SX43@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK (11/20/90)
In article <1990Nov15.085941.24105@nntp-server.caltech.edu>, goer@midway.uchicago.edu (Richard L. Goerwitz) says: ... >Okay, my Arabic isn't perfect, but can't the word _masjid_ be used of >synagogues, and even Christian churches as well? Someone please refresh >my memory on this. ... >-Richard You are quite right. The word 'masjid' comes from the root sjd and simply means 'place of prostration'. It doesnt take an expert in arabic to know this much (and nor am I ! :-) Yusuf Ali clearly meant to express this when he translates masjid as temple. I see no greater error in using temple rather than mosque because both are non-arabic words. Mosque is a french word.. does anyone know how it came into existence ? Just wondering. Mind you, not many christians or jews do much prostrating nowadays, do they ? Only muslims seem to have preserved this expression of ultimate submission in their worship (although if you look in the Bible, there are plenty of instances of earlier Jews [--and that is also exactly what the early Christians like Jesus (Peace on him) *were*--] prostrating to the Lord. Ahmad Deedat mentions this in one of his [many!] leaflets.) Peace, Fazal.
nnk@cs.wayne.edu (Nasir Naseem Khawaja) (11/29/90)
In article <1990Nov20.154110.17454@nntp-server.caltech.edu> SX43@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK writes: >Mosque is a french word.. >does anyone know how it came into existence ? Just wondering. I'm not quite so sure about this, but I remember reading about a mausque where the community goes to enjoy themselves with acts and songs..... A regular theater of nowadays. > Fazal. Nasir. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SX43@liverpool.ac.uk (12/03/90)
Salaam all,
I forgot to mention that I have had a couple of people mail me and
explain that mosque is basically derived from the word masjid; it comes through
the Spanish mesquita or something like that; Ive lost the ref.. sorry !
So basically it's the closest phonetically to masjid that Spanish could get.
Presumably it worked its way from Spain to France.
Fazal.