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102-436: The mosque is located in downtown Vlora on a central square, surrounded on all four sides with roads. It is located on west of Sadik Zotaj , south of Lef Sallata and east of Papa Kristo Negovani streets. The structure consists of the main building and the minaret . The former is about 10 to 11 square meters while the minaret has a length of 18 metres. The portico (hajati) has not been rebuilt until today. The mosque has

204-407: A masjid ( / ˈ m æ s dʒ ɪ d , ˈ m ʌ s -/ MASS -jid, MUSS - ), is a place of worship for Muslims . The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed, such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were simple places of prayer for the early Muslims , and may have been open spaces rather than elaborate buildings. In

306-444: A camel called Qaswa, he arrived at the place where this mosque was built, which was being used as a burial ground. Refusing to accept the land as a gift from the two orphans, Sahl and Suhayl, who owned the land, he bought the land which was paid for by Abu Ayyub al-Ansari , and it took seven months to complete the construction of the mosque. It measured 30.5 m × 35.62 m (100.1 ft × 116.9 ft). The roof which

408-475: A cool atmosphere, an advantage in the hot Arab countries. Quotations from the Quran often adorn mosque interiors. These texts are meant to inspire people by their beauty, while also reminding them of the words of Allah. The prayer hall, also known as the muṣallá ( Arabic : مُصَلَّى ), rarely has furniture; chairs and pews are generally absent from the prayer hall so as to allow as many worshipers as possible to line

510-1000: A defining feature of South Asian mosque architecture during the Delhi Sultanate and reached their peak under the Mughal Empire. Influenced by Persian and Central Asian traditions, the Mughals introduced the iconic onion-shaped domes, seen in landmarks like the Jama Masjid in Delhi and the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. These domes were not only visually striking but also represented remarkable engineering, using techniques such as iron dowels for strength and timber centering for precision. The Mughal architectural style still influences mosque design today. Modern Innovations One prime example of modern innovation

612-501: A dome with a supporting polygon raised base, arched windows and classical triangular forms topping the side walls. The brick work of the Muradie mosque has layers with two different brick colors. There is also a contrast between the texture, quality, color, as well as size and sequence of the bricks used to build the Islamic prayer hall compared with the larger white chiseled stones used to build

714-570: A fabric dome over it, and the rest of the stairs were covered with ebony . The minbar was replaced by Baybars I , by Shaykh al-Mahmudi in 1417, and by Qaitbay in 1483. In 1590 it was replaced by the Ottoman sultan Murad III with a marble minbar , while Qaytbay's minbar was moved to the Quba Mosque. As of 2013, the Ottoman minbar is still used in the mosque. The first recorded minarets , four in number, were constructed between 707 and 709 during

816-457: A facility for ritual cleansing ( wudu ). The pulpit ( minbar ), from which public sermons ( khutbah ) are delivered on the event of Friday prayer , was, in earlier times, characteristic of the central city mosque, but has since become common in smaller mosques. To varying degrees, mosque buildings are designed so that there are segregated spaces for men and women . This basic pattern of organization has assumed different forms depending on

918-510: A model for the construction of early mosques elsewhere. It introduced some of the features still common in today's mosques, including the niche at the front of the prayer space known as the mihrab (first added in the Umayyad period ) and the tiered pulpit called the minbar . The Umayyad Caliphate was particularly instrumental in spreading Islam and establishing mosques within the Levant , as

1020-450: A place of worship), either from Nabataean masg dhā́ or from Arabic Arabic : سَجَدَ , romanized :  sajada (meaning "to prostrate "), probably ultimately from Nabataean Arabic masg dhā́ or Aramaic s ghēdh . Islam was established in Arabia during the lifetime of Muhammad in the 7th century CE. The first mosque in history could be either the sanctuary built around

1122-585: A similar manner in the mid-17th century, remain two of the largest mosques on the Indian subcontinent. The first mosque in East Asia was established in the eighth century in Xi'an . The Great Mosque of Xi'an , whose current building dates from the 18th century, does not replicate the features often associated with mosques elsewhere. Minarets were initially prohibited by the state. Following traditional Chinese architecture ,

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1224-558: A small part of the roof near the mihrab to encompassing the whole roof above the prayer hall. Although domes normally took on the shape of a hemisphere, the Mughals in India popularized onion-shaped domes in South Asia which has gone on to become characteristic of the Arabic architectural style of dome. Some mosques have multiple, often smaller, domes in addition to the main large dome that resides at

