Assalaamu alaikum [peace be to you],

In order to allow Non-Muslims to learn more about Islam and get familiar with Islamic culture, I'd like to start a new series of articles with 'Mosques' as its theme. here, I will explore several aspects of Islamic culture, customs regarding mosques, and we will see, in sha'Allah [God willing] different mosques from different eras from around the world.
I hope my humble contribution here this will benefit you all:


The Role of the Mosque

In Islam, mosques are not just “places of prayers.” Mosques are – in modern terminology – community centers.
The role of the mosque in Islam is one of the major things that have to be reformed before the Muslim nation is capable of recovering from its present status.

How do Muslims judge what the role of the mosque is from what is not?
The answer is clearly by referring to the tradition (Sunnah) of the last prophet of Islam, Mohammed -peace be upon him- in the days of the message. A quick survey reveals the following roles for the Prophet’s mosque during his lifetime:

first part is here [link]

2- A Place for Socialization: The praying community used to connect in the mosque. And it is reported that the Prophet -peace be upon him- used to ask about any companion whom he missed from the mosque for a day or two to help him/her if they needed help or visit him/her if they were sick.

3- A Place for Da’wah (Islamic Call): There are several authentic hadiths that demonstrate that the mosque of the Prophet was the normal place for those who would like to ask about Islam to come and ask. Non-Muslims were not banned or discouraged from the mosque as we, sadly, see today.

A Place for Celebration: The Prophet -peace be upon him- advised the companions to: “announce the wedding ceremonies, hold them in mosques, and make them known by beating the drums,” and the mosque is the place for all that.

Eid day was also a celebration day when the “Ethiopians used to play with their spears (displaying their skills) in the mosque,” as Ayesha – the Prophet’s wife – narrated. She also reported watching them while standing with the Prophet -peace be upon him- in the mosque.


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... to be continued, in sha'Allah [God willing].


IN THE PHOTO:
The Great Mosque of Djenné is the largest mud brick or adobe building in the world and is considered by many architects to be the greatest achievement of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style, with definite Islamic influences. The mosque is located in the city of Djenné, Mali, on the flood plain of the Bani River.

It is said that when Sultan Kunburu became a Muslim, he had his palace pulled down and the site turned into a mosque. He built another palace for himself near the mosque. His immediate successor built the towers of the mosque while the following Sultan built the surrounding wall.
The actual date of construction of the first mosque in Djenné is unknown, but estimated to have been constructed somewhere between 1200 and 1330. it was rebuilt by the French colonial administration in 1906.
The historic areas of Djenné, including the Great Mosque, were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. While

Watch this Youtube video [link] for a very short documentary about this mosque.


I hope this was beneficial.

More from this series:


If I am right, it is from the God. if I am wrong, it is from myself.