Significance and role of the masjid in the Muslim community

The word masjid is mentioned in the Quran twenty-seven times: twenty-one times as the singular masjid, and six times as the plural masaajid. Both signify a place of prostrating a humbling position before Allah, and a vital part of salah. Hence, it is referred to as the House of Allah (bait Allah), a place where only Allah is worshipped and remembered.

The masjid represents the establishment of a Muslim community; it is the nucleus that creates characteristics of Muslim society. It is a vital cornerstone in the building of any Muslim community. Throughout Islamic history the masjid, as an institution, played a central role in the cultural and social lives of the Muslims. The masjid acted as a focal point of all activities based on the importance bestowed upon it by the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam during his lifetime and the life of his companions thereafter.