1326-651: Is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that faces the qiblah (i.e. the "front" of the mosque); the imam stands in this niche and leads prayer. Given that the imam typically stands alone in the frontmost row, this niche's practical effect is to save unused space. The minbar is a pulpit from which the Friday sermon is delivered. While the minbar of Muhammad was a simple chair, later it became larger and attracted artistic attention. Some remained made of wood, albeit exquisitely carved, while others were made of marble and featured friezes . A common feature in mosques

1428-715: Is accorded to, in descending order of importance: al-Masjid al-Haram in the city of Mecca, where Hajj and Umrah are performed; the Prophet's Mosque in the city of Medina , where Muhammad is buried; and al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem , where Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to heaven to meet God around 621 CE. There's a growing realization among scholars that the present-day perception of mosques doesn't fully align with their original concept. Early Islamic texts and practices highlight mosques as vibrant centers integral to Muslim communities, supporting religious, social, economic, and political affairs. During and after

1530-510: Is an area between the minbar and the burial-chamber of Muhammad. It is regarded as one of the Riyāḍ al- Jannah ( Arabic : رِيَاض ٱلْجَنَّة , lit.   'Gardens of the Paradise';). A green carpet was used to distinguish the area from the red carpet used in the rest of the mosque, though it is now also green. There are two mihrabs or niches indicating the qiblah in the mosque, one

1632-422: Is called maqfil (Bosnian: makfil/макфил ). It is located above the main prayer hall, elevated in the background as stairs-separated gallery or plateau (surface-shortened to the back relative to the bottom main part). It usually has a perforated fence at the front, through which the imam or mullah and the other male worshippers in the main hall can be partially seen. A miḥrāb , also spelled as mehrab

1734-724: Is credited with having built the Ka'bah in Mecca, and consequently its sanctuary, Al-Masjid al-Haram , which is seen by Muslims as the first mosque that existed. A hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari states that the sanctuary of the Ka'bah was the first mosque on Earth, with the second mosque being Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem , which is also associated with Abraham. Since as early as 638 CE, the Sacred Mosque of Mecca has been expanded on several occasions to accommodate

1836-409: Is not clear exactly what purpose these towers served in this early period. At the time of Ibn Rusta's writing, only one of the original four towers remained standing. The southwest minaret was demolished in 716 on the orders of Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik . The Abbasid caliph al-Mahdi ( r.  775–785 ) extended the mosque to the north by 50 metres (160 ft). His name was also inscribed on

1938-417: Is often elaborated into a freestanding building in the center of a courtyard. This desire for cleanliness extends to the prayer halls where shoes are disallowed to be worn anywhere other than the cloakroom. Thus, foyers with shelves to put shoes and racks to hold coats are commonplace among mosques. Modern mosques have a variety of amenities available to their congregants. As mosques are supposed to appeal to

2040-527: Is the Great Mosque of Cordoba , itself constructed on the site of a church demolished during the period of Muslim rule. Outside of the Iberian Peninsula , such instances also occurred in southeastern Europe once regions were no longer under Muslim rule. There are two holidays ( Eids ) in the Islamic calendar : ʿĪd al-Fiṭr and ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā , during which there are special prayers held at mosques in

2142-616: Is the Green Dome in the south-east corner of the mosque, originally Aisha 's house, where the tomb of Muhammad is located. Many pilgrims who perform the Hajj also go to Medina to visit the Green Dome. In 1909, under the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II , it became the first place in the Arabian Peninsula to be provided with electrical lights . From the 14th century, the mosque

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2244-576: Is the Masjid Raja Haji Fi Sabilillah in Malaysia, which features a Low-E glass dome. The use of Low-E (low emissivity) glass allows for significant energy efficiency by reducing heat gain while still allowing natural light to illuminate the interior space. This technique helps to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the mosque, minimizing reliance on air conditioning, and promoting sustainability . In addition to advancements in materials,

2346-411: Is the minaret, the tall, slender tower that usually is situated at one of the corners of the mosque structure. The top of the minaret is always the highest point in mosques that have one, and often the highest point in the immediate area. The origin of the minaret and its initial functions are not clearly known and have long been a topic of scholarly discussion. The earliest mosques lacked minarets, and

