Mosque vocabulary

Many mosque words are already familiar in English. Here they are in Arabic, with their meaning.

The place: • مَسْجِدٌ (masjid): mosque, "place of prostration". Another word: جَامِعٌ (jaami'), the main mosque where the Friday prayer is held. • مِحْرَابٌ (miḥraab): the niche that shows the direction of prayer. • مِنْبَرٌ (minbar): the pulpit, with its steps, from which the imam gives the sermon. • مِئْذَنَةٌ (mi'dhana): the minaret. • قِبْلَةٌ (qibla): the direction of the Kaaba, which we face in prayer. • سَجَّادَةٌ (sajjaada): the prayer mat.

The people: • إِمَامٌ (imaam): the one who leads the prayer. • مُؤَذِّنٌ (mu'adhdhin): the one who makes the call to prayer. • مُصَلٍّ (muṣallii): a person praying; مُصَلُّونَ (muṣalluun): the worshippers.

The acts: • صَلَاةٌ (ṣalaat): prayer. • أَذَانٌ (adhaan): the call to prayer. • وُضُوءٌ (wuḍuu'): ablutions. • خُطْبَةٌ (khuṭba): the sermon. • الْجُمُعَةُ (al-jumu'a): Friday, and the Friday prayer.

And the book: • مُصْحَفٌ (muṣḥaf): a copy of the Qur'an. • الْقُرْآنُ (al-Qur'aan): the Qur'an.

Notice the word family: مَسْجِد (the place of prostration) comes from the same root as سُجُود (sujuud), prostration. In Arabic, many words are linked to a three-letter root like this: here س ج د.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation Mosque vocabulary shows the root system clearly. أَذَان (the call), مُؤَذِّن (the one who calls) and مِئْذَنَة (the minaret, from which the call was made) all come from the root أ ذ ن, linked to the ear (أُذُن) and to announcing. Likewise, خُطْبَة (the sermon) and خَطِيب (the preacher) come from خ ط ب, "to address someone". And مَسْجِد, "the place of prostration", comes from س ج د.

The prefix مَـ or مِـ often forms a noun of place or instrument: مَسْجِد (the place where one prostrates), مِئْذَنَة (the place from which one calls). Knowing it helps you guess the meaning of new words.

The mosque has a special place: the Prophet ﷺ said that the places most loved by Allah are the mosques (Muslim 671). Among the seven people Allah will shade with His shade on the Day when there is no shade but His, he mentions the one whose heart is attached to the mosques (Bukhari 660, Muslim 1031). On entering, we say: اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ, "O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy" (Muslim 713).

Common mistakes: confusing إِمَام (the one who leads the prayer) and مُؤَذِّن (the one who calls); saying صَلَاة with a س; confusing مِنْبَر (the pulpit) and مِحْرَاب (the niche); saying قِبْلَة with a ك.

Lessons to draw • Name in Arabic what you see on each visit: الْمِحْرَابُ، الْمِنْبَرُ، السَّجَّادَةُ. • Learn the supplication for entering the mosque and say it every time. • Group words by root to remember them faster. • Come to the mosque regularly: it is the best place to hear these words.

Key points • مَسْجِدٌ، إِمَامٌ، مُؤَذِّنٌ، أَذَانٌ، صَلَاةٌ، وُضُوءٌ، قِبْلَةٌ، خُطْبَةٌ. • One three-letter root links several words: س ج د, أ ذ ن, خ ط ب. • On entering: اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ (Muslim 713).

The main message The words of the mosque speak of calling, prayer and prostration: understanding them helps you live this place that believers love.