The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today Part of a series on Islam Beliefs Allah · Oneness of God Muhammad · Prophets of Islam Practices Profession of Faith · Prayer Fasting · Charity · Pilgrimage History & Leaders Timeline of Muslim history Ahl al-Bayt · Sahaba Rashidun Caliphs · Shi'a Imams Texts & Laws Qur'an · Sunnah · Hadith Fiqh · Sharia Kalam · Tasawwuf (Sufism) Major branches Sunni · Shi'a Culture & Society Academics · Animals · Art Calendar · Children · Demographics Festivals · Mosques · Philosophy Politics · Science · Women Islam & other religions Christianity · Jainism Judaism · Sikhism See also Criticism of Islam · Islamophobia Glossary of Islamic terms Islam Portal  v • d • e  A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name, masjid, Arabic: ???? — pronounced ['m?s??d] (pl. masajid, Arabic: ????? — /m?'s????d/). The word "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship, although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller, privately owned mosque and the larger, "collective" mosque (Arabic: ????, masjid jami), which has more community and social amenities. The primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer. Nevertheless, mosques are known around the world nowadays for their general importance to the Muslim community as well as their demonstration of Islamic architecture. They have developed significantly from the open-air spaces that were the Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Nabawi in the seventh century. Today, most mosques have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls. Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula, but now exist on all the world's inhabited continents. They are not only places for worship and prayer, but also places to learn about Islam and meet fellow believers.