Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?

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- Shahid Raza
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Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
OP - December 11, 2008, 12:05 AM

What is the purpose of a mosque? If the Muslim population became less religious, then would mosques still serve any purpose?

Let's compare it to churches. From what I know, a church is used for 3 main purposes:

Prayer
Weddings
Funerals

Even though the western world is slowly moving away from religion (and thus the prayer aspect of church attendance)... a lot of them will still conduct their weddings and funerals in a church.

A mosque however only has 2 main purposes:

Prayer
Funerals

I have never seen a wedding take place in a mosque. Every Muslim wedding that I've been to has always taken place in a rented hall, conference centre, or hotel (and they all contain a lot of haram activities like singing, dancing, inter-mingling, and unIslamic clothing).

As I'm no longer a Muslim, I don't go to the mosque any more to pray, and neither do many non-practising Muslims. And many deists who still believe in God don't require a special purpose built place to pray to God because as they say, God is everywhere.

So I guess there's still one purpose that a mosque serves very well, even for non-practising and ex-Muslims... which is a place to conduct funerals.

Infact it's highly likely that my own funeral will take place in a mosque. (sorry for the depressing topic!).

Do funerals always take place in places of worship? Is there such a thing as an irreligious funeral and are they becoming more commonplace?

.
- BerberElla
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #1 - December 11, 2008, 12:59 AM

The mosque also serves as a community gathering place from what I know, like Eid for instance, not that it ever served that purpose for me or ever would.

I also won't be buried that way either, I have no idea how exactly, some vague ideas but I do know that it will not have any religious significance.

I am curious (maybe another topic) as to why you still believe you will be buried that way?

Inhale the good shit, exhale the bullshit.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #2 - December 11, 2008, 01:05 AM

I want to be buried the Islamic way... In Punjab Pakistan, right next to my mother/fathers grave.

Left the forum: http://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=22997
- Baal
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #3 - December 11, 2008, 05:58 AM

Quote from: King Tut on December 11, 2008, 01:05 AM
I want to be buried the Islamic way... In Punjab Pakistan, right next to my mother/fathers grave.

That can be arranged. May they live long and prosper, but we can even arrange it so that when the time comes, 'they' will be the ones getting an islamic burial. Right next to their prodigy.

"Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #4 - December 11, 2008, 10:52 AM

Quote from: Shahid Raza on December 11, 2008, 12:05 AM
Is there such a thing as an irreligious funeral and are they becoming more commonplace?

Yes of course there is. I suspect they are becoming more common but I have no statistics on that. Anyway humanists and atheists or whatever often have irreligious funerals.

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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #5 - December 11, 2008, 11:54 AM

A church down the road has been converted to flats.

So look out for 'studio apartment with access to minaret'...
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #6 - December 11, 2008, 11:57 AM

Could be quite flash having your own minaret. Bit of a bugger with the stairs and all but a great view form the top.

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- Baal
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #7 - December 11, 2008, 01:18 PM

Quote from: Shahid Raza on December 11, 2008, 12:05 AM
What is the purpose of a mosque? If the Muslim population became less religious, then would mosques still serve any purpose?

Let's compare it to churches. From what I know, a church is used for 3 main purposes:

Prayer
Weddings
Funerals

Even though the western world is slowly moving away from religion (and thus the prayer aspect of church attendance)... a lot of them will still conduct their weddings and funerals in a church.

A mosque however only has 2 main purposes:

Prayer
Funerals

In Iraq and Palestine and the UK and the US, the mosque is also a place to store weapons and ammunition and prisoners and teach Tae Kwon Doe. Some mosques had also been used to torture and execute infidels and misguided believers. Brainwashing suicide bombers mostly start and often is carried in an extremist mosque. I believe that you should add a Third purpose for the mosque. You mention prayers and funerals, you should also consider a 'Community Center'.

"Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #8 - December 11, 2008, 02:32 PM

I've seen weddings take place at mosques....don't know what part of the wedding (as in which day), but I've definitely seen it.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #9 - December 12, 2008, 12:35 PM

Quote from: Baal on December 11, 2008, 05:58 AM
Quote from: King Tut on December 11, 2008, 01:05 AM
I want to be buried the Islamic way... In Punjab Pakistan, right next to my mother/fathers grave.

That can be arranged. May they live long and prosper, but we can even arrange it so that when the time comes, 'they' will be the ones getting an islamic burial. Right next to their prodigy.

Who are the "they" or are you just asserting yourself as more then one person?

Left the forum: http://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=22997
- awais
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #10 - December 13, 2008, 05:05 PM

Even though I am a hypocrite, I still like to go to Jumuah, visit with brothers, kids, talk about Qur'an, tareekh, current events and all that.

