The mosque as a symbol of Islamic civilisation: its role and function

Every civilisation has a symbol that distinguishes it from other civilisations. Also, many civilisations have passed, and their symbols have disappeared, but the Islamic civilisation and its symbols have endured. Chief among the symbols of the Islamic civilisation is the mosque. It is one of the oldest institutions that continue to exist in every society. The mosque plays a very important role in Muslim development, particularly their spiritual growth as “the mosque has to be at the heart of all of life’s positive and constructive activities, in order to shape a righteous generation.” (Muhammad, 1996, p.5). The mosque is not only a place where Muslims regularly meet to perform the five obligatory salat, but also where they regularly meet to learn and share their lives with one another, to encourage and console one another, and to help the needy. According to Qureshi, the mosque is an institution through which “the Prophet succeeded in reforming the people individually and collectively.” (Qureshi, 1990, pp.135-136). This chapter seeks to elaborate the role of the mosque in the establishment of the relationships between man and Allah and man and fellow man. These two relationships, also known as the vertical and horizontal relationships, need to be established to have a just and harmonious society