Mosque (Masjid)
The Mosque called “House of God, House of Muslim prayers, House of worship, and Place of worship” or any building where Muslim communities are gathered for prayers called Mosque or Masjid.
A Muslim place of worship of Allah Almighty, usually having one or more minarets and often decorated with the tracery and text from the Holy Book Al-Qur’an. Qur’an is the Holy Book of Allah Almighty.
Meaning of Mosque (Masjid)
Mosque word is derived from an Arabic word “ Masjid “, and its meaning is “Temple”, “Place of Worship” and “ Building Architecture”. The Mosque is very important religiously and politically, and it can be modest structure, such as the greatest masjid in Spain named is Qurtaba.
The Muslim Community and practitioners of the Holy Islam come together here and offer prayers for one of the most merciful, be of beneficient, Lord, King, and Everlasting in rows facing in the direction of the Holy city of Makkah called “Kiblah”.
Mosques Definition:
The mosques is also called in Arabic “ Masjid” or “Jamia”, an open area of prayers in Islam. The Arabic word masjid means’ Place of Prostration’ to Allah, God, Lord, and also the same words are used in Turkish, Urdu, and Persian.
In Islam, there are two types of majid distinguished; The masjid Jamia, A large Muslim state that has controlled that mosque that is the center of community worship and the site of Friday prayer services.
And the other one is operated privately by various groups within societies. Some Muslims prefer to use the Arabic Language term and discourage to use the “Mosque” word in English.
It is a basic mistake and it is related to the English word “Mosquito” and this is the derogatory term. Other some languages prefer to use the Arabic term called “Masjid” It is accurately described in Arabic which is the language of the Book Qur’an.
First Mosque in Makkah:
Quba Mosque is the oldest and First Masjid. This Mosque was Built by Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW while migration from Makkah to Madina. When the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stayed at a place Near Madina,
He ordered his companion to build the Mosque during the period of 622 AD. This Mosque was named “Masjid-e-Quba. Muhammad SAW lead his companion in the Construction work.
The reward of the prayer and reciting the Holy Qur’an in the Quba Mosque is immense from other Mosques. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that:
One who prayer in the Mosque of Quba with ablutions gets the same reward of Umrah.
Muhammad SAW
Pilgrims go on a pilgrimage to the Mosque Quba after visiting Holy Prophets Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) tomb in Madinah.
Which Part of Mosque to call for Followers for Prayer :
One of the most visible aspects of Masjid Structure is the minaret, a minaret is attached to a Masjid, from which the call to prayer is given aloud. Each architecture has a different style of minarets.
Minaret shape is the tall slender tower, typically it is a part of a Mosque, with attached from the balcony and “Muezzin” calls Muslims to perform a prayer.
i.Muezzin:
The muezzin is an arrived from the Arabic word “Mu’addin”, in Islam a muezzin call for prayer (adhan) five time in a day (at dawn, noon mid afternoon, sunset, and nightfall) and he also calls “Jummah” and “Eid”.
The Muezzin face each of every compass direction in turn ( East, West, North, and South) and caries each direction:
“ Allah is most Great, I testify that there is no God(Allah) but Allah, I testify that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Prophet of Allah, come to prayer, Allah is most great, There is no God but Allah.”
The institution of Muezzin existed since the time of the Holy Prophets Muhammad (peace be upon him). Bilal ibn Rabah(r.a) was the first muezzin of Holy Islam, he was a former slave.
He was born in Makkah and it is considered to the first Muezzin in Islam chosen by Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself.
Master PieNce Islamic Architecture (Not Mosques):
There are some of the famous and Islamic heritage and staggeringly rich architecture are described. Here a list of a few of the iconic mosques, tombs, and fortresses below, which is not a Mosque it is Tomb, fortresses.
i.Taj Mahal:
Taj Mahal is located on the Yamuna River in a vast Mughal garden that is encompassed approximately 17 hectares (the final of the dome of the central mausoleum stands 240 feet [73 meters] above ground level) in the Agra District Uttar Pradesh.
It was constructed in 1632 (A.D) by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in his beloved wife named Mumtaz Mahal was constructed over the 20-year struggling period of the famed complex one of the outstanding architecture examples of Mughal, which is the combination of Persian, Indian, and Islamic.
Taj Mahal is not a Mosque it is a Tomb.
It is situated at the center of the whole area of the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal contraction is started in 1632 (A.D) and completed in 1648 (A.D), and with mosques, guest house and the main gateway on the south area, courtyard and cloisters were added subsequently and it is completing duration is 1653 (A.D).
The existence of several historical, Qur’an inspections in the Arabic Language script and some of facilitate setting the History of Taj Mahal.
For Taj Mahal construction masons, in layers, stone cutter, carvers. Calligraphers, artisans were requisitioned from all over the Empire and also from central Iran. Ustad Ahmad Lahori was the main architect of the Taj Mahal.
ii. The Great Samarra:
The great samarra (situated in Iraq) was contracted by Abbasi Khalifa Al- Mutawakkil around 850 (A.D), It was probably the Largest Masjid in the world, it is a total area of nearly 42 acres.
It is built out of baked brick, with blue glass. Most of the architecture was destroyed during the Mongol invasion led by 1258 (A.D), but the samarra is the most intriguing feature.
This is 170-foot and 52-meters of the minaret. The Samarra minaret is built in a circle shape like a cone, it unclear why the builders chose the conical or round shape.
Some of the people say about samarra minaret it slightly resembles an ancient ziggurat. Samarra is not a Mosques it is a Tomb.
iii. The Citadel of Aleppo:
Some of the most precise works of architecture in the middle east are the medieval fortresses in the cities such as Cairo, Arabia, and Damascus.
This is one of the best remaining examples of Islamic architecture is stands on the top of a hill in the middle of the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Inside the wall of the citadel, there are residences, chambers, wells, mosques, and defensive materials, everything is needed to hold out against a long siege. Citadel of Aleppo is not a Mosques it is a Tomb.
Some Famous Mosques of the Word.
- Masjid Al-Haram (Makkah, Saudi Arabia)
- Masjid-e-Nabawi (SAW) (Madina, Saudi Arabia)
- Blue Mosque (Istanbul, Turkey)
- Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey)
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Abu Dhabi)
- Masjid Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem, Palestine)
- Badshai Masjid (Lahore, Pakistan)
- Faisal Masjid (Islamabad, Pakistan)
Largest Mosques of the World
1. Masjid Al-Haram (Mecca)
Masjid Al-Haram is the largest Mosque of the World with the Capcity of 4,000,000 Namazi at a time. It is sitated in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
2. Masjid-e-Nabawi (SAW)
Masjid-e-Nabawi is also included in to the larger mosques of the World. It is the second most largest Mosque of the World. It has a capacity of 1,500,000 Namazi. It means 1,500,000 peoples can offer daily prayers at time. It is situated in Madina, Saudi Arabia.
3. Grand Jamia Mosque (Karachi)
Grand Jamia Mosque is the third Largest Sunni Mosques in World. I has a Capcity of 800,000. It means Mosque Attendacne could be 80,000 at a time. It is situated in Bahria Town, Karachi, Pakistan.
Top American Mosques
These are the Well-Known and Top Mosques of America
- Mother Mosque of America (U.S.A)
- Islamic Center of America (U.S.A)
- Islamic Center of Washington, America (U.S.A)