I chose to get circumcised at 17, don't tell me I never believed.
- Shahid Raza
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #11 - December 13, 2008, 11:54 PM

Quote from: BerberElla on December 11, 2008, 12:59 AM
I am curious (maybe another topic) as to why you still believe you will be buried that way?

Because it's not up to me how I get buried. It's up to my family, and according to them I'm still a Muslim.

.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #12 - December 14, 2008, 01:31 AM

I think I might want to be an organ donor. And the idea of a irreligious funeral sounds appealing.

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- Iris
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #13 - December 14, 2008, 07:18 AM

Does anyone else get the urge to pray when they go into a mosque or a church? Sometimes when I pass the chapel in the hospital where I work I have to fight the urge to run in and fall on my knees. I dont know what I'd pray for or who I'd pray to though.
I met this sick little old lady last week with severe dementia. She was lying in a hospital bed, no idea what she was doing there or what was going on around her, and all she could do was extend her hand to anyone that walked by and say 'Please! Please!' over and over again. Thats exactly how I feel - like I just want to shout an unspecified 'Please!' at whatever it is that inspired people to build churches, or whatever sort of higher power there is, whether there is one. Please fucking save me, from what I dont know.

Life is a sexually transmitted disease which is invariably fatal.
- diotima
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #14 - December 14, 2008, 10:09 AM

Quote from: Iris on December 14, 2008, 07:18 AM
Does anyone else get the urge to pray when they go into a mosque or a church? Sometimes when I pass the chapel in the hospital where I work I have to fight the urge to run in and fall on my knees. I dont know what I'd pray for or who I'd pray to though.
I met this sick little old lady last week with severe dementia. She was lying in a hospital bed, no idea what she was doing there or what was going on around her, and all she could do was extend her hand to anyone that walked by and say 'Please! Please!' over and over again. Thats exactly how I feel - like I just want to shout an unspecified 'Please!' at whatever it is that inspired people to build churches, or whatever sort of higher power there is, whether there is one. Please fucking save me, from what I dont know.

you don?t have to pray "for" anything. prayer is just talking to God, connecting with Him. He is BEing itself, not A being. The core and reason of our life. Like a compass seeks the north, the human soul is looking for Him. That?s how I see things.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #15 - December 14, 2008, 12:18 PM

Quote from: diotima on December 14, 2008, 10:09 AM

you don?t have to pray "for" anything. prayer is just talking to God, connecting with Him. He is BEing itself, not A being. The core and reason of our life. Like a compass seeks the north, the human soul is looking for Him. That?s how I see things.

So why call him 'He', it's a bit misleading isn't it?

Ha Ha.
- awais
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #16 - December 14, 2008, 12:35 PM

Quote from: Jack Torrance on December 14, 2008, 12:18 PM
Quote from: diotima on December 14, 2008, 10:09 AM

you don?t have to pray "for" anything. prayer is just talking to God, connecting with Him. He is BEing itself, not A being. The core and reason of our life. Like a compass seeks the north, the human soul is looking for Him. That?s how I see things.

So why call him 'He', it's a bit misleading isn't it?

Then we should call "Him" "It"? Disrespectful, no?

I chose to get circumcised at 17, don't tell me I never believed.
- Pazuzu
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #17 - December 14, 2008, 01:07 PM

Nope, not at all. Simply gender neutral. I refer to god as 'it'. In fact I even got banned permanently from Ummah.com for doing that. Well, and pointing out ahadith where Muhammad endorsed the killing of apostates.

"At 8:47 I do a grenade jump off a ladder."
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #18 - December 14, 2008, 01:15 PM

muslims i've talked to have said, and i myself believed, that Allah is neither he nor she. just that arabic is always gendered, and huwa/he also means 'it'.

i like this story:

Quote from: yuri
my son said; i will tell you a story. i said fabulous, expecting Dr who to join our afternoons lazy landscape.

he started to tell me his story, it had woods, a turtle, an owl, some cakes (predictably) and the dog in it.It did not have Dr who but in his story he mentioned angels and referred to Allah(SWT) as a She....

!!!!!

he kept on telling me his story. i was wide awake now. He is six and a half and his years have been full of Islamic and Mahayanan Buddhist teachings, and one year at a rather strict C of E school. . i did not know what to say. i said nothing. i am supposed to be a grown up. I said

'is Allah(SWT) She?'

he looked at the remnants of our picnic and bonfire and thought.

he said;
'is fire He?'

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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #19 - December 14, 2008, 01:17 PM

Quote from: Pazuzu on December 14, 2008, 01:07 PM
Nope, not at all. Simply gender neutral. I refer to god as 'it'. In fact I even got banned permanently from Ummah.com for doing that. Well, and pointing out ahadith where Muhammad endorsed the killing of apostates.

