Sanctity of A Mosque in Islam
The mosque is the place of worship for the Muslims. Hence, mosques hold great reverence for Muslims. Not only mosques are a place of worship, but they also serve a lot of other purposes. Socializing is a very important part of Islam, as Islam is a religion that focuses a lot on societal welfare. People get a chance to meet and greet others in a mosque. When faced with a problem or an issue, mosques are the best place where you can get guidance and solution with respect to the laws of Islam. Overall, mosques are Islamic centers where you can pray, read Quran and get knowledge pertaining to Islam. The importance of visiting a mosque can be judged from the following hadith: –
“The mosque is the home of every righteous believer. Allah Almighty has guaranteed comfort and gratification to those who take the mosques as their homes, and safe passage over the bridge of Hell unto the pleasure of Allah Almighty.”
Guidelines for Visiting a Mosque
It is very important to know the etiquette very well before visiting a mosque. Cleanliness is half of the faith in Islam. Mosques are supposed to be kept clean. Therefore, the visitors must ensure that they themselves are clean and pure. It is good to bathe and put scent before visiting a mosque. Not just that, they must also be careful not to litter around when in a mosque.
Before entering the mosque, you must take off your shoes. There are shoe racks or shopping bags available mostly outside mosques where you can keep your shoes safe.
Women are expected to cover their heads when visiting a mosque. Overall dressing must be modest covering the body parts adequately.
A mosque is a place of worship. Therefore, one must keep the mobile phone in silent mode so as not to disturb anyone who is engaged in the worship of Allah. Especially when prayers are being carried on, the mobile phone should be switched off or at least kept silent.
Visiting with Children
When visiting a mosque, it is very good to bring your children along. They should look at their fathers and follow their footsteps. However, parents must inculcate the etiquette of visiting a mosque to their children. They must educate them about the honor of a mosque. Parents must tell their children not to play around, make noise or disturb others when they are visiting a mosque.
Islam is a religion of peace and wellness of all. Islam lays a great amount of stress on Muslims on being a source of comfort and wellness for others. So when visiting a mosque, people must ensure that they do not make raise their voice. It is inappropriate to laugh aloud or engage in arguments inside a mosque. Rather, you must maintain the decorum of a mosque by remaining calm and peaceful. If there is something urgent that you need to discuss with someone, take the person outside the prayer hall and have your conversation so that no one is disturbed or distracted by your conversation. Similarly, if someone is praying, you must not walk in front of him. You must go from behind or wait until he completes his prayer.
Importance of Visiting Mosque in Today’s World
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) predicted about today’s age that there will be beautifully decorated mosques with soaring minarets, marble floors, and skillfully designed walls. The world would be abundant with such beautiful and magnanimous mosques. People would yearn to see and praise the beauty of these grand mosques. However, there will be very few people who would be visiting the mosque with the purpose of worshipping Allah. The pockets of people shall be full of money but their hearts will be devoid of faith.
Hence, all the Muslim brothers must realize the importance of visiting a mosque and try to pray as much as they can in the mosques.
