The Role Of The Masjid

Question 1

What is the Mihrab?

Answer 1

Semi circular niche in the wall that indicates the qibla

Question 2

What is the madrasah?

Answer 2

Mosque school

Question 3

What is the qibla?

Answer 3

Qibla wall shows the direction of Mecca for when you are praying

Question 4

What is a minaret?

Answer 4

The tower from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer

Question 5

What’s a minbar?

Answer 5

The pulpit in the mosque

Question 6

Where was the first mosque?

Answer 6

Muhammed set it up in medina

Question 7

How did muhammed decide where to build the mosque?

Answer 7

He let his camel decide

Where it stopped was where he built it so as not to cause offence

Question 8

What was the purpose of the first mosque?

Answer 8

To start an ummah
Everyone of all religions had a responsibility for protecting the mosque
Became the hub of the community
Used for social events, charity, letting visitors stay, prayer

Question 9

What does masjid mean?

Answer 9

Place of prostration

Question 10

What is required for a mosque?

Answer 10

Clean and shows direction of prayer

A mosque can be anywhere it doesn’t have to be specially designed

Question 11

What are the ideal features of a mosque?

Answer 11

Space for social events, madrasah, ritual spaces (marriage, funerals, circumcision), washing facilities, rooms to stay, separate place for men and women to pray

Question 12

What problems are there with mosques today?

Answer 12

Short of space so women pray at home- oxford Muslim centre is open access for men and women, London mosque banned women
Very sectarian- different mosques for different sects or nationalities, should be one umma
Shortage of imams- some have been refused entry to the country
Not enough of a social role anymore

Question 13

Mosque as a place of prostration

Answer 13

Anywhere can be a masjid
Some prepare at home for mosque
Before entering have to be in a state of purity and avoid shirk
Wear clean modest clothes, no shoes
Men and women segregated

Question 14

The masjid as the hub of the ummah

Answer 14

Attend mosque to socialise, gain company and support, centre of learning
In countries with shariah law, legal decisions
Community meals and groups run

Question 15

Role of mosque in religious events

Answer 15

Jummah prayers each Friday strengthen the ummah
Id-al-fitr at the end of Ramadan has a Quran passage reading etc
Tajwid- correct recitation of the Quran classes offered

Question 16

The role of the imam

Answer 16

The imam is an ordinary member of the congregation or it’s shirk
Must be a scholar with good knowledge of the Quran
Lead prayers, delivers khutbah at Jummah prayers, teaches madrasah, offers advice
Amina wadud is an imam who’s led Jummah prayers at the oxford Muslim centre

Question 17

Role of mosque in education

Answer 17

Very important to muhammed for men and women
Muslim children learn Arabic so they can read the Quran
Also teach extra maths etc
Tajwid as well
Taliban were wrong when they shot malala yousafzai

Question 18

The mosque’s function in the community

Answer 18

Helps to support people
Offers meals
Muslims can’t ask for help so the mosque has to identify those who need Zakah and distribute it

Question 19

How has the role of the mosque changed over time?

Answer 19

Used to be more political and legal issues
A place of strategy and where armies were sent out from
Used to be occasionally for medical treatment
Used to rehabilitate prisoners of war