets, for example, are not suitable for prayer.
Features of mosques
Whilst all mosques vary in their specifics, partly because each country usually adds its own cultural uniqueness to their mosques, they usually have some features in common:
v Minaret - the minarets are tall towers (varying in number) that protrude skyward from the mosque. Here the muezzin (caller to prayer) will call Muslims to the mosque at prayer times, five times a day. In predominantly Muslim countries this call will often be broadcast over loudspeakers. In countries such as New Zealand however, it is not permitted due to issues relating on noise control. Often then, these mosques, and those smaller mosques, do not have minarets.
v Ablution area - because making ablution (or wudu) is a prerequisite for prayer, mosques will always have a dedicated area for this purpose. Washing of the feet is a necessary part of making ablution, so the washing area will usually be designed to make this easy. Often there will be fixed seats in front of the taps so that the person can sit down to make ablution.
v Separate prayer areas for men and women - as intermingling between the sexes is discouraged in Islam, mosques are usually designed in such a way so that there are separate areas for men and women. Sometimes this may in the form of different rooms, of a single room with a curtain down the middle, two different levels (one for men and one for women), or any other arrangement that suits the purpose. It is usual therefore, for men and women to enter through different doors also.
v Minbar - this is a series of steps that act as seats, where the Imam (leader of the prayer) sits on Fridays or other special occasions (such as 'Eid). The Imam does not sit on the top step as this was only done by the Last Messenger of God - Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The minbar is positioned in such a way to face the congregation. Near the minbar there is often has an alcove in the wall to project the voice of the Imam into the mosque's prayer area when he leads the prayer.
v Direction - purpose-built mosques will be built in such a way that the prayer area faces towards Makkah (Mecca), as this is the direction Muslims face when they pray.
v Design - Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) original mosque in Madinah consisted of a square courtyard with mud brick walls and palm tree trunks for columns. It is on this design that many mosques are fashioned. The columns that form the archways are designed to look like the palm tree trunks. Mosques also tend have a dome, which is often what characterises them.
Famous and Important Mosques
The mosques are some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. To Muslims, there are three very important mosques, each of which have special significance.
1. Masjid-al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque)
Located in Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia, this is the most sacred and holy place to Muslims in the world. It is where Muslims face to in all their daily prayers and where they travel to on pilgrimage. Due to the holy nature of the mosque and therefore Makkah, only Muslims are allowed to visit Makkah.
Above: Masjid-al-Haram in Makkah. Rows of worshippers can be seen in every part of mosque, on all levels, including the uppermost in the foreground (the roof).
In the background, four of the mosque's minarets stand tall and in the centre of the mosque, the Kaaba.
In the very centre of the mosque is a small building shrouded in a black cloth, known as the Kaaba. As part of the pilgrimage, Muslims circumambulate (cirle) the Kaaba seven times and attempt to touch the Black Stone that protrudes from one of the corners of the Kaaba. The Kaaba itself is empty and is not entered into. Non-Muslims often mistakenly think that Muslims are somehow worshipping or idolising the Kaaba. This is not true, it is merely a focus point for prayer and pilgrimage to unite Muslims worldwide - not the focus point OF prayer and pilgrimage.
Above: A close-up of the Kaaba.
Underneath the mosque is the well of Zam Zam where visitors to the mosque can go and quench their thirst. This is a spring that has been gushing forth water from the desert since it was discovered by Hager, the wife of Abraham (PBUH), thousands of years ago. Since then, the city of Makkah sprung up around the well and supported life there. The water of Zam Zam itself is pristine and contains many health benefits. It seems to be endless in supply as every day millions of litres are pumped out and taken to surrounding towns and bottling factories, not to mention the many visitors to the mosque every day that drink from the many taps that it feeds into.
2. Masjid-al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque)
This is the second most revered mosque in the world for Muslims. It is located in Madinah (Medina), Saudi Arabia, about 500km from Makkah. Like Makkah, the city of Madinah is only accessible to Muslims. The Prophet's Mosque is often also one of the places visitors to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage visit.
Above: The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia
3. Masjid Al-Aqsa
This is the third more holy mosque to Muslims and is located in Jerusalem, and as a result has been a means of disagreement between Muslims and Jews, who also share a holy site not far from Masjid-al-Aqsa.
The reason Muslims regard this mosque of great importance is because this is where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) left earth and travelled to heaven (and returned) as part of his Night Ascension, during his lifetime.
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