2448-414: Is the oldest part of the mosque, lies towards the south. It has a flat paved roof topped with 27 sliding domes on square bases. Holes pierced into the base of each dome illuminate the interior when the domes are closed. The sliding roof is closed during the afternoon prayer ( Dhuhr ) to protect the visitors. When the domes slide out on metal tracks to shade areas of the roof, they create light wells for

2550-772: The Ka'bah in Mecca , known today as Al-Masjid al-Haram ('The Sacred Mosque'), or the Quba Mosque in Medina , the first structure built by Muhammad upon his emigration from Mecca in 622 CE , both located in the Hejaz region in present-day Saudi Arabia. Other scholars reference Islamic tradition and passages of the Quran, according to which Islam as a religion precedes Muhammad, and includes previous prophets such as Abraham. In Islamic tradition, Abraham

2652-634: The Demak Great Mosque , were first established in the 15th century. Early Javanese mosques took design cues from Hindu , Buddhist , and Chinese architectural influences, with tall timber, multi-level roofs similar to the pagodas of Balinese Hindu temples ; the ubiquitous Islamic dome did not appear in Indonesia until the 19th century. In turn, the Javanese style influenced the styles of mosques in Indonesia's Austronesian neighbors— Malaysia , Brunei , and

2754-504: The Great Mosque of Cordoba , as they tended to reflect the architecture of the Moors instead of their Visigoth predecessors. Still, some elements of Visigothic architecture , like horseshoe arches , were infused into the mosque architecture of Spain and the Maghreb. Muslim empires were instrumental in the evolution and spread of mosques. Although mosques were first established in India during

2856-702: The Quba Mosque , as well as the second largest mosque and holiest site in Islam , after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca , in the Saudi region of the Hejaz . The mosque is located at the heart of Medina, and is a major site of pilgrimage that falls under the purview of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques . Muhammad himself was involved in the construction of the mosque. At the time,

2958-538: The Rawdah holds the tombs of Muhammad and two of his companions and father-in-laws , Abu Bakr and Umar. A fourth grave is reserved for ʿĪsā (Jesus), as Muslims believe that he will return and will be buried at the site. The site is covered by the Green Dome. It was constructed in 1817 CE during the reign of the Ottoman sultan Mahmud II and painted green in 1837 CE. Ar-Rawḍah ash-Sharīfah ( Arabic : ٱلرَّوْضَة ٱلشَّرِيْفَة , lit.   'The Noble Garden')

3060-571: The Sarvestan Palace . Thus, Islamic architecture witnessed the introduction of such structures as domes and large, arched entrances, referred to as iwans . During Seljuq rule , as Islamic mysticism was on the rise, the four-iwan arrangement took form. The four-iwan format, finalized by the Seljuqs, and later inherited by the Safavids , firmly established the courtyard façade of such mosques, with

3162-438: The adhan is called instead from inside the mosque or somewhere else on the ground. The Iqâmah (Arabic: إِقَـامَـة ), which is similar to the adhan and proclaimed right before the commencement of prayers, is usually not proclaimed from the minaret even if a mosque has one. Domes, often placed directly above the main prayer hall, may signify the vaults of the heaven and sky. As time progressed, domes grew, from occupying

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3264-401: The early Muslim conquests , mosques were established outside of Arabia in the hundreds; many synagogues , churches , and temples were converted into mosques and thus influenced Islamic architectural styles over the centuries. While most pre-modern mosques were funded by charitable endowments ( waqf ), the modern-day trend of government regulation of large mosques has been countered by

3366-403: The imam or mullah leads the five daily prayers on a regular basis. Left to the mihrab , in the front left corner of the mosque, sometimes there is a kursu (Turkish: kürsü , Bosnian: ćurs/ћурс ), a small elevated plateau (rarely with a chair or other type of seat) used for less formal preaching and speeches. Women who pray in mosques are separated from men . Their part for prayer

3468-410: The qibla wall, usually at its center, is the miḥrāb , a niche or depression indicating the direction of Mecca. Usually the mihrab is not occupied by furniture either. A raised minbar (pulpit) is located to the right side of the mihrab for a khaṭīb (preacher), or some other speaker, to offer a khuṭbah (sermon) during the ritual Friday prayers. The mihrab serves as the location where

3570-413: The " Green Dome " ( Kubbe-i Khadra ) ever since. Sultan Mahmud II's successor, Sultan Abdulmecid I ( r.  1839–1861 ), took thirteen years to rebuild the mosque, beginning in 1849. Red stone bricks were used as the main material in reconstruction of the mosque. The floor area of the mosque was increased by 1,293 square metres (13,920 sq ft). The entire mosque was reorganized except for

