Mosque
 | This article does not cite any sources; the information may not be accurate or reliable. |
Mosque is the name given in the English language to the masjid, which is the proper name for the institution in Arabic. A masjid is the place of worship instituted by Muhammad, and was His first obvious achievement when He arrived in Yathrib (Medina). It consisted of four walls, one of which included a niche ("mithrab") which marked the direction of prayer. It boasted a minaret, which was to be ascended by the Adhan, calling people to prayer. The very first call to prayer was undertaken by Bilal, a black slave who had become a Muslim. Another feature of a mosque is the pulpit, from which the congregation may be addressed.
The Báb[edit]
The Báb did not abolish the mosque as a place of worship. Indeed, as it was built for worshipping God, He was to be found there, even after He had begun meeting and accepting the Letters of the Living. He was in the mosque when Quddus arrived in Shiraz, and recognised Him. However, the early Bábís began to meet together at the Feast, the community meeting of the new religious group, which had been instituted by the Báb.
Bahá'u'lláh[edit]
Bahá'u'lláh, likewise, did not avoid mosques. When He was in Adrianople, He regularly used the main town mosque, and indeed had a favourite spot within the mosque, which He habitually used.
Abdu'l-Bahá[edit]
When 'Abdu'l-Baha visited England, He was invited to speak at the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking, which was the first purpose-built mosque in Britain. The number of people who came to hear Him speak was too great for the interior of the mosque, and so the public address was given in the adjoining courtyard. A photograph of the Master outside the mosque, with a crowd of visitors, exists.
