28. THE MOSQUE

28. The Mosque ~ 80 ~ 28. THE MOSQUE What is the role of the mosque in Islam? ‘Masjid’, or mosque, literally means ‘a place for selfprostration’, that is, a place formally designated for saying the prayers. According to a hadith, the Prophet of Islam observed: “The masjid is a house of God-fearing people. This means, in effect, that it is a center for the inculcation of reverence, where individuals learn what is meant piety and are thus prepared for a life of devotion to the Almighty. The Masjid is built so that people may visit it to read the Book of God, to remember their Creator, silently in prayer, and to hear His commandments on how they should lead their lives, that is, how to conduct themselves according to His will. The most important of all these activities is saying of prayers, a ritual to be carried out five times day as prescribed by Islam. This act of worship, the greatest means of instilling a sense of awe in the devotee, may be carried out at any place, but ideally, is performed in an organized manner, in congregation, within the mosque. There the