3672-571: The 11th century. These first minaret towers were placed in the middle of the wall opposite the qibla wall. Among them, the minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia, dating from 836, is well-preserved and is one of the oldest surviving minarets in the world today. Before the five required daily prayers, a Mu’adhdhin (Arabic: مُـؤَذِّن ) calls the worshippers to prayer from the minaret. In many countries like Singapore where Muslims are not

3774-623: The Christians in Damascus. Overall, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (Al-Waleed's father) is said to have transformed 10 churches in Damascus into mosques. The process of turning churches into mosques were especially intensive in the villages where most of the inhabitants converted to Islam. The Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun turned many churches into mosques. Ottoman Turks converted nearly all churches, monasteries, and chapels in Constantinople , including

3876-556: The Great Mosque of Xi'an, like many other mosques in eastern China, resembles a pagoda , with a green roof instead of the yellow roof common on imperial structures in China. Mosques in western China were more likely to incorporate elements, like domes and minarets, traditionally seen in mosques elsewhere. A similar integration of foreign and local influences could be seen on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java , where mosques, including

3978-540: The Magnificent (r. 1520–1566) rebuilt the east and west walls of the mosque, and added the northeastern minaret known as Süleymaniyye . He added a new altar called Ahnaf next to Muhammad's altar, Shafi'iyya, and placed a new steel-covered dome on the tomb of Muhammad. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent wrote the names of the Ottoman sultans from Osman Ghazi to himself ( Kanuni ) and revived the "Gate of Mercy" ( Bab ur-Rahme ) or

4080-458: The Muslim community to share in beginning and breaking the fasts, as providing charity during Ramadan is regarded in Islam as especially honorable. Following the last obligatory daily prayer ( ʿIshāʾ ) special, optional Tarāwīḥ prayers are offered in larger mosques. During each night of prayers, which can last for up to two hours each night, usually one member of the community who has memorized

4182-554: The Muslims were allowed to retain their churches and the towns captured by Muslims had many of their churches converted to mosques. One of the earliest examples of these kinds of conversions was in Damascus , Syria, where in 705 Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I bought the church of St. John from the Christians and had it rebuilt as a mosque in exchange for building a number of new churches for

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4284-651: The Ottoman period are still scattered across Eastern Europe , but the most rapid growth in the number of mosques in Europe has occurred within the past century as more Muslims have migrated to the continent. Many major European cities are home to mosques, like the Grand Mosque of Paris , that incorporate domes, minarets, and other features often found with mosques in Muslim-majority countries. The first mosque in North America

4386-713: The Philippines. Several of the early mosques in the Ottoman Empire were originally churches or cathedrals from the Byzantine Empire , with the Hagia Sophia (one of those converted cathedrals) informing the architecture of mosques from after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople . The Ottomans developed their own architectural style characterized by large central domes (sometimes surrounded by multiple smaller domes), pencil-shaped minarets, and open façades. Mosques from

4488-570: The Prince Mohammed ibn Abdulaziz retook the city on 5 December 1925. After the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, the mosque underwent several major modifications. In 1951, King Abdulaziz (1932–1953) ordered demolitions around the mosque to make way for new wings to the east and west of the prayer hall, which consisted of concrete columns with pointed arches. Older columns were reinforced with concrete and braced with copper rings at

4590-450: The Qur'an and couplets from the poem Kaside-i Bürde . The qibli wall was covered with polished tiles with lines inscribed from the Qur'an. The places of prayer and courtyard were paved with marble and red stone. The fifth minaret, Mecidiyye , was built to the west of the surrounded area. Following the "Desert Tiger" Fakhri Pasha 's arrest by his own officers having resisted for 72 days after

4692-717: The Umayyads constructed among the most revered mosques in the region — Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem , and the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus . The designs of the Dome of the Rock and the Umayyad Mosque were influenced by Byzantine architecture , a trend that continued much later with the rise of the Ottoman Empire . The Great Mosque of Kairouan in present-day Tunisia

4794-406: The call to prayer was often performed from smaller structures or elevated platforms. The early Muslim community of Medina gave the call to prayer from the doorway or the roof of the house of Muhammad , which doubled as a place for prayer. The first confirmed minarets in the form of towers date from the early 9th century under Abbasid rule and they did not become a standard feature of mosques until

