Masjid

What is a Masjid?

A masjid — known in English as a mosque — is the dedicated house of worship of the Muslims. Its purpose is the worship of Allah: the five daily prayers, the Friday prayer, the recitation and teaching of the Quran, supplication, and the gathering of believers. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "The earth has been made for me a place of prayer (masjid) and a means of purification" (Bukhari 335, Muslim 521), meaning that any clean spot can serve for prayer; yet the formal masjid holds a special status as a dedicated and inviolable sanctuary.

Building and Maintaining the Masjid

Allah says: "The mosques of Allah are only maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakat, and fear none but Allah..." (Quran 9:18). The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him the like of it in Paradise" (Bukhari 450, Muslim 533). Maintaining the masjid — keeping it clean, lit, supplied, used for worship and learning — is a great act of communal worship.

The Three Most Sacred Masjids

• Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, surrounding the Kaaba — a prayer there equals one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.
• Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah, built by the Prophet ﷺ — a prayer there equals one thousand prayers elsewhere.
• Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem — a prayer there equals five hundred (Bukhari 1190, Muslim 1394; for al-Aqsa see Ibn Majah 1413).

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not undertake a journey (specifically for worship) except to three mosques: this mosque of mine, Masjid al-Haram, and Masjid al-Aqsa" (Bukhari 1189, Muslim 1397).

The First Mosque

The Quran honours Masjid Quba on the outskirts of Madinah: "A mosque founded upon piety from the first day is more worthy that you stand in it..." (Quran 9:108). It was the first mosque built by the Prophet ﷺ upon his arrival from Mecca during the Hijrah, and praying two rakahs in it is rewarded like an Umrah (Tirmidhi 324).

Etiquettes of the Masjid

• Enter with the right foot saying the dua of entry; leave with the left foot saying the dua of leaving (Muslim 713).
• Pray two short rakahs (tahiyyat al-masjid) before sitting (Bukhari 444, Muslim 714).
• Keep the masjid clean and free of foul smells; the Prophet ﷺ disliked the smell of raw garlic and onion in the mosque (Bukhari 853, Muslim 564).
• Speak with respect; the masjid is not a place for worldly bargaining or raised voices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are women required to pray in the masjid?

No. The Prophet ﷺ said women may attend the masjid: "Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the mosques of Allah" (Bukhari 900, Muslim 442). At the same time, their prayer at home is also rewarded, and the rules of dress and modesty apply when they attend. Practice varies by community.

Can a masjid be sold or repurposed?

The majority view is that a place dedicated as a masjid acquires a permanent sacred status and cannot be sold, inherited, or turned into something else; only in narrow circumstances (such as a mosque becoming impossible to use) do scholars discuss exceptions, and even then, the proceeds must benefit another mosque.