is a
place of worship for followers of
Islam. The word entered the
English language most likely through
French (
mosquée), from
Spanish (
mezquita), from
Berber (
tamezgida), ultimately originating in
Arabic:
masjid مسجد —
Arabic pronunciation: [ˈmæsdʒɪd][1]. The Arabic word
masjid literally means a place of
prostration. 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
masjid dedicated for the daily five prayers and the larger
masjid jāmi‘ (مسجد جامع) where the daily five prayers and the Friday congregation sermons are held with a high volume of attendence. The
masjid jāmi‘ also plays more roles such as teaching Qur'an and educating future
imams.
The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for salat (prayer) (Arabic: صلاة, ṣalāt) as well as a center for information, education, and dispute settlement. The Imam leads the prayer.
They have developed significantly from the open-air spaces that were the Quba Mosque and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in the 7th century. Many mosques have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls. Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula, but are now found in all inhabited continents.
Large mosques play sometime a political role as well. In Islamic countries like Pakistan, Iran and Iraq (after 2003), political subjects are preached by imams at Friday congregations on a regular basis.[2] In other Islamic countries, imams are usually banned from mentioning political issues.
A Pitaya (pronounced /pɨˈtaɪ.ə/) or pitahaya (English pronunciation: /ˌpɪtəˈhaɪ.ə/) is the fruit of several cactus species, most importantly of the genus Hylocereus (sweet pitayas). These fruit are commonly known as dragon fruit – cf. Chinese huǒ lóng guǒ 火龍果/火龙果 "fire dragon fruit" and lóng zhū guǒ "dragon pearl fruit", or Vietnamese thanh long (green dragon). Other vernacular names are strawberry pear or nanettikafruit. 
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