4896-717: The center. Structural and Functional Roles Domes not only serve as architectural focal points but also enhance mosque acoustics, amplifying prayers. Structurally, they allow vast interior spaces with minimal internal supports. Their placement above the prayer hall symbolizes the connection between the earthly and the divine, reinforcing the mosque's spiritual purpose. Persian and Byzantine Influence Whilst squinches and pendentives were not first used in mosques, they were later incorporated in dome design and were essential in transitioning from square rooms to circular domes. Squinches, which originated in Persian and Roman architecture, fill

4998-403: The community usually provide meals periodically throughout the night During the last ten days of Ramadan , larger mosques within the Muslim community will host Iʿtikāf , a practice in which at least one Muslim man from the community must participate. Muslims performing itikaf are required to stay within the mosque for ten consecutive days, often in worship or learning about Islam. As a result,

5100-511: The community, thereby creating daily potluck dinners. Because of the community contribution necessary to serve iftar dinners, mosques with smaller congregations may not be able to host the iftar dinners daily. Some mosques will also hold Suḥūr meals before dawn to congregants attending the first required prayer of the day, Fajr . As with iftar dinners, congregants usually provide the food for suhoor, although able mosques may provide food instead. Mosques will often invite poorer members of

5202-490: The community, they may also have additional facilities, from health clinics and clubs (gyms) to libraries to gymnasiums , to serve the community. Prophet%27s Mosque The Prophet's Mosque ( Arabic : ٱلْمَسْجِد ٱلنَّبَوِي ‎ , romanized :  al-Masjid al-Nabawī , lit.   'Mosque of the Prophet';) is the second mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Medina , after

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5304-475: The concept of the mosque as the focal point of the Islamic city. The Prophet's Mosque is considered by some scholars of Islamic architecture to be the first mosque. The mosque had a roof supported by columns made of palm tree trunks and it included a large courtyard, a motif common among mosques built since then. Rebuilt and expanded over time, it soon became a larger hypostyle structure. It probably served as

5406-495: The corners of a square space to support a dome, while pendentives, a Byzantine innovation, allowed smooth transitions from a square base to a circular dome. These techniques are exemplified by the Dome of Soltaniyeh. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Byzantine domes, such as Hagia Sophia’s, greatly influenced Ottoman mosque design. Domes in South Asian Mosque Architecture Domes became

5508-407: The demolition of the living quarters of Muhammad's wives and the expansion of the structure to incorporate the graves of Muhammad, Abu Bakr and Umar. The vocal opposition to the demolition of Muhammad's home from local religious circles was dismissed by al-Walid. A wall was built to segregate the mosque and the houses of the wives of Muhammad. The mosque was reconstructed in a trapezoid shape with

5610-399: The designs of later Timurid , and also Mughal , mosque designs. The Ottomans introduced central dome mosques in the 15th century. These mosques have a large dome centered over the prayer hall. In addition to having a large central dome, a common feature is smaller domes that exist off-center over the prayer hall or throughout the rest of the mosque, where prayer is not performed. This style

5712-472: The earliest type of mosques, pioneered under the Umayyad Dynasty. These mosques have square or rectangular plans with an enclosed courtyard ( sahn ) and covered prayer hall. Historically, in the warm Middle Eastern and Mediterranean climates , the courtyard served to accommodate the large number of worshippers during Friday prayers. Most early hypostyle mosques had flat roofs on prayer halls, which required

5814-697: The end of the Siege of Medina on 10 January 1919, 550 years of Ottoman rule in the region came to an end. When Saud bin Abdul-Aziz took Medina in 1805, his followers, the Wahhabis, demolished nearly every tomb and dome in Medina to prevent their veneration, except the Green Dome. As per the sahih hadiths, they considered the veneration of tombs and places, which were thought to possess supernatural powers, as an offence against tawhid , and an act of shirk . Muhammad's tomb

5916-480: The entire Quran (a Hafiz ) will recite a segment of the book. Sometimes, several such people (not necessarily of the local community) take turns to do this. During the last ten days of Ramadan, larger mosques will host all-night programs to observe Laylat al-Qadr , the night Muslims believe that Muhammad first received Quranic revelations. On that night, between sunset and sunrise , mosques employ speakers to educate congregants in attendance about Islam. Mosques or

