THE MOSQUE – MORE THAN A PLACE OF WORSHIP
IKIM’s library recently received a number of big books on the subject of ‘mosque’, both from local and foreign publishers.
One of the books is titled “The Contemporary Mosque – Architects, Clients and Designs since 1950s” and authored by Renata Holod and Hasan-Uddin Khan.
Hasan-Uddin Khan used to work for His Highness the Aga Khan for seventeen years in various capacities. I had the privilege of attending his talk entitled, “Architecture of Islam: Responsibility and the Natural Environment”, in Boston recently.
As usual, books such as these carry numerous breathtaking photos of the most important public building of Islam. For the record, out of the seventy-seven mosques worldwide featured in the book, 6 are located in Malaysia.
They include the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam, the Sarawak State Mosque in Kuching and the Abu Bakar As-Siddiq Mosque in Bangsar.
Having visited almost all the mosques covered in the book, the authors conclude that despite the great differences in materials used, they share a common expressive intent, shaped by similar external and internal forces. Thus, both local flavours, and global cultures, such as multinational economies, multi-cultural societies and global telecommunications are ever present in them.
From the Ibrahim Mosque in Caracas, Venezuela to the Jumma Mosque in Johannesburg, South Africa and from the Dar al-Islam Mosque in Abiquiu, New Mexico to the Khulafa Mosque in Baghdad, they are all evidence of the reemergence of a global Islamic community or Ummah.
The mosque is basically a place of worship. The Arabic word for it is masjid, literally translated as a place for kneeling or prostration. In Islam, this happened to be the best manifestation of humility by man towards his Creator.
However, in order to appreciate the importance of the mosque in Muslim society, and the reverence and respect accorded to it by the faithful, one has to understand the significance of praying in Islam. This act is so highly regarded that the faithful is defined as only those who “recite the name of Allah and pray”.
Hence, the mosque is the place where Muslims frequent to pray and worship according to the tenets of their faith. Therefore, whenever Muslims start a new community, erecting a mosque becomes top priority. This is also in tandem with the practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who built what is believed to be the first mosque in Islam at Mirbad al- Tamr in Medina, immediately upon his migration from Mecca.
It should be noted, however, that the mosque is not the only place where the five compulsory daily prayers are performed. It is widely held that prayers can take place anywhere, as long as the place is clean.
As far as the teaching of the Prophet goes, a sanctuary is not a fundamental necessity to perform prayers. Everywhere is the same to Allah. Humility towards Him, of which the ritual prayer is the expression, can be shown anywhere. Hence, the saying of the Prophet that the whole world is a mosque.
Nevertheless, Muslims are prescribed to gather for Friday prayer at a designated site. This can be a formal mosque or a mere hall approved to conduct the Friday prayer by the State Mufti. A mosque which organises the Friday prayer is also known in Arabic as masjid jami.
Regardless of whether it is called masjid or jami, the sanctity of the mosque as a place of worship has been established from the very beginning of the Muslim era. The term, House of Allah, which at first referred to the Ka’aba and the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, gradually came to apply to any mosque anywhere in the world.
This tradition is further strengthened by the fact that mosques are defined in the Quran as “houses of which Allah has permitted that they be erected and His name be mentioned in them” .
Respect for mosque was exemplified early by the Prophet Muhammad. He said, “If anyone builds a mosque for Allah, then Allah will build a house for him in paradise” and “The parts of the land most dearest to Allah are its mosques.”
As further evidence to the sanctity of the mosque, Muslims are to avoid anything that might be construed as offensive to the spirit and well-being of their place of worship.
As a show of respect, the Quran disallows physical contact between husband and wife while staying in the mosque. Menstruating women are not permitted to be in the prayer area. Spitting or defiling the mosque in any way is strictly forbidden.
Public announcements about lost items are discouraged. Screaming and talking in a loud voice may disturb the worshippers, and are therefore frowned upon. Animals, the mentally ill, or the very young are not permitted inside the main hall of prayer for fear of defilement.
And not unlike the Malay tradition, one is expected to take off one’s sandals on entering the mosque. Proper attire is also a must when visiting the mosque, as prescribed in the Quran, “O descendants of Adam, look or be your best at every mosque.” Thus, in a way, the mosque enjoins good behaviour.
From the early Muslim era, the mosque was used for many other purposes, including politics, commerce and social. With the founding of the first mosque in Medina, its role as a place of public gathering was firmly established.
The Prophet Muhammad regularly met with his companions in the mosque to discuss religious and worldly affairs, make plans for the propagation of Islam, dispatch delegations to far-away places, and receive ambassadors of tribes and governments.
These representatives of foreign lands included the non-Muslims. For example, the Prophet conducted negotiations inside the mosque with the non-Muslims of the Thaqif tribe. And to accommodate the Prophet’s guests and visitors, tents were usually put up in the courtyard of the mosque.
Today, the practice of welcoming non-Muslim visitors to the mosque should be encouraged. By observing guidelines on mosque visitation as prescribed by the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet, and described above, non-Muslims can also enjoy the beauty and sanctity of the House of Allah.
It was also reported that gifts were presented to the Prophet in the mosque and were promptly distributed among his followers. In this respect, voluntary monetary contribution towards the building and maintenance of the mosque, even from the non-Muslims, can be accepted.
On a similar note, non-Muslims have been known to donate to other forms of Islamic institutions, such as the wakaf and religious schools. The majority of Muslim scholars allow noble and sincere gestures such as these. They can help enhance the ties between the Muslims and non-Muslims,
Traditional mosque complexes were also used as medical centres. There would be proper teaching and laboratory areas, wards for the patients, a hostel to accommodate the student doctors, and a library.
Through gifts and bequests, mosque libraries became the goldmine of knowledge. Some of these libraries contained large and inestimable book collections and became the magnet for scholars throughout the Muslim empire and beyond.
The mosque also became a shelter for the poor, the stranger and the traveller. Hostels were built within its complex to cater for this. Trade and business were also conducted in some mosques. Food and water were frequently sold there. The barber-shop was a common feature of many mosques.
The mosque can be a versatile hub for religious and worldly activities. It is up to us now to bring back its golden old days.