Prayers, Education and Dawah
The mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) -in Madinah- was the main place for the believers to meet for collective prayers five times a day. This is the one and only role that the mosque is playing today. However, there is still a major difference, which is that the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was opened for everybody, men and women, old and small, Arab and non-Arab.
Refer, for evidence, to numerous hadith narrated in Bukhari and Muslim, for example, under the chapters referring to mosques. There are currently shortcomings in mosques in this area in the following senses:
– Women are generally not allowed in the majority of mosques in the Muslim world and their “prayer area,” if exists, is usually uncared for than the “men’s area.” The Prophet’s mosque was different. There was only one area for everybody to pray. Women prayed behind men in their own lines, and the rationale was clear: Islam is avoiding that non-related men and women have such a close physical contact while – supposedly – praying to God. Praying in the Kabah is an exception from this rule for the obvious reason of space limits.
– Banning women from the mosques happened a couple of decades after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) despite the protest of some companions who narrated the Hadith:
“Do not prevent the maids of Allah from visiting the houses of Allah (the mosques).” (Ibn Majah)
We see, especially in nowadays West, mosques for Arabs and others, in the same vicinity, for Indians, mosques for Turks and yet others for Afros, etc. All of this is non-Islamic. The Prophet’s companions were from all sorts of backgrounds and all walks of life and they all prayed together.
We also see some people banning small children from entering the mosque, which is also contrary to the tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
A Place for Education
The illiterate used to learn how to read and write in the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Muslims developed their whole Islamic civilization based on education they got in the mosques.
The only activity that was forbidden in the mosque – in addition to the forbidden immoral acts – was buying and selling and related things. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made it a point that mosques are not to be used for material gains.
Otherwise, there are numerous evidences that show that the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was simply a “community place” that is full of all sorts of activities.
Islam is the religion of learning. Its miracle is a rational miracle; i.e., the Qur’an. The first revealed verses were about learning: reading and writing. There was no school or college to enrol in. The place where those seeking guidance could easily find what they sought was the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). His house was next to the mosque. His whole life was dedicated to his mission. So, he spent a great deal of his time meeting, teaching, and imparting knowledge in the mosque. He encouraged the Muslims to frequent the mosque. It was their school. There are many references in which the importance of the mosque as a place of learning is emphasized. Al-Bukhari and Muslim related a story of three people entered the mosque; the Companions were sitting in a circle around the Prophet. One of the three found a place and sat in;, the second sat at the back, while the third went away. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The first person came forward, so Allah came forward to him. The second was shy, so Allah did not wish to embarrass him. The third turned away, so Allah turned away from him.” No moral, spiritual incentive to learn could be more touching than such a parable. It is reported that Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) one day was in the marketplace. He shouted, “You are busy trading here and leaving your share of the Prophet’s inheritance that is being divided in the mosque. Some of the people there left to the mosque, anticipating some financial rewards. They did not find such a thing. What they found were the circles of learning. They came back, not very pleased with what Abu Hurairah did to them. They said, “We did not find any wealth there to be divided. He said, “What did you find there?” They replied, “The circles of learning.” He said, “This is the inheritance of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).”
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.
Socializing, Meetings and Celebration
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.
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 arrows in the mosque,” as Aisha – the Prophet’s wife – narrated. She also reported watching them while standing beside the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the mosque.
A Place for Meetings and Deliberation
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to gather his companions in the mosque to discuss serious matters (like wars, treaties, famines, etc), and come up with decisions about them. The mosque was also the meeting place for the soldiers of the Islamic army, from which they start their march for wars and to which they return after they come back.
In the wake of the success of the spread of Islam, many delegates and dignitaries came to inquire or negotiate a pact or to conclude agreements. The reception place was the Mosque of the Prophet. Most important of these delegates, and more indicative of the tolerant attitude of Islam, was the delegate of the Christians from Najran tribe, in the southern-west part of the Hijaz, on the border near modern-day Yemen. When the time of their prayer came, they performed their prayer in the mosque itself. Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Ash-Shafi`i took this incident as a proof that the people of the Book may be allowed to enter the mosque.
Charity, Shelter and Medical Care
The mosque as a charity distribution centre
The money (such as spoils of war) coming to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was distributed in the mosque. At the same time, when there was an emergency, the Prophet would deliver a sermon and call upon the community to spend in the way of Allah. Then he would give to those in need. Worthy of mention here is that the Muslim treasury in different regions used to be next to the wall of the qiblah (Arabic for: direction of the Ka`bah – the place to which Muslims face in their prayers). The reason, as given by `Umar ibn Al-Khattab, was that there was always someone offering their prayer at any given time. Consequently, no one could possibly think of breaking into the treasury.
The mosque as a shelter for the homeless
Many Muslims who migrated with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were single, homeless, and destitute. They were lodged in the mosque. They were known as the people of Suffah. Abu Hurairah was one of them. Also, when `Abdullah ibn Umar was young and single, the mosque was his bedroom. Moreover, the great mosques in the Muslim cities served as hostels for Muslim travellers.
The mosque as a nursing home
Rufaydah, one of the pious Companions of Prophet Muhammad, used to nurse sick people in the Prophet’s Mosque. In her tent in the Mosque, she nursed Sa`d ibn Mu`adh, until he passed away.
A Place for Medical Care
Before the Islamic civilization developed hospitals a couple of centuries later, the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a place for care for the wounded in wars and similar crises.