6018-494: The entrance to the prayer hall is the qibla wall (the direction of Mecca , and thus the direction towards which Muslims should face for prayer), the visually emphasized area inside the prayer hall. The qibla wall should, in a properly oriented mosque, be set perpendicular to a line leading to Mecca , where the Kaaba is located. Congregants pray in rows parallel to the qiblah wall and thus arrange themselves so they face Mecca. In

6120-474: The famous Hagia Sophia , into mosques immediately after capturing the city in 1453 . In some instances mosques have been established on the places of Jewish or Christian sanctuaries associated with Biblical personalities who were also recognized by Islam. Mosques have also been converted for use by other religions, notably in southern Spain, following the conquest of the Moors in 1492. The most prominent of them

6222-432: The first stage of Islamic architecture (650–750 CE), early mosques comprised open and closed covered spaces enclosed by walls, often with minarets , from which the Islamic call to prayer was issued on a daily basis. It is typical of mosque buildings to have a special ornamental niche (a mihrab ) set into the wall in the direction of the city of Mecca (the qibla ), which Muslims must face during prayer, as well as

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6324-525: The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr , mosques also collect a special zakat that is supposed to assist in helping poor Muslims attend the prayers and celebrations associated with the holiday. The frequency by which Muslims attend mosque services vary greatly around the world. In some countries, weekly attendance at religious services is common among Muslims while in others, attendance is rare. A study of American Muslims did not find differences in mosque attendance by gender or age. Arab-plan or hypostyle mosques are

6426-529: The houses around the mosque, except those of Muhammad's wives , to expand it. The new mosque's dimensions became 57.49 m × 66.14 m (188.6 ft × 217.0 ft). Sun-dried mud bricks were used to construct the walls of the enclosure. Besides strewing pebbles on the floor, the roof's height was increased to 5.6 m (18 ft). Umar constructed three more gates for entrance. He also added Al-Buṭayḥah ( ٱلْبُطَيْحَة ) for people to recite poetry. The third Rashidun caliph Uthman demolished

6528-403: The increasing number of Muslims who either live in the area or make the annual pilgrimage known as Hajj to the city. Either way, after the Quba Mosque, Muhammad went on to establish another mosque in Medina , which is now known as Al-Masjid an-Nabawi ('The Prophet's Mosque'). Built on the site of his home, Muhammad participated in the construction of the mosque himself and helped pioneer

6630-435: The length of the longer side being 101.76 metres (333.9 ft). For the first time, porticoes were built in the mosque connecting the northern part of the structure to the sanctuary. According to the 10th-century writer Ibn Rusta , minarets were also built for the first time during al-Walid's expansion as four towers were added to the mosque's corners. They may be the first minarets in Islamic architecture , though it

6732-493: The loss of the city's political importance to Syria under the Umayyads. It took three years for the work to be completed. Raw materials were procured from the Byzantine Empire . Al-Walid lavished large sums for the mosque's reconstruction and supplied mosaics and Greek and Coptic craftsmen. The area of the mosque was increased from the area 5,094 square metres (54,830 sq ft) of Uthman's time, to 8,672 square metres (93,340 sq ft). Its redevelopment entailed

6834-443: The majority, mosques are prohibited from loudly broadcasting the Adhān (Arabic: أَذَان , Call to Prayer), although it is supposed to be said loudly to the surrounding community. The adhan is required before every prayer. Nearly every mosque assigns a muezzin for each prayer to say the adhan as it is a recommended practice or Sunnah ( Arabic : سُـنَّـة ) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. At mosques that do not have minarets,

6936-412: The majority, will also host Eid prayers outside in courtyards, town squares or on the outskirts of town in an Eidgah . Islam's holiest month, Ramaḍān , is observed through many events. As Muslims must fast during the day during Ramadan, mosques will host Ifṭār dinners after sunset and the fourth required prayer of the day, that is Maghrib . Food is provided, at least in part, by members of

7038-472: The minaret. It is believed that the cultural monument was designed by the prominent Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan , a leading mosque builder in the Ottoman Empire and the author of the Great Suleymaniye Mosque in Constantinople ( Istanbul ). This article about a mosque or other Islamic place of worship in Albania is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mosque A mosque ( / m ɒ s k / MOSK ), also called

7140-425: The morning. These Eid prayers are supposed to be offered in large groups, and so, in the absence of an outdoor Eidgah , a large mosque will normally host them for their congregants as well as the congregants of smaller local mosques. Some mosques will even rent convention centers or other large public buildings to hold the large number of Muslims who attend. Mosques, especially those in countries where Muslims are

