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What does a typical service in a mosque look like?

Treks

Well-Known Member
Pastek, that must have been a wonderful experience for you. Can I ask you to share a bit about what it was like?

That Ottoman style masjid is really pretty, I love warm colours like those. When you say "sometimes we were mixed", do you mean men and women amongst each other praying?

So, apart from a niche and a platform for the speaker to deliver the sermon on Friday, the area in front of the Imam (leading prayer) is empty - making the prayer room in the masjid a relatively empty hall. That's interesting and unique amongst religions I've explored so far. Does the Quran have a special place in the masjid?

To address your question very briefly
I don't know enought your religion, i've seen it's the name of your Book. Does that mean you need it for the prayer?
No, we don't need it for prayer, but a Gurdwara isn't complete without a copy of the SGGS (acceptable abbreviation for the name of our scripture) which is placed on an an altar-like structure decorated with material, and it is front-and-centre in the prayer hall unless it's after-hours.

Thanks Dynavert and Dawud for clarifying about the direction faced in prayer and the focal point in the masjid. I thought it looked pretty cool watching Pastek's video of people circumambulating the Kaaba and standing in circles to pray, then I realised that if you were looking at the world from far away and you could see all the Muslims on it if they were praying at the same time they'd all be facing the same direction getting closer and closer to the Kaaba until being right around it - that's pretty awesome!!

It's also pretty special that all Muslims face the Kaaba to pray, no matter what type of Muslim they are.

Thanks again for your time and responses. :)
 

Pastek

Sunni muslim
Pastek, that must have been a wonderful experience for you. Can I ask you to share a bit about what it was like?

That Ottoman style masjid is really pretty, I love warm colours like those. When you say "sometimes we were mixed", do you mean men and women amongst each other praying?

The Masjed el Haram is very big, so in some places it's difficult to be separated and there's not always specific spaces for women.
Women and men are not completely mixed but just a little bit when we don't have the choice or don't find place when we come late for the prayer.

Does the Quran have a special place in the masjid?

No, they are just in the library.

It's also pretty special that all Muslims face the Kaaba to pray, no matter what type of Muslim they are.

The first direction for muslims was Jerusalem, then it was changed for the Kaaba.

Thanks again for your time and responses. :)

Anytime :)
 

Rational_Mind

Ahmadi Muslim
To make it clear the majority of Muslims agree and have a consensus of opinion that Non-Muslims cannot enter Masjid Al Haram. But since Ahmadi Muslims only follow the three authentic sources, in order, the Holy Quran, Sunnah, and Hadith we are forced to disagree.

Our basis is as follows:
Holy Quran Surah Al-Taubah verse 28

[9:28] O ye who believe! surely, the idolaters are unclean. So they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs. And if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His bounty, if He pleases. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.

Eye-Opener:
To begin with the Holy Quran forbids idolaters and from my knowledge Sikhism is not a form of idolatry (1). The Quran specifically gives the reason for forbidding idolaters due to them being unclean (2). It also states that due to this ruling Muslims should not fear poverty (3).

By understanding these three points one can easily establish a better understanding of who is forbidden from Masjid Al-Haram.

Why were idolaters forbidden and why were they called unclean?
Idolaters use to make annual pilgrimage to Mecca in large numbers for the purpose of performing certain rituals. These rituals literally composed of running around the Kaaba naked.

Why should Muslims have to fear poverty due to this ruling?
Mass pilgrimage was a source of income for Mecca. Similar to income coming in due to Olympic events happening in a city. It was an important source of income for many citizens of Mecca. Allah (swt) being a loving God says not to fear poverty as Allah will look after them by blessing them with bounties. And that came to pass.
 
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