The word “mosque” comes from the Arabic word masjid, meaning “place of prostration,” reflecting the act of prayer in Islam. The Kaaba in Mecca, inside the Masjid al Haram, is the most sacred site in Islam, and all Muslims pray in its direction, known as the qibla. It was originally a shrine of Arabian paganism,…
Tag: Saudi Arabia
Fun Facts and Trivia About The Arabic Language
Arabic is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. Arabic is the liturgical language of Islam, and many Muslims are fluent in Arabic to read the Qur’an as it was originally written. Arabic has influenced many other languages, most notably Spanish, as the Moors once ruled the Iberian Peninsula. Arabic is the fifth…
Fun Fact: Honey and Islam
In Islam, there’s an entire chapter in the Quran that would translate as The Bees. The Prophet Muhammad did tout honey as a healing agent.
Fun Fact: First Mosque in Islam
The first mosque “built” by Islam’s Prophet Muhammad was the Quba Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia. It actually had to be rebuilt in the 20th century.
Fun Fact: The Most Expensive Building in the World
Masjid al-Haram, the holiest site in Islam has been rebuilt and renovated so much that it’s worth about one hundred billion dollars.