Mosque is also a place where Nikah Ceremony; Khutbah and dua etc takes place. Marriage (Nikah) is considered as an act of worship (Ibaadah) and a Sunnah of Prophet (S.A.W). 'By Allah! Among all of you I am the most God-fearing, and among you all, I am the supermost to save myself from the wrath of Allah, yet my state is that I observe prayer and sleep too. I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry woman also. And he who turns away from my Sunnah has no relation with me". (Bukhari) It is virtuous to conduct it in a Mosque keeping the ceremony simple. Islam advocates simplicity in ceremonies and celebrations. Prophet Muhammad (S) considered simple weddings the best weddings:
'The best wedding is that upon which the least trouble and expense is bestowed". (Mishkat)
Also it is a venue for Jamaat people to come and stay as they have to preach Islam and be a practicing Muslim. They come from all over the world in the path of Allah. So the best place for them to stay is at Allah’s house. Travellers who have come from far and cannot find a place to stay, they can freely with the permission of the Mosque, stay there as it is the Almighty’s house.
Itikaaf also takes place in the Mosque. The meaning of Itikaaf is to seclude oneself in the Masjid for men and women at home in a quiet place, with the express niyyah (intention) of Itikaaf and to worship Allah. It has three types;
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Voluntary also known as Nafl Itikaaf. You can do this in the Mosque, for men at any time of the year and women at home, with the intention of Itikaaf as long as they want to keep it for.
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Sunnah, Sunnat-e-Muakkidah and that means the last ten days of Ramadhan, which was practice of Prophet (S.A.W) to go in Mosque and remember Allah and female to stay at home and do it. If few people do it for the sake of the whole community, then Itikaaf will be done on behalf on all.
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Fardh or Waajib Itikaaf and you have to do this Itikaaf with a fast when you take an oath that if my work is done or something happens the way you want it to then I will sit in Itikaaf for pleasure of Allah.
Mosque is also a location for bayaans/speeches to take place. If you wanted to give a speech in a certain Mosque, then you will have to take the permission of the Mosque Committee and then they will give you a time limit on a certain day and sometimes also a topic they would like you to do the bayaan on, which is mostly an issue in the committee, for example a bayaan on drugs and alcohol becoming more and more common in our youth and how it can be improved.
Sometimes Mosque provides for children’s school education in the community due to lack of space or any other reasons.
A Mosque is learning and teaching place for all faiths who are freely invited to come and learn or even teach about Islam.
Another important event which takes place during Ramadan is special evening prayers. In the whole month the whole Quran should be finished at least once, that’s why at least one paara of the Quran is read in the evening, after Isha Salah, called Taraweeh. The word Taraweeh comes from Arabic word which means to rest and relax. The prayer can be very long (well over an hour), consisting of twenty rakaats, during which Hafiz-e-Quran prays the Quran. After each four rakaats, one sits for a brief period of rest and prays the Taraweeh dua before continuing, this is where the name Taraweeh ("rest prayer") comes from.
Also it can be a fund-raiser place for any country or place that is suffering, for example collection for Palestine. In the Mosque, they mostly put three boxes; Lillah, Zakah and Sadaqah.
Lillah money is voluntary and it goes for Allah’s path, like in building Mosques etc. Zakah money is the obligatory money, fourth pillar of Islam, where the rich have to give money to poor, so this money could go to Palestine to help them. Lastly Sadaqah means charity to poor people and it is voluntary, so it can go for Palestine people or any other poor/suffering people. You also give Sadaqah in Mosque, when you keep an oath that if such a thing/wish completes/fulfils, then I will give money in Sadaqah, then you have to give that oath money or else you will be sinful.
Mosque is mostly the first place for a New-Muslim who has embraced Islam to come and pray Shahadah by the Imam or a pious person. He should try to learn all the necessary things in Islam, the first being Salah, praying Quran etc.
