Purpose of Mosque?

Received an e-mail from a good friend back in Singapore, here's a part of the message..

Yo Wan, acam?

Assalamualaikum bro,

Cam ko ok tak? Siihat lah minta nye.......Belajar rajin2....sejuk hati mak ko nanti...heheheh.

Senyap jek...(dulu-dulu)selalu masuk msn. Ni dah tak? Jumpe minah arab ke?

Bro, aku nak minta tlg ah, ade boss aku ni mat salleh. Dier biasa gi masjid kat Istanbul ah. Dier nak write up sumtin about islam.

Dir tanye aku, for example like when he goes to the church with his wife.....they are sort of doin a service for the church of christianity ah. BUt for us Muslims, we go to the mosque is for what ah?.....

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Wassalaam wr. wb..

Alo acam bro? Semoga semua k ngan keluarga and happening, insya Allah. Kirim salaam yang lain eh, jangan lah rindu sangat kat aku, siapalah aku ni..Hahah.. Anyway, aku ok, sihat alhamdulillah. Prompuan Arab?! Ameen insya Allah, tapi kalo perangai macam kebanyakan Arab yang aku nampak skarang tak payah lah..perempuan2 kat daerah Asia kita jauh lagi bagus.

Hm, pasal masjid eh? Aku tak lah handal mana, tau sikit je.. apasal dia tak research aje kat internet ah? K takpe, ni setakat yang aku tahu..

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Peace be upon you..Hope that this little bit of info helps.

A Mosque is a place dedicated for the worship of God. The main purpose of a Mosque is to gather Muslims for congregational prayers. It is compulsory for Muslims to pray five times a day and praying at the Mosque in a congregation is something that is highly recommended for Muslims. On Fridays, we normally see Mosques packed to the brim. This is because it is compulsory for Muslim Men to attend Friday prayers and listen to the Friday sermon. As Muslims meet up regularly for prayers, the Mosque becomes a central meeting point for Muslims. There, Muslims from all walks of life are able to gather and interact in their respective constituencies.

The Mosque is also used as a centre for all Islamic activities. Back during Prophet Muhammad’s(peace be upon him) days and the early period of Islam, at its peak, the scope of usage of the Mosque was broader. It was served to receive delegations from other countries and all sorts of religious backgrounds. It was also the centre for education in all sorts of fields, not only in Islamic studies(visit muslimheritage.com). Even entertainment was present, of course in a controlled manner of entertainment that Islam allows. It should be noted that even non-Muslims were welcomed at Mosques to study during those early periods of Islam. As such, the usage of Mosque is not only for the purpose of worship alone but also acts as the centre for all social, cultural, political and other various activities.

It should be highlighted that for Muslims, this way of utilising Mosques is favourable as it reflects on how we worship God. Our purpose of life is to worship God and the form of worship in Islam is not only restricted through the compulsory daily prayers or fasting or giving alms to the needy or perform Hajj but it encompasses our whole lives. So for a Muslim, we strive,study, work, eat, sleep, marry, all for the sake of God as how God had instructed us through the Qur'an and the teachings and actions of His prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him). That's why the notion, Islam is a way of Life.

However, today, the usage of most mosques around the world have been restricted to the daily and special occasional prayers and center for Islamic education and activities. In some areas, we may even find mosques restricted to a certain race or groups only and are off limits to non-Muslims. This is due to the fact that generally, Muslims nowadays don’t understand Islam as well as how it was used to be understood and practiced. As a result, Islam is frequently not portrayed as how it should be, a religion of peace for all, irregardless of race or status. Muslims believe that all humans are born sinless and as Muslims, free from other influences. That's why Muslim 'converts' would prefer to be called 'reverts' as it reflects them returning to their original state as to how God had brought them into this world. They do not like to be called 'convert' because it gives a negative perception as if Islam brainwashes a person to change from one belief to another (note: there is no compulsion in Islam). Humans are all equals and the only difference between them is how they fare in thier God-fearingness, piety and deeds. No one should think that they are far superior(all the superiority that we may have would render useless when we leave this world) or more deserving than another (only God knows best of our sincerity and intentions).

In Singapore, the awareness to broaden the scope for usage of mosques is improving and we do have some mosques that serve beyond their main purpose and even open to all.

Thats about all that I'm able to impart with the little knowledge that I possess. Please, do research more and find out other information, views and opinions before writing about it to get a wider and more accurate perspective on it.

God Bless.

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And Allah SWT knows best.