masjid

• Background info


  - Arabic term ' masjid' translates as ' place of prostration' meaning Muslim place of worship

  - Whilst masjids exist around world, it should be noted Muhammad said "the earth is a masjid for you so pray wherever you are at the time of prayer"
• First Masjid in Madinah

  - Madinah was where Muslims migrated to from Makkah and were able to freely practice their fain

  - First masjid built here by Muslims soon after migration (the camel)

  - Despite the masjid covering a large area of land, the structure itself and its design was simple + basic (7th century)

  - Primarily , this masjid was used as a place of worship, however, it had other uses too.

  → E.g. it contained a Madrassah where the early Muslims came to learn about their religion / used as a refuge by the poor, needy, and travellers as the entrance was a shelter

  - Other uses included a military base and a place for medical treatment

  - This masjid was considered the hub of the ummah
• Masjids in the UK

  - With approx 5% of the population identifying as Muslim, there is a need for mosques in UK

  - With some masjids being purpose-but buildings, others are converted houses and even converted churches

  - Quran provides few instructions on the design - the only requirement is to be clean

  - Masjids in UK mirror that in Madinah in sense that they are primarily used for prayer - contain water facilities, space for shoes, and a prayer hall

  - However, differ as they are not used as a military base, don't settle legal matters, and do not play a political role
• 2 Main Functions of the Masjid

  1) Religious

  - Used as place for salah to be offered and includes water faculties to perform wudhu

  - Religious celebrations take place at the mosque (eg. Eid)

  - Contains a madrassas

  - Each masjid led by an imam who is considered the leader of that community

  
  

  2) Social

  - Social gatherings after prayers (e. g. Friday prayer)

  - Used to pass condolences when a Muslim dies

  - Social events, such as charity events, can also take place here

  
  

  -Due to its many uses, the masjid is viewed as a community centre of sorts
• Muslim Institute of Trust

  - Organisation that argues for a masjid to truly serve community it must have a prayer hall, parking facilities, water facilities, a library, a madrassah, and boarding facilities

  - Argue that as many mosques don't have all of these, they must be deemed unfit for purpose

  - Believe that basic facilities catered for Muslims in 1960s + 1970s - Muslims today have a different set of needs

  - M.I.T. also critical of imams today , who they argue are out of touch with the people they are supposed to be leading

  →E.g. some imams unable be speak English so communication becomes a problem