Murshid 1

Masajid Around the World

Zunairah Murshid

Sr. Samar Abbasi

Senior Project

20 December 2021
Murshid 2

Abstract:

One of the reasons why masjids are an important part of many Muslim cultures as they

serve the community in so many ways. They help facilitate the activities of prayer, bringing

together the community, providing detail into the history of the past, relating to tradition,

bringing people closer to Islam, and strengthening the morale of already believing people. From

this, the contribution that mosques make to the daily lives of Muslims is evident, and its presence

is easily given importance.

The construction put behind masjids illustrates a great deal of care and effort put into the

work. Masjids also bring change through their appearance, with their different parts, mainly the:

minaret, mihrab, minbar, dome, courtyard, and prayer hall. All of these parts help masjids

function in the way they need to so they can carry out their duties. An example of a duty a masjid

is required to perform is the Friday lecture or the khutbah. Masjids also play a political role in

Islam, serving as places to discuss conflicts whether it be worldwide or only in a single district.

Though not applied nearly as much as in the past, the court systems in the past would stick solely

to the rules established by the prophet. These systems included judges and other forms of

discipline. When visiting countries all over the world, it is easy to lose oneself in the beautiful

and unique architecture present in each culture. In Islamic countries specifically, it is easy to lose

oneself in the structures created specifically for religious purposes—masjids. Masjids are a

principal part of the Islamic culture, serving as educational centers for religious engagement,

bringing the community together for worship and prayer, and providing Muslims with a

sanctuary to practice and grow their faith. This paper aims to describe the rich history of masjids

and investigate how the visual and historical aspects of masjids can solidify worshipers’ resolve

in Islam.
Murshid 3

What exactly is a masjid? Simply put, a masjid refers to a place for Muslims to worship

peacefully, and the Arabic term meaning specifically “place of prostration.” The first masjid ever

created was the Prophet’s masjid, or Masjid An Nabawi, one of the largest and most beloved

mosques in Islam created by the Prophet and his companions themselves. Though it may be one

of the more lavish masjids, it originally was small and simple. It was made from dirt and palm

trees, rather than the more refined architectural material present nowadays. However, these

masjids still serve important services to each and every Muslim. (Metmuseum.org, )

Masjids typically carry out a variety of functions that closely relate to a Muslim’s daily

life. The most prominent reason is that it is a safe place to pray in a group with your fellow

brothers and sisters, a place to form a community of sorts. This is incredibly important, as Ibn

Mas’ud explained:

“Masjids also serve as a facility for Islamic activities other than prayer, sometimes

serving as educational centers where people can learn more about Islam and its rulings.

This extends to all ages, both young and old, learning from different learned scholars

about the Quran and the hadeeth. During Ramadan, masjids will sometimes have

programs that provide suhoor (meal before Fajr) and iftar (meal at Maghrib). During

these events, there will be long tables seated with people with food being passed around

from person to person. These rituals play an important role in strengthening a sense of

belonging and community and provide new opportunities for friendships to form. All in

all, a safe place to connect with Allah and worship him alongside other Muslims.”

There are many masjids all over the world that serve the Muslim Ummah, but some of

the most well-known are the holy Kabbah and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Kabbah plays a primary
Murshid 4

part in enabling certain Islamic traditions and is visited by thousands of people annually in

Makah. The building itself has a cubic appearance and is covered by a black cloth with a strap of

gold Arabic words on it’s exterior. The door is covered by flaps of the black cloth, with more

golden and silver words embezzled onto them. This masjid has existed all the way since the

foundations of Islam, and it’s no surprise that whenever a Muslim prays, they direct themselves

towards the holy building. This direction is called the qibla in Islam, referring to the walls of the

Kabbah.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, or Masjid Al-Aqsa is another historical mosque that resides in

Jerusalem accompanied with a rich history. It has a golden dome and a semi-rectangular shape.

Though there is often conflict between Palestine and Israel near this mosque nowadays, it still

serves great importance to those who reside in Palestine and to Muslims all around the world.

Why are masjids so important in attracting people to Islam? Masjids offer a way for

non-Muslims to observe the house where Muslims pray, and they are a direct bridge to

introducing them to Islam. The main aspect of masjids that draws many towards Islam is either

how they look, or the religion of Islam itself. A famous example of a mosque that primarily

attracted people through an appearance on its own is the Taj Mahal, a gorgeous masjid which

attracts people with its design residing in India. Its dome, spires, and minarets are accompanied

by a small rectangular body of water surrounded by flowers. There are opinions from certain

Islamic scriptures regarding how masjids should be more modest, appealing more to Islamic

principles. However, those who decided to bend these rules or stray from them simply made

more lavish masjids in honor of Allah.

