Islam, one of the largest religions in the world, has nearly 2 billion adherents, and these believers are called Muslims. The Muslim faith is the only Allah Allah and his messenger Muhammad. The tenets and laws of Islam are mainly derived from the Qur'an transmitted by Muhammad, which is a scripture that Muslims consider sacred words.
A mosque is a place of religious gathering for Muslims, to worship, to learn religious teachings, to transmit information, to educate and to resolve disputes. Therefore, mosques belong to the entire Muslim community, not to a particular ethnic group. The word mosque is derived from the Arabic word "masjid", which means "the place of surrender to Allah".
Islam originated in the Arabian Peninsula, so the world's earliest mosques are also located in this region. The original mosque was the home of the Prophet Muhammad in Mecca. At that time, Muhammad received Muslims in his home for prayer. Later, with the Prophet Muhammad moving to Medina, the first public mosque was built, the Medina Mosque. More than just a place of worship, the mosque became the political, social and military center of the Muslim community at the time.
With the spread of Islam, the Muslim faith also spread throughout the world. After Islam was introduced to China during the Tang Dynasty, its name underwent a series of evolutions. Originally called "masjid", which is a transliteration of the Arabic word "masjid", which means "place of worship". With the spread of Islam in China and its integration with Chinese culture, various names emerged, such as "Auditorium", "Chapel", "Mosque", "Puritan Temple", "Zhenjiao Temple", etc.
By the Ming Dynasty, Islam had grown in China and was valued by its rulers. When Zhu Yuanzhang, Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, established the Jinling Worship Temple, he wrote in the imperial book "Praise of the Hundred Characters": "Descend evil and return to one, the religious name is halal", marking that the word "halal" is officially used to describe Islam.
The word "halal", originally used in Chinese as clean, natural and simple, has been widely used in various occasions by ancient society. After borrowing the word "halal", Chinese Islam added its original meaning to the Islamic teachings to explain it. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the Islamic scholar Wang Daiyu made an authoritative explanation in his work: "Purity and unstained are pure, and sincerity is true." He also said, "Since the birth of the people, our religion has not worshipped images and destroyed all evils, so it is called pure; There is only one, there are no two masters, so it is true. ”
Since then, the word "halal" has become a special term for Islam in China. Islamic places of worship are referred to as "mosques", prayers and recitations are called "halal", food products that are acceptable to Muslims in accordance with Islamic regulations are called "halal food", and shops selling these foods are called "halal restaurants".
Due to the spread of Islam, mosques are also spread across the globe. Although the architectural style of mosques varies slightly from place to place, they all reflect the architectural characteristics and culture of Islam.
Towards Mecca
Facing Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam, so the orientation of the mosque is its most basic architectural feature. The prayer hall of the mosque must face Mecca, where the Kaaba is located. As a result, the architectural layout of the mosque is usually axisymmetrical, with the prayer hall in the center of the building and the back wall facing Mecca. On the back wall of the worship hall**, there is a semicircular niche, called the mihrab, which indicates the direction in which the faithful pray.
Minarets
The minaret is the landmark of the mosque and is used to summon the faithful to worship. Minarets are generally built at the entrance to mosques and are usually built high so that the sound can travel farther. The height of the minaret is usually several times, or even a dozen times the height of the mosque building.
Dome
The dome is a typical feature of Islamic architecture and symbolizes the sky. The worship halls of mosques often have one or more domes to increase the height of the interior space and create a solemn atmosphere. The shape of the dome can be hemispherical, dome, arched, etc., and can be single-layered, double-layered, triple-layered, etc.
Courtyard
Mosques generally have a courtyard where the faithful are purified before praying. The courtyard is usually square or rectangular in shape and is surrounded by colonnades. In the courtyard, there is usually a pool of water for the devotees. The courtyard can provide a spacious and comfortable space for worshippers to socialize with each other.
Decoration
The mosque is very richly decorated, with Islamic art motifs dominant, including Arabic, geometric figures, botanical motifs, etc. These decorations are not only beautiful, but also have a certain religious significance. Arabic decoration is often used to write the Qur'an** to express reverence for Allah; The geometric decoration symbolizes the order of the universe, and the plant motif decoration symbolizes life.
To sum up, as an important part of Islamic culture, mosques provide a spiritual home for Muslim believers around the world with their unique architecture and profound historical connotations. This spiritual home not only bears witness to the spread and evolution of Islam, but also carries the devout belief of believers in Islam. In the solemnity of the mosque, Muslims find not only a place for religious ceremonies, but also a place where culture, friendship and faith meet.