Visiting the mosque can be an enlightening way to learn about Islam! But before we jump right in, it’s important to learn a few important etiquettes! Here is how to enter a mosque!
Firstly, what is a mosque?
It is a place where Muslims congregate to worship God. A mosque does not need to be a big fancy building with a dome!
A mosque can be a repurposed warehouse, a room on an apartment floor or even an open patch of land. The Prophet’s ﷺ mosque for example, was initially an open air mosque.
Clothes
Islam has different clothing rules for men and women.
When entering a mosque we should dress conservatively.
For men, a shirt and a pair of pants will do the trick.
For women, a scarf and loose clothing that covers the arms and the legs will suffice. If you don’t have a scarf, no worries! Most mosques have plenty of scarves for women to borrow.
Shoes
Make sure you remove your shoes before going in! Just leave them in the shoe rack outside the entrance. Now’s the perfect time to put your faith in God to protect your shoes!
Gender segregation
Gender segregation is an important part of Islam. It would usually be a breach of decorrum for a woman to walk into the men’s section. And so, most mosques will have a separate room for women to pray in.
But sometimes there are exceptions! Some famous mosques like the Blue Mosque will allow women to enter the main hall for tourism.
Noise
Feel free to talk and ask questions in the mosque! But be mindful of any worshippers around you.
Best to switch the mobile to silent mode too!
Walking in front of a praying person
Try to avoid walking directly in front of a person in prayer. But if there’s an object in front of him, like a water bottle or a pillar, it’s fine to walk in front of the object instead.
Get going!
Nothing beats experience. And there’s no better way to experience Islam than from inside a mosque.
But don’t let all the rules keep you away! Muslims are always happy to help out a newcomer.