Murshid 5

Another reason masjids are important in Islam is because they help strengthen belief of

those who participate in Islam. Performing activities as a group boosts morale and pride within

the community, and generally make Muslims proud to be Muslims. Performing the

aforementioned activities such as congregational worship, spending important times of the year

worshiping, and other Islamic endeavors all help provide strong faith. Congregational worship is

greatly stressed in hadiths,, such as:

The Messenger of Allah (S) is reported to have said:

.‫ين دَ َر َج ً‏ة‬
َ ‫ضلُ َها ِب َسب ٍْع َوعِ ْش ِر‬ ِ ‫ َعنْ َع ْب ِد هَّللا ِ ب‬،ٌ‫ش َعيْبٌ َو َح َّد َثنِي َنا ِفع‬
ُ ‫ َقا َل َت ْف‬،‫ْن ُع َم َر‬ ُ ‫َقا َل‬ ‫‏‬

The reward of the congregational prayer is twenty seven times greater (than that of the

prayer offered by a person alone).

(“Congregational Prayer (Salat Al-Jama'ah) This means to say that in Islam, praying in groups is

given great importance, and when given the chance it is recommended. The greater people

participating in the prayer, the greater the rewards. The good deeds essentially get multiplied,

without any cost of sorts! Masjids offer an environment calm and ready for worship and most

notably congregational prayer, an important part of every Muslim’s daily routine and in Islam

itself. This aspect of Islam is obviously quite prominent that it had a hadith exclaiming that

one’s prayer after hearing the Athan and not joining a group essentially doesn’t amount to

anything at all.

Masjids are full of different complicated architectural structures, each with varying

names and functions. Some lay on the outside of the mosque, while others are visible from the

inside. One of the most important internal structures is the mihrab, an indentation in the wall
Murshid 6

indicating the qibla. Mihrabs usually have ornate decorations as they serve as a central point in a

mosque, thus are printed with words from the Quran and are made to stand out from the rest of

the masjid. (Metmuseum.org )A minbar is a podium where a learned scholar, or an Imam gives a

lecture during Friday prayer, known as Jumaah Prayer. These podiums tend to be ornate, made

from either wood or stone. The mihrab and minbar are structures near each other in front of the

praying area, so that they are easy to see. The praying hall is where the daily prayers and

additional prayers are prayed, often with a barrier between the men and women. The men are

situated in the front directly in front of the minbar and mihrab, while women are behind the

barrier.

There are more external structures of masjids, one of them being the minaret. This

structure is a taller structure attached or near a mosque, typically used to broadcast a call to

prayer. During each of the five praying times, the minaret will be used to announce that it is time

to pray. This includes before sunrise for Fajr prayer, then in the afternoon for Thuhr, then

evening for Asr, after sunset for Maghrib, and lastly in the night for Ishaa. Usually, there is an

open space near the top of the tower, with microphones and speakers used to enhance the sound

of the call, or athaan. Minarets come in a variety of shapes, some being spiral towers while

others are straight towers with patterns embellished onto them. Though they are not used as

much as they were used in the past they are still important reminders of Islamic traditions. (Khan

Academy)

Another structure that tends to be located on the outside of many mosques is the

courtyard, which larger masjids often contain. These courtyards often have fountains where one

can clean themselves, the specific order of purification called wudu. Though there are fewer of

these fountains in the Americas, in Islamic countries these fountains are commonplace.
Murshid 7

(Metmuseum.org ) These fountains are made to reflect the fountains of paradise, as well as how

water is described as a gift from Allah and the bringer of life. Another aspect of masjids unique

to them is the common presence of domes, or qubba.( Though the qubba isn’t necessary like the

minaret, it still functions as a symbolism for Allah’s vault. The domes are often over the most

important parts of the mosque, though some masjids have more than one dome such as the Great

Mosque of Kilwa. Though it is a masjid that is mostly broken down by now, the three domes are

still visible to this day.(Khan Academy)

Lastly, though not exactly a part of a masjid’s architecture, masjids have both furnishings

and other Mosque patronages, including different calligraphy of words from the Quraan, lamps

hung inside the mosque, and other spectacles. This can easily be observed when observing

different mosques, one being Masjid Al-Aqsa. On its exterior and railings, there are Quranic

words embellished all over. Not only this, but nowadays and in the past, there were several

systems for the lighting. Lights are essential in our daily lives, and especially in masjids being

visited by many people at a time. Now, masjids often use lights powered by electricity and wires

of course. In the past, however, hundreds of oil lamps were used to light up the darker halls in

masjids during nighttime. Mosque patronoges serve as stations to offer charity in different

mosques, contributing to fulfil the pillar of Zakah in Islam. This includes food drives, soup

kitchens, a place to help the sick get better, and other functions as well. These social services

serve to help the people as well as spread the religion of Islam to those who reside in these

masjids. Though they aren’t exactly a part of the architecture itself, they still are instrumental

parts of making a masjid usable to the people. (Khan Academy)

