The first mosque ever built was masjid Al-Haram, and is the qibla, or direction, in which God appointed all Muslims to pray toward. ``...the first house built for mankind, was in Mecca, to bless and guide all worlds.' (3:90) Masjid Al-Haram is the mosque surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that prayers in masjid Al-Haram are equivalent to 100,000 prayers.
The Prophet said that a Muslim should travel a distance to attend the three holiest mosques in Islam; masjid Al-Haram, masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, and the Prophet's mosque in Medina. In the Qur'an it says, ``The mosques of God shall be visited and maintained by those who believe in God and the Last Day, establish regular prayers, and practice regular charity, and fear none except God. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance.' (9:18)
Aside from being a place of worship, the mosque, also called the ``House of Allah,' is the center of many events in the life of the Muslim. From the joyous celebrations of Eid; to the blessed union of husband and wife in marriage (nikkah) which fulfills half of one's religion; and to the passing of a loved one (janazah), the Muslim life revolves around the mosque. The mosque also serves as a source of Islamic education for the young and old and everyone in between. The mosque is commonly the place where many reverts to Islam say their shahada (declaration of their faith), which is the first pillar of Islam. It also is a place for the community to gather to address everyday problems, a place to unite and strengthen one's iman (beliefs), and a place for guidance.
The Arabic term for mosque, called ``masjid', is taken from the root ``sadj' which means prostration. The Prophet said, ``The prayer offered in congregation is twenty five times more superior (in reward) to the prayer offered alone in one's house or in a business center, because if one performs ablution and does it perfectly, and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying, then for each step which he takes towards the mosque, Allah upgrades him a degree in reward and (forgives) crosses out one sin till he enters the mosque.' (narrated by Abu Hurraira)
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