A place of Muslim worship

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

RE Coursework

A place of

Muslim Worship

Option 1:

‘You do not need to go to the mosque to be a good Muslim’.

Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing you have considered another point of view. Your answer should refer to Muslim teaching

8 Marks

In this essay, I will be looking at whether or not you need to go to the mosque to be a good Muslim. There are differences of opinion on this topic, as it has not been clarified in the Quran, Hadeeth or Sunnah. I will be weighing out the two arguments and giving my personal opinion on whether or not I fell that you have to attend the mosque to be a good Muslim.

The majority of the people disagree with the statement as they use a Hadeeth where the Prophet (pbuh) said that if it wasn’t for the women and children in the homes, he would burn the houses of the men who didn’t attend the mosque, to support their argument. Although this Hadeeth holds great importance, it does not say that it is compulsory to attend the mosque for the five daily prayers. What is compulsory is the actual praying and that can be done anywhere. However, some people say that this Hadeeth indicates that it is compulsory on the men to pray in the mosque. Some men may argue that currently living in the UK, it is hard to take time off without getting the sack. Does this mean that they will never be able to be good Muslims? Keeping a job is also important to a man, because he has a family to sustain. The main thing is that he prays and does not miss the prayer whether he prays in the mosque or anywhere else.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Another point is that some people don’t have access to mosques. They may be old or unwell but that doesn’t make them bad Muslims. People who say that you do need to go to the mosque argue that it’s your intention that counts. If you try your hardest to get to the mosque, and are still unable to reach it, God will forgive you because you set the right intention. Also, there is a Hadeeth that states: “Actions are according to intentions” as well as one that says “The religion Islam is to act with sincerity” which shows that intentions are what matter because you have taken that first step and tried your hardest. People also say that the mosque is the sanctuary of God and he wouldn’t of ordered for mosques to be built if he didn’t intend for people to use them. In addition, going to the mosque has many great blessings. For example, it is better to pray in congregation because you get 27 times more reward than what you usually would if you were praying at home.

However, going to the mosque does not determine your fate. Even if you do not attend the mosque, you can still make up for it by doing good deeds that you are also rewarded for. You could be a good person from the heart and not attend the mosque; it won’t make you a bad person. In my opinion, I feel that it is better for you to be a good person and to pray anywhere, than for you to be a bad person and pray five times a day in the mosque. Some argue that going to the mosque makes you a better person because of the atmosphere and environment that you are in. However, the way people are today is different from what it used to be since society is getting worse everyday. You sometimes see groups in the mosque backbiting or just generally committing minor sins, and I feel that it is better to be in the comfort of you own home than to be in the mosque earning rewards only to have them blown away again by small sins that we don’t realize we do. Also, women don’t even have to attend the mosque, this statement, if true, would only apply for men.

There will always be controversy on this topic. However, looking at the fact that nobody knows for sure, I feel that you don’t need to attend the mosque to be a good Muslim. Personality and good characteristics come from within and don’t suddenly appear from going to the mosque. I don’t feel that it is an obligation, however, it is better to go to the mosque, and the blessings and rewards are too many to miss.