7242-443: The mosque in 649. Ten months were spent in building the new rectangular shaped mosque whose face was turned towards the Kaaba in Mecca. The new mosque measured 81.40 m × 62.58 m (267.1 ft × 205.3 ft). The number of gates as well as their names remained the same. The enclosure was made of stones laid in mortar. The palm trunk columns were replaced by stone columns which were joined by iron clamps. Teakwood

7344-465: The mosque should accommodate between 1.6 million to 2 million worshippers. In March of the following year, the Saudi Gazette reported that demolition work had been mostly complete, including the demolition of ten hotels on the eastern side, in addition to houses and other utilities. The modern-day mosque is situated on a rectangular plot and is two stories tall. The Ottoman prayer hall, which

7446-448: The mosque's land belonged to two young orphans, Sahl and Suhayl, and when they learned that Muhammad wished to acquire their land to erect a mosque, they went to Muhammad and offered the land to him as a gift; Muhammad insisted on paying a price for the land because they were orphaned children. The price agreed upon was paid by Abu Ayyub al-Ansari , who thus became the endower or donor ( Arabic : وَاقِف , romanized :  wāqif ) of

7548-400: The mosque, naming its walls, doors and minarets after themselves and their forefathers. After an expansion during the reign of the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I ( r.  705–715 ), it now incorporates the final resting place of Muhammad and the first two Rashidun caliphs Abu Bakr ( r.  632–634 ) and Umar ( r.  634–644 ). One of the most notable features of the site

7650-446: The mosque, on behalf or in favor of Muhammad. al-Ansari also accommodated Muhammad upon his arrival at Medina in 622. Originally an open-air building, the mosque served as a community center , a court of law, and a religious school. It contained a raised platform or pulpit ( minbar ) for the people who taught the Quran and for Muhammad to give the Friday sermon ( khutbah ). Subsequent Islamic rulers greatly expanded and decorated

7752-511: The mosque, the wall of the qiblah was facing north to Jerusalem , and the Suffah was along the northern wall. In the year 7 AH, after the Battle of Khaybar , the mosque was expanded to 47.32 m (155.2 ft) on each side, and three rows of columns were built beside the west wall, which became the place of praying. The mosque remained unaltered during the reign of Abu Bakr. Umar demolished all

7854-549: The mosque. Al-Mutawakkil ( r.  847–861 ) lined the enclosure of Muhammad's tomb with marble. In 1269, the Mamluk sultan Baybars sent dozens of artisans led by the eunuch Emir Jamal al-Din Muhsin al-Salihi to rebuild the sanctuary, including enclosures around the tombs of Muhammad and of Fatima. The Mamluk sultan al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri ( r.  1501–1516 ) built a dome of stone over his grave in 1476. Sultan Suleiman

7956-514: The opportunities for further development, the mosques consequently losing popularity. The first departure within mosque design started in Persia (Iran). The Persians had inherited a rich architectural legacy from the earlier Persian dynasties, and they began incorporating elements from earlier Parthian and Sassanid designs into their mosques, influenced by buildings such as the Palace of Ardashir and

8058-527: The prayer hall. At these times, the courtyard of the Ottoman mosque is also shaded with umbrellas affixed to freestanding columns . The roof is accessed by stairs and escalators . The paved area around the mosque is also used for prayer, equipped with umbrella tents. The sliding domes and retractable umbrella-like canopies were designed by the German Muslim architect Mahmoud Bodo Rasch , his firm SL Rasch GmbH , and Buro Happold . The chamber adjacent to

8160-620: The region, period, and Islamic denomination . In addition to being places of worship in Islam , mosques also serve as locations for funeral services and funeral prayers , marriages ( nikah ), vigils during Ramadan , business agreements, collection and distribution of alms , and homeless shelters. To this end, mosques have historically been multi-purpose buildings functioning as community centres, courts of law, and religious schools . In modern times, they have also preserved their role as places of religious instruction and debate. Special importance

8262-490: The rest of the Muslim community is responsible for providing the participants with food, drinks, and whatever else they need during their stay. The third of the Five Pillars of Islam states that Muslims are required to give approximately one-fortieth of their wealth to charity as Zakat . Since mosques form the center of Muslim communities, they are where Muslims go to both give zakat and, if necessary, collect it. Before

