HOAX: CALL MASJID not Mosque

Assalamoalaikum,

I am sure many brothers and sisters have received this HOAX. The wordings are as follows:

CALL MASJID not Mosque

Dear Muslims,

Please read this and pass it on to any and all Muslims that you can. It is vital and important information, I believe.

Muslims Refrain From Using the Term "Mosque" I was flipping through this book at the book store the other day called "The Complete Idiots Guide to Understanding Islam" (hehe) and it is filled with fun facts. Some stuff I didn't even know.

One of them concerns the term "mosque." So many of us think that this the english translation of Masjid. I often wondered how that was when they really had little in common with how they sounded.

Anyway this book pointed out that the term mosque is derived from the spanish word for "mosquito." It was termed as such because during the Crusades, King Ferdinand (or someone.. i forget exactly whom it said coined the term) said they were gonna go and swat the muslims "like mosquitos."

So dear Muslim brothers and sisters, refrain from using this term which is obviously a disgusting slap in the face to the Ummah. Educate our brothers and sisters to the history and etymology of this word. And let us replace it with the word which is MEANT to be used: Masjid! The Place of Prostration!! NOT Mosque: the place to be swatted!

If any of you have doubts about this, then please go pick up the book and read it.

This is another Conspiracy by Non Muslims who want Muslims to waste their Precious time discussing these useless things that will make no difference to their life as well. This Email is a HOAX. Please do not forward it to people and help spread slur. In fact when you get mail saying forward it to everyone you know, please delete it immediately. See the following details below. I have spent a lot of time writing it, so please read it.

From my research, I have found that there are four possible origins for the word ‘mosque’ in the English language. The first possibility is that it derives from the French word ‘mosquee’ that existed during the period in French linguistic history known as ‘Middle French’. The second possibility is that it is a derivative of the Arabic word ‘masjid’. The third possibility is that it derives from the Old Italian word ‘moschea’ and the final possibility is that it comes from the Old Spanish word ‘mezquita’. These various words were used to describe the Muslim place of worship in the various languages mentioned.

Now this is from the dictionary: mosque (first cited occurance: c. 1400):

[In 16th c. mosquee (later shortened to mosque), a. F. mosquée, a. It. moschea (whence G. moschee), a. Arab. masgid (so pronounced in N. Africa; elsewhere masjid), f. sagada (sajada) to worship.
Cf. early mod.F. mosquete, Sp. mezquita, Pg. mesquita, It. meschita (see MESQUITA1). Eng. writers have occas. used forms directly taken from Arabic, as MASJID, MOSGED, MUSCHID. Some of the forms above are from Italian; the precise history of the forms in Mandeville is obscure.]

for mosquito (first cited occurance: c. 1583):

[a. Sp. and Pg. mosquito, dim. of mosca (:L. musca) fly.
Cf. F. moustique (whence MOUSTICK Obs.), a metathetic alteration of the Sp. word.]

As you can clearly see that the Spanish word for Mosquito is "mosca".

See:
http://www.bartleby.com/61/40/M0434000.html
http://www.bartleby.com/61/39/M0433900.html

With the above in mind, I believe it is important to keep a sensible perspective when approaching the origin of words. Words are dynamic and over time often change their meanings from what they originally may have been intended for. It is likely that there are many words in all languages that result from the ignorance or hatred that may have once existed between peoples, races, tribes or religions. We should consider contemporary usage of words and the intention of their current meanings as most important.

The book, Complete Idiot's guide to Islam is for Idiots, not for Muslims who know.

Please spend your time more constuctively rather than this kind of things.

May Allah give Guidance to all Muslims and bring them on right path.

WasSalam,
Zafar