Arabic-L:LING:Etymology of 'mosque' query

[Dilworth Parkinson]

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Arabic-L: Mon 30 Dec 2002
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
[To post messages to the list, send them to arabic-l at byu.edu]
[To unsubscribe, send message to listserv at byu.edu with first line  
reading:
           unsubscribe arabic-l                                      ]

-------------------------Directory-------------------------------------

1) Subject:Etymology of 'mosque' query

-------------------------Messages--------------------------------------
1)
Date:  30 Dec 2002
From: BearMeiser at aol.com
Subject:Etymology of 'mosque' query

Does anyone know what can be said about and what is known for certain  
about the etymology of the word "mosque"? I think it has always been  
understood to be from the word "masjid," which is what the OED says.  
However, the following e-mail seems to be circulating in some Muslim  
circles, telling people that "mosque" has an entirely different origin  
from what we have been taught, though I strongly suspect that that is a  
mere folk etymology. The e-mail says:

PLS CALL OUR MASJID "MASJID"! Not MOSQUE!!!

As-salaam alaikum all my dear  friends,

Please read this and pass it on to any Muslims, as much as  you can. It  
is a vital and important information. Muslims should now refrain from  
using the term "Mosque". I was flipping through this book the other day  
called "THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING ISLAM" (hehe, they  
call themselves idiots) 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 is the English translation of masjid. I'm sure none of  
us ever wondered how this term came into being when it really had  
little in common with how it sounded compared to 'masjid'. (We were  
small when we were taught this English word. Our mind then were not  
critical & analytical, so didn't dare to ask/challenge our teachers,  
right?). 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 forgot exactly whom  
it was) said they were gonna go and swat the muslims "like mosquitos".  
(Where else can they find Muslims in large number to be swatted if not  
in a masjid?). So, they cheekily termed masjid as 'mosque'.
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 look for the book and read  
it.


------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
--
End of Arabic-L:  30 Dec 2002