The Masjid is vital in the life of a Muslim.

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Introduction

The Masjid is vital in the life of a Muslim. While all Masjids are different, they all have certain features. Many Masjids will have the features listed below, but other smaller Masjids are located in old houses. The Masjid is the location where Muslims go to worship and obey Allah. Many of the world's holiest places are Masjids, which are very important in Islam.

Part 1a)

Specific Features of Jamia Masjid, Derby

The Masjid has many features all for specific reasons. Every feature of a Masjid reinforces a commitment, which is to serve Allah. Many Masjids are used to call people to prayer. The Jamia Mosque is set at an angle to other buildings on the street. This is to allow the to point in the direction of Mecca, the focal point of all .

MINARET

The minaret is a traditional part of a mosque. It is used by the Muezzin to call people to pray by performing the adhan. The ground floors of minarets are always fitted into a square, with the minaret being everything from square to round and many are octagonal. The top of the minaret supports the crescent moon and star, which are symbols for Islam. The Jamia Masjid in Derby has one very elegant and large minaret, with a crescent moon and a star at the tip of the minaret. In Islamic countries, it is used to call people to prayer but less so in non-Muslim countries. The minaret along with the dome is used to locate a Masjid. This is the reason of the minaret being tall.

DOME

The Jamia Masjid in Derby has one very large green dome.

This mosque has a dome set on a high drum and a centralised plan with two corridors. Its dome is gilded, and all its other surfaces are covered inside and out by colourful tile mosaic. The dome symbolises the universe that Allah has created and over, which he rules. Some Masjids have 4 minarets and a dome. These symbolise the 5 pillars of Islam. The dome also amplifies the voice when one is delivering a sermon. The dome is also used to locate a Masjid if one ...

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DOME

The Jamia Masjid in Derby has one very large green dome.

POINTED ARCH

Another feature of mosque is the pointed arch. The Jamia Masjid in Derby has many arches, many in the entrances to rooms.

The Interior of the Masjid

MINBAR AND MAQQSURA

The first known use of a minbar, or pulpit, was in the mosque of Madinah; originally used as a seat. The minbar is the platform from which the Imam delivers his sermon. There are usually 3 steps and the Imam stands half way up as a sign of humility towards Allah and equality with his fellow humans. The Jamia Masjid in Derby has a minbar, but is without a maqqsura.

Prayer Hall

The Jamia Masjid in Derby has 2 prayer halls on two different floors. The downstairs hall is very large and contains no furniture. The walls are decorated with Qur'anic texts and they have no pictures of animals or people, as these are forbidden in Islam.

MIHRAB

The niche in the wall is known as the Mihrab, indicating the Qibla, the direction in which a Muslim should perform his Salat. It is the position of the person leading the people in prayer, and is by far considered the most holy place in the Masjid. A Masjid will normally have only one mihrab. Like all other Masjids, the Jamia Masjid in Derby also has just one Mihrab.

Carpet

The carpet is designed so that each worshipper gets his own mat to perform individual prayer. There are also carpets on the walls as decoration.

Part 1b)

The Role of a Sunni Imam

A Sunni Imam has many jobs and responsibilities; these range from leading the congregation in prayer to looking after the Masjid. Below I have listed many of the jobs of the Imam from a Derby Masjid. I found these things out by asking him for a private interview.

The main part of being the Imam is leading the congregation in prayer. The Imam has a responsibility of doing this daily for all five prayers (Fajr, Zohr, Asar, Maghrib and Isha). The Imam is making a big sacrifice by becoming an Imam. He has to be up as early as four thirty in the morning and sometimes has to lead the prayers as late as eleven thirty at night. Before leading the prayers the Imam must make sure that the rows are straight and that everyone is in the right position for Salat.

The Imam also has the role of teaching young and old people Qur'an. The Derby based Imam does this daily teaching kids after school and helping them improve their recitation. Many other older men also come to the Imam to polish up their recitation.

After Zohr, unlike many other Imams, he also teaches the Hadiths of the prophet willingly, to anyone who happens to be in the Masjid at the time.

On the holy day of Jummah, the Imam has the role of the Khateeb. Each week he teaches a different lesson to the people who care to listen. Fairly often, he volunteers to be the Khateeb if there is no one to take up the role.

When death has passed a believer by, the Imam happily leads the worshippers in Janazah prayers. If a man is to be wed, the Imam leads the wedding ceremony.

One of the most important jobs of the Imam is to look after, and care for the cleanliness of the Masjid.

To be an Imam, according to the Derby Imam, you must be quite highly educated in your Islamic knowledge, you must know a majority of the Qur'an, and possibly be a Hafiz. The Imam must be a reasonably good communicator as he will probably have to teach people either as a Khateeb or otherwise.

Part 1c)

The Role of a Masjid in Muslim Communities

A Masjid is symbolically very important to Muslims.The Masjid is the base and the foundation stone for Muslim society. It is the place where believers congregate to get to know each other and share their pleasures and their problems. It has to have a clear indication of the direction of the Makkah, Qibla. Serving as a place of prayer and devotion, a Masjid is referred to as the " House of Allah". It is recognised as a distinctive symbol of Islam and has served as a place in which the focal points of religious and social activities are combined beautifully and with conscious relevance to please Allah. On the days of Eid, the Masjid is a place of festivity. On the days of janazah, it is a place in which we are reminded that we shall all return to Allah and not to that which awaits us. On the day of Judgement, when there will be no shade anywhere, Allah will keep the person whose heart is devoted to the Masjid under the shade of His heaven. Masjids also served as the center for education, learning, and training.

Muslim Masjids, are not only for the purpose of worship alone but also serve as the centre for all social, cultural, political and various activities. There is no special design or structure for a Masjid. Any building erected or used for congregational prayers is a Masjid.
Masjids in Islam are not only centres for worship but are also the reflection of the characteristics of Muslim society and its civilisation. Due to this fact, the Muslims have been asked to follow certain rules, which can be considered to be the earliest state for the development of Muslim character and to form true Muslim social structure. The Masjid became the centre of all Muslim activities. Deputation's coming from other countries were received there and were generally put up in this Masjid such as the group of Christians from Naijran.

The Masjids are centres of Islamic social development; therefore, there are quite a few instructions for a Muslim to follow when he comes to the Masjid. From the very beginning of his development, it starts according to the Islamic teachings. Masjids nowadays are less frequently used for purposes such as social, cultural and political activities. They are used mainly for the purpose of teaching and praying.

Islamic Studies coursework- year 10

Mehmoon Mahmood