Masjids are also responsible for certain political functions. One of these functions

includes discussing conflict within the Muslim Ummah itself as well as outside the Ummah, such
Murshid 8

as the environment around us. This may not be a custom of every single masjid nowadays, it still

does play a part in many people’s cultures and daily lives. For example, in light of recent events,

many masjids may have gone over COVID regulations and presented advice. In the past, rather

than more worldwide news, there would be discussions of more area-specific conflicts. In the

time of Prophet Muhammed, dealing with conflict with affairs of people inside or outside of the

area with Islamic rule was called the Shariah, a hadeeth mentioning this part being:

‫وس َي ُكونُ َبعدي ُخ َل َفا ُء‬ ٌّ ‫ ُك َّلما َه َل َك َن ِب ٌّي َخ َل َف ُه َن‬،‫س ُه ُم اَأل ْنبيا ُء‬
َ ،‫ َوإ َّن ُه ال َن ِب َّي َبعدي‬،‫بي‬ ُ ‫إسراِئيل َ َت‬
ُ ‫سو‬ َ ‫َكا َنت َب ُنو‬
‫ َواسَألُوا هَّللا‬،‫ ُث َّم َأع ُطوهُم َح َّق ُهم‬،‫يع ِة اَأل َّو ِل فاَأل َّو ِل‬
َ ‫ َأوفُوا ِب َب‬:َ‫ َفما َتْأ ُم ُر َنا؟ َقال‬، ‫ َيا رسول هَّللا‬:‫ قالوا‬، َ‫َف َيك ُث ُرون‬

‫اس َترعاهُم‬ ‫ َفإنَّ هَّللا ساِئلُهم ع َّما‬،‫ا َّلذِي َل ُكم‬

The Prophet said, "The Israelis used to be ruled and guided by prophets: Whenever a prophet

died, another would take over his place. There will be no prophet after me, but there will be

Caliphs who will increase in number." The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What do you order

us (to do)?" He said, "Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first. Fulfil their

(i.e. the Caliphs) rights, for Allah will ask them about (any shortcoming) in ruling those Allah

has put under their guardianship."

(Farrukh Shahzad) This basically explains how following the people who rule after the prophet,

or the Caliphas will help guide the people when it comes to dealing with politics. This is

indirectly related to the conflict of whether politics can be governed within masjids, and this

basically allows discussion in this holy place of worship.

There was even a time when mosques were used as a court room, following the trends of

Islam and all it’s rules established by the prophet himself. This included a system taking place
Murshid 9

after the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphas with judges called Qadis representing a certain

region within the territory of the Muslims, each representing their respective Caliphs.

Masjids are a principal part of the Islamic culture, serving as informal sources to learn

and participate in Islamic traditions, uniting the community for the sole purpose of worship, and

lending Muslims a place to practice and grow their faith. They serve more than just a few

purposes, and impact the world with their physical appearance, their services, and affect several

political systems. Masjids are full of so much history and function, and it is easy to see why

many gravitate towards them due to their appeal physically and religiously.
Murshid 10

References

“Congregational Prayer (Salat Al-Jama'ah), Etc..” Al, 5 Jan. 2017,

https://www.al-islam.org/radiance-secrets-prayer-muhsin-qaraati/congregational-prayer-s

alat-al-jamaah-etc. “Congregational Prayer (Salat Al-Jama'ah), Etc..” Al, 5 Jan. 2017,

https://www.al-islam.org/radiance-secrets-prayer-muhsin-qaraati/congregational-prayer-s

alat-al-jamaah-etc.

Farrukh Shahzad - Arees Institute Garduate. Qaala Rasul Allah (SAW) - Comprehensive

Hadith Database - ‫قَا َل َرسُو ُل هَّللا ِ صلى هللا عليه وسلم‬,

http://qaalarasulallah.com/hadithView.php?ID=3314. “Introduction to Mosque

Architecture (Article).”

Khan Academy, Khan Academy,

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/introduction-cultures-religions-a

pah/islam-apah/a/introduction-to-mosque-architecture#:~:text=Most%20mosques%20als

o%20feature%20one,of%20the%20vault%20of%20heaven.

Metmuseum.org,

https://www.metmuseum.org/learn/educators/curriculum-resources/art-of-the-islamic-wor

ld/unit-one/the-mosque.

The Mosque as a Political, Economic ... - Syracuse University.

https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1286&context=honors_capstone.
Murshid 11

“The Role of Mosques and Politics.” ‫المكتب اإلعالمي لحزب التحرير‬,

https://www.hizb-ut-tahrir.info/en/index.php/2017-01-28-14-59-33/news-comment/17630

.html.

“Tag: Mosques ‫المسجد‬.” Daily Hadith Online,

https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/tag/mosques-masjid/.