QUESTION:
“From: Haroon Shadman
To: quran Guide
Subject: The word 'masjid'
Dr Kashif
I know you are busy. Just a reminder of my question last requested in December 2018. I will really appreciate some clarification.
Thank you
Confusion regarding the root word SJD, which means to consent. Hence all derivatives will have similar meanings.
sajda
usjudu
sujudan
masjid
So, the word ‘masjid' will mean something like consenting or consented, but not a ‘mosque’. Since there were no mosques that existed until much after the Quran was revealed, the word ‘masjid’ could not be referring to a building known as the mosque today.
And the word 'masjid al haram’ will give the meaning of that which is ‘haram' in something that was consented by the Almighty. 'Masjid al haram' then cannot be ‘kaaba’. It probably means something that is ‘haram' in the god’s consented decrees.
Your thoughts please. I am still learning and trying to apply your methods to understand.
Best wishes
Haroon”
ANSWER:
Dear Brother Haroon Shadman,
I trust you're well and I am so very sorry for the late reply. The Arabic root word "سجد" (SJD) is not a root of “consent” since the word "موافقة" has been used in Arabic to mean “consent”. However, when Arabic word "سجد" is used to its correct root meaning “inclination” or “acceptance” the word "سجد" becomes “admittance” or “being agreed with something”. Hence, in that far relation of “agreeing to or agreeing with something” or becoming in agreement with something or someone you can probably see this Arabic word "سجد" in the sense of "consent" but this is the weak link to derive its meaning. Therefore, I would say that "consent" is not a direct or straightforward meaning of Arabic word "سجد" (SJD) but can be used with the flow and agreement to the context.
However, the straightforward and direct meaning of Arabic word "سجد" (SJD) are as follows:
Give in, spend in, invest in, disburse, expend, lend, offer, outlay, pay, put out, put up, shell out, cherish, look after, care for, lean towards, show a tendency, be tended, be prone, organize with, shape with, make up with, plan with, go along with, be apt, befit, fit, acclimatize, accustom, adjust, be determined, agree to, inclination, bending or turning towards something or someone, acceptance, establish, abide by and comply with.
According to its correct etymology Arabic word "سجد" (SJD) came from Classical Syriac word ܣܓܶܕ (SGED) means: “to lay out” and was developed further in Arabic in a root letters س ج د (s-j-d).
Therefore, if you look at the meaning of "to lay out" you will get it to mean "to pay out", "to give", "to adapt", "to frame", "to determine", "agree to", "to establish", "prepare for", "harmonize with". Hence, give in, go along with, inclination, bending or turning towards something or someone, agreeing to accepting and complying with are the correct root meanings of Arabic word "سجد" (SJD) and its derivatives.
Hence, according to Arabic grammar the word “مسجد” (MASJID) is a verbal noun (مصدر) of the action (verb) “سَجَدَ” (sāʿjada) that is the default past verb derived out of the same root word “سجد” (SJD). Whereas, “یسجد” (yasjud or yasjad) and “اسجد” (asjud or asjad) are present and command verbs respectively.
This type of Arabic nouns are made by adding the letter “م” (Mem) in the beginning of Stem III verbs such as making a verbal noun “mufāʿala” (مْفَاعَلَ) from the verb “fāʿala” (فَاعَلَ). Subject and object nouns are also made in the same way from different forms of Stem, such as subject nouns called “mufaʿil” (مْفَاعِل) are made from “fāʿil” (فاعل) and object nouns called “mafʿūl” (مفعول) are also made in the same way from their Stem form. Likewise, following the pattern of “mafʿal” the noun “مکتب” (maktab), .i.e. office is made from “کتب” (k-t-b). Hence, “مسجد”, “محسن”, “مسلم” and similar verbal nouns and adjectives are made on the same pattern of Stem forms.
Therefore, according to the grammatical construction of Arabic word “مسجد” (Masjid) as a subject verbal noun and adjective the word “مسجد” (Masjid) does not refer to any physical building or any sanctuary. It means the Arabic word “مسجد” (Masjid) is falsely translated to mean “Mosque”.
Hence, the correct meaning of Quranic word “مسجد” (Masjid) are as under:
Giving in, spending in, investing in, disbursing, expending, lending, offering, outlaying, paying out, putting out, putting up, cherishing, looking after, caring for, leaning towards, showing a tendency, be tended, be prone, organizing with, shaping with, making up with, planning with, going along with, be apt, befitting, fitting, acclimatizing, harmonizing with, be accustomed, adjustment, be determined, agreeing to, inclination, inclining, bending or turning towards something or someone, acceptance, establishing, establishment, abiding by, complying with, outlaying and framing.
On the following link you can also read my article “SAJDA & MASJID IN THE LIGHT OF QURAN”
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sajda-masjid-light-quran-dr-kashif-khan/
FURTHER QUESTION:
From: Haroon Shadman.
“Dr Kashif, in that case the word ‘masjid’ cannot mean a building or a mosque? And then ‘masjid al haram’ will have to be redefined? Am I right in assuming this?
Best wishes
Haroon”
ANSWER:
Masjid Al Haram can be called an unlawful inclination, forbidden tendency, prohibited organisation, illicit framing shape, outlawed establishment and banned outlay. However, the building structure of Masjid al haram is actually called Kaaba. Therefore, all structural places or Masjids are places of unlawful inclination and prohibited establishments since all mosques follow the directions of Kaaba and face towards Kaaba which is actually an unlawful structure or a forbidden sanctuary of al Masjid al Haram, which itself is an unlawful establishment.
Regards,
Kashif Khan
Courtesy of Dr Kashif Khan
Researcher and author