The mosque is the house of worship of the Moslems. But unlike the houses of worship of other faiths, it serves quite different purposes as well. Moslem women are generally barred from the usual services in a mosque that women of other faiths perform in their churches, temples, synagogues and gurudwaras. The mosque is often used as a center of administrative and political activities. Sometimes it is used even as an execution ground as well and as a fortress.

Moslem males are required to gather in the mosques for their prayer. Only in exceptional circumstances this rule is waived and prayers allowed in private homes. In the past, when the opposition of the disbelievers took a serious turn, prophet Mohammed himself asked his followers to gather in private homes for prayer. It is for the same reason, in an Islamic country non-Moslems gather in private homes for their worship as the Moslems do not permit them to pray in public or own a church or synagogue or temple for unified prayer.

The prophet Mohammed used his mosque for consultations or important political and military matters and the practice has been continued by his followers till today. On the occasion of the battle of Uhud in which many people died, the prophet had consulted his companions in his mosque after Friday prayers about strategy and planning for the coming confrontation with the enemy.

There have been many cases where the mosque has been used to manufacture arms and to serve as a store-house of weapons. In countries which are considered as 'darul-Harb' or land of war, such practices are encouraged by the mullahs.

The mosque is also used as a court-house on some occasions. The Kazi of Medina used to administer justice in the mosque and the practice is followed even today in many places. The practice of using the mosque as a political center was started by the Umayyads. Politics in Islam cannot be dissociated from religion and Islamic politics is quite different from party politics of a parliamentary system. Islamic politics is to strive for the supremacy of the Moslems over the rest of the population and for this purpose any method is acceptable to the mullah. To win over converts or traitors, use of bribes or any other means can be utilised. And once victory is won, the traitors are executed. This has been the way Islam has gained ascendacy in many countries in the past and the method is still being pursued in countries where Moslems are the minority. The mullahs preach their venomous messages inside the mosque to the followers of Islam and keep them from integrating with the national main-stream.