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A mosque (Arabic: مسجد, romanized: masjid), literally meaning "place of prostration", is a place of worship for followers of Islam. There are strict and detailed requirements in Sunni jurisprudence (fiqh) for a place of worship to be considered a masjid, with places that do not meet these requirements regarded as musallas.
The holiest sites in Islam are located in the Middle East. [2] While the significance of most places typically varies depending on the Islamic sect, there is a consensus across all mainstream branches of the religion that affirms two cities as having the highest degree of holiness, in descending order: Mecca, and Medina.
From the earliest days of Islam, the mosque was the center of the Muslim community, a place for prayer, meditation, religious instruction, political discussion, and a school. Anywhere Islam took hold, mosques were established, and basic religious and educational instruction began. [124]
A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness. [16]
The mosque also served as a community center, a court, and a religious school. There was a raised platform for the people who taught the Quran. The basic plan of the building has been adopted in the building of other mosques throughout the world. Subsequent Islamic rulers greatly expanded and decorated the mosque.
Prior to Islam, the Kaaba was a holy site for the various Bedouin tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Once every lunar year, Bedouin people would make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Setting aside any tribal feuds, they would worship their gods in the Kaaba and trade with each other in the city. [21]
Sufi Islamic holy places (3 C, 1 P) T. Temple Mount (4 C, 59 P) W. Western Wall (21 P) Z. Ziyarat (4 C, 71 P) Pages in category "Islamic holy places"
The conversion of non-Islamic places of worship into mosques occurred during the life of Muhammad [citation needed] and continued during subsequent Islamic conquests and invasions and under historical Muslim rule. [citation needed] Hindu temples, Jain Temples, churches, synagogues, and Zoroastrian fire temples have been converted into mosques.