I agree, 'it' seems apropriate. All this personification of 'it' leads people down the wrong path, giving 'him' feelings, that 'he' will be upset if you call 'him 'it' and all that fucking crap. People seem desperately to want to identify themselves with a father figure, particularly women, I've noticed. Looking at the world, God and everything else from out very limited perspective had led us to this appaling state of affairs the world is in, I reckon. The whole islamic/Catholic/Christian notion of God is all geared towards that, which is a big giveaway (to the fact that it's made up nonsense for insecure, unfulfilled people).

Ha Ha.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #20 - December 14, 2008, 01:17 PM

Of course God is neither male, nor female. To refer to Him as male is just a convention of speech. God is no neutral "it", either - He transcends and encompasses male and female. Human language doesn?t have a concept for that. Leastways, English doesn?t, as far as I am aware of it.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #21 - December 14, 2008, 02:10 PM

Quote from: diotima on December 14, 2008, 01:17 PM
Of course God is neither male, nor female. To refer to Him as male is just a convention of speech. God is no neutral "it", either - He transcends and encompasses male and female. Human language doesn?t have a concept for that. Leastways, English doesn?t, as far as I am aware of it.

It is a convention of speech, and it is misleading, so if your view is different to that of the long bearded big daddy in the sky, why help perpetuate it? Why write 'He is neither male or female' it doesn't make sense.

Ha Ha.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #22 - December 14, 2008, 04:22 PM

Quote from: Baal on December 11, 2008, 01:18 PM
In Iraq and Palestine and the UK and the US, the mosque is also a place to store weapons and ammunition and prisoners and teach Tae Kwon Doe. Some mosques had also been used to torture and execute infidels and misguided believers. Brainwashing suicide bombers mostly start and often is carried in an extremist mosque. I believe that you should add a Third purpose for the mosque. You mention prayers and funerals, you should also consider a 'Community Center'.

Years ago, I attended a new mosque, daily, for 40-50 hours, for six months, together with around 50 of my 'companions'.
Some were athiests, some Christians. Might have had a few Jews in the party as well.

Every muslim I met was congratulating me on being the 'chosen one'.

"See how Allah has chosen you to enlighten? You are indeed blessed."

I was well pleased. My companions celebrated with pork sandwiches.

After the six months were over, I spoke to the caretaker:

"There you go sir... The electrical, plumbing, and security systems of the mosque are now complete."

It was a huge mosque, with 3 floors. A floor for the women. A floor for the men. A floor for functions.

sarcasm begin:
A breeding place for criminal activity.
I can't tell you about the installations to the hidden rooms; the dungeons, Baal. /end

Criminals don't need a Mosque to operate. They can do it in the President's or Prime Minister's office.
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #23 - December 14, 2008, 09:34 PM

Yep, as proven by that episode of South Park where Obama becomes president!

"At 8:47 I do a grenade jump off a ladder."
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #24 - December 19, 2008, 04:46 PM

Quote from: Iris on December 14, 2008, 07:18 AM
Does anyone else get the urge to pray when they go into a mosque or a church? Sometimes when I pass the chapel in the hospital where I work I have to fight the urge to run in and fall on my knees. I dont know what I'd pray for or who I'd pray to though.
I met this sick little old lady last week with severe dementia. She was lying in a hospital bed, no idea what she was doing there or what was going on around her, and all she could do was extend her hand to anyone that walked by and say 'Please! Please!' over and over again. Thats exactly how I feel - like I just want to shout an unspecified 'Please!' at whatever it is that inspired people to build churches, or whatever sort of higher power there is, whether there is one. Please fucking save me, from what I dont know.

You work in the hospital? do you have access to medication cabinet...?

Left the forum: http://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=22997
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #25 - December 19, 2008, 06:54 PM

They wouldnt trust me with the keys...

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- awais
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #26 - December 19, 2008, 07:20 PM

I used to have keys to the masjid.

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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #27 - December 22, 2008, 11:08 PM

I think most funerals in English speaking N America take place in dedicated funeral parlours rather than churches.

Is it different in Britain?
- osmanthus
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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #28 - December 23, 2008, 09:55 AM

They're mostly done in churches or chapels (meaning a small sorta churchy thing at the graveyard/crematorium) in Australia and I suppose the UK would be similar.

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Re: Does a mosque still serve a purpose for you?
Reply #29 - March 23, 2009, 06:57 AM

non religious funerals usually take place in funeral homes and so on. Instead of going through church, they just head straight there.

I want a tree planted over my grave.

Quod est inferius est sicut quod est superius,
et quod est superius est sicut quod est inferius,
ad perpetranda miracula rei unius.
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