Mosque

A mosque is a place where Muslims worship.^[1] The word mosque comes from the Arabic word masjid.^[2] A larger, 'collective', mosque is called a masjid jāmi.^[3] Larger mosques offer more services to their community.

For many Muslim people, a mosque is more than a place of worship. Muslims worship, study and discuss Islam, and do many other things in a mosque and its compounds. In the United Kingdom, many mosques are used as community centres. They are also used to teach about Islam. Religious festivals and gatherings are held in mosques. Weddings are one example. Mosques have rules to control what people do inside. One of these is that it is disrespectful to disturb another person who is worshipping.

Many mosques are known for their Islamic architecture. The earliest mosques, opened in 7th century were open-air spaces. They are the Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Nabawi. Later Mosques were buildings that were specially designed. Nowadays, mosques are in every continent, except Antarctica.

1. ↑ Books, Cgp (2009). GCSE Religion Studies: Complete Revision and Practice (Revised ed.). Coordination Group Publications. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-84762-406-2.
2. ↑ Arabic: مسجد — pronounced [ˈmæsʤɪd], plural masājid, Arabic: مساجد — /mæˈsæːʤɪd/
3. ↑ Arabic: مساجد جامع, masjid jāmi‘.