What is a Masjid (Mosque) and What are its Virtues?

What is a masjid (or mosque)? 

A masjid مسجد (pl. masaajid مساجد) is a place permanently designated for Muslims to offer the five daily prayers in congregation. It comes from the root “سجد” (sa-ja-da) meaning “to prostrate”, so a literal translation of “masjid” would be “place of prostration.”

Importance of the masjid

The first pillar of Islam is the shahada (declaration of faith) followed by the second pillar of Islam which is establishing the five daily prayers. This shows how important the daily prayers are and therefore how establishing masaajid is from the top priorities in Islam.

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emigrated from his home city of Makkah to establish a Muslim society in Madinah, he entered an area in the south of Madinah called Quba’. Before even entering the heart of Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ established his first masjid there in Quba’ which became known as “Masjid Quba’.”

Once he entered the heart of Madinah and was greeted by the inhabitants, he immediately established Masjid An-Nabawi (The Prophet’s Masjid) which became the center of the city.

Masaajid were also established before the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by other Prophets throughout history, such as Masjid al-Haraam in Makkah (built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismael) and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

Due to the fact establishing the five daily prayers is such a priority and obligation, we find masaajid widespread in Muslim countries to make it easy for inhabitants to pray their daily prayers together wherever they live or work.

Virtues of the masjid

1. They are the most beloved places to Allah:

أَحَبُّ الْبِلاَدِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدُهَا

“The most beloved places to Allah are the masaajid” [Muslim 671]

2. Allah builds a structure in Jannah for those who build a masjid in this world:

مَنْ بَنَى مَسْجِدًا لِلَّهِ بَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِثْلَهُ

“Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a similar structure in Paradise.” [Muslim 533b]

3. Praying in congregation is 27 times better than praying alone:

صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً

“The prayer in congregation is superior to the prayer of an individual by twenty-seven degrees.” [Bukhari 645]

4. Every time a person goes to and returns from the masjid in the morning and evening, Allah prepares their abode in Paradise:

مَنْ غَدَا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَرَاحَ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُزُلَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ كُلَّمَا غَدَا أَوْ رَاحَ

“Whoever goes to the masjid in the morning and evening, Allah will prepare for him a place in Paradise every time he goes in the morning or evening.” [Bukhari 662]

5. Making wudu and walking to the masjid to perform prayer will erase a sin and elevate one’s rank step by step:

فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ وَأَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ، لاَ يُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةَ، لَمْ يَخْطُ خُطْوَةً إِلاَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً، وَحَطَّ عَنْهُ خَطِيئَةً، حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْمَسْجِدَ

“Whoever purifies himself in his house, then walks to one of the houses of Allah to pray, each of his steps will erase a sin and the other will raise him in rank.” [Muslim 666]

6. One who waits for prayer in the masjid will have angels supplicate for them, and they are considered to be in a state of prayer as long as the prayer keeps them there and they have wudu:

الْمَلاَئِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلاَّهُ مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ‏.‏ لاَ يَزَالُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا دَامَتِ الصَّلاَةُ تَحْبِسُهُ، لاَ يَمْنَعُهُ أَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةُ ‏

“The angels pray for one of you as long as he remains in his place of prayer, so long as he does not nullify his wudu, saying: ‘O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy on him.’ One of you is considered to be in prayer as long as the prayer keeps him there and nothing prevents him from returning to his family except the prayer.” [Bukhari 659]

7. Gathering in the masjid to recite and study the Qur’an is a means for tranquility, mercy, angels to surround them, and Allah to mention them to those with Him:

مَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ

“No group of people gathers in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.” [Muslim 2699]

8. One whose heart is attached to the masjid will be shaded on the Day of Judgment:

سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لاَ ظِلَّ إِلاَّ ظِلُّهُ… رَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ

“Seven types of people will be shaded by Allah in His shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His shade… (one of them is) a man whose heart is attached to the masaajid.” [Bukhari 660]