8364-496: The rest of the prayer area, and to the rest of the mosque complex (although such uses may be restricted by the conditions of the waqf that owns the mosque). In many mosques, especially the early congregational mosques, the prayer hall is built in the hypostyle form (the roof held up by a multitude of columns). One of the finest examples of the hypostyle-plan mosques is the Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia . Usually opposite

8466-634: The rise of privately funded mosques, many of which serve as bases for different streams of Islamic revivalism and social activism. The word 'mosque' entered the English language from the French word mosquée , probably derived from Italian moschea (a variant of Italian moscheta ), from either Middle Armenian մզկիթ ( mzkit‘ ), Medieval Greek : μασγίδιον ( masgídion ), or Spanish mezquita , from [مسجد] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= ( help ) (meaning "site of prostration (in prayer)" and hence

8568-526: The room. Some mosques have Islamic calligraphy and Quranic verses on the walls to create a more religious atmosphere for worshippers. Often, a limited part of the prayer hall is sanctified formally as a masjid in the sharīʿah sense (although the term masjid is also used for the larger mosque complex as well). Once designated, there are onerous limitations on the use of this formally designated masjid , and it may not be used for any purpose other than worship; restrictions that do not necessarily apply to

8670-662: The seventh century, they were not commonplace across the subcontinent until the arrival of the Mughals in the 16th and 17th centuries. Reflecting their Timurid origins, Mughal-style mosques included onion domes , pointed arches , and elaborate circular minarets, features common in the Persian and Central Asian styles . The Jama Masjid in Delhi and the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore , built in

8772-493: The tomb of Muhammad, the three altars, the pulpit and the Suleymaniye minaret. On the walls, verses from the Quran were inscribed in Islamic calligraphy . On the northern side of the mosque, a madrasah was built for teaching the Qur'an. An ablution site was added to the north side. The prayer place on the south side was doubled in width, and covered with small domes. The interiors of the domes were decorated with verses from

8874-402: The top. The Suleymaniyya and Mecidiyye minarets were replaced with two minarets in Mamluk revival style. Two additional minarets were erected to the northeast and northwest of the mosque. A library was built along the western wall to house historic Qurans and other religious texts. In 1974, King Faisal added 40,440 m (435,300 sq ft) to the mosque. The area of the mosque

8976-420: The towering gateways at every side, as more important than the actual buildings themselves. They typically took the form of a square-shaped central courtyard with large entrances at each side, giving the impression of gateways to the spiritual world. The Persians also introduced Persian gardens into mosque designs. Soon, a distinctly Persian style of mosques started appearing that would significantly influence

9078-747: The use of geodesic domes offers a modern solution to structural and environmental needs. These domes, with their network of triangular units, distribute weight evenly, allowing for expansive spaces without the need for internal supports. This is particularly useful in creating large, unobstructed prayer halls. Geodesic domes also boast greater energy efficiency due to their minimal surface area relative to volume, which reduces heating and cooling demands. As ritual purification precedes all prayers, mosques often have ablution fountains or other facilities for washing in their entryways or courtyards. Worshippers at much smaller mosques often have to use restrooms to perform their ablutions. In traditional mosques, this function

9180-549: The use of numerous columns and supports . One of the most notable hypostyle mosques is the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain, the building being supported by over 850 columns. Frequently, hypostyle mosques have outer arcades ( riwaq ) so that visitors can enjoy the shade. Arab-plan mosques were constructed mostly under the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties. The simplicity of the Arab plan limited

9282-460: The walls of the mosque. He also planned to remove six steps to the minbar , but abandoned this idea, fearing damage to the wooden platforms on which they were built. The project required the demolition of the two northern minarets of al-Walid's time but they were replaced by two new towers at the northern corners of the new expansion. According to an inscription of Ibn Qutaybah , the caliph al-Ma'mun ( r.  813–833 ) did "unspecified work" on

9384-586: The west gate. The pulpit that is used today was built under Sultan Murad III (r. 1574–1595). In 1817, Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808–1839) completed the construction of "the Purified Residence" ( Ar-Rawdah Al-Muṭahharah ( ٱلرَّوْضَة ٱلْمُطَهَّرَة ) in Arabic , and Ravza-i Mutahhara in Turkish ) on the southeast side of the mosque, and covered with a new dome. The dome was painted green in 1837, and has been known as

9486-463: Was also expanded during the reign of King Fahd in 1985. Bulldozers were used to demolish buildings around the mosque. In 1992, when it was completed, the mosque took over 160,000 m (1,700,000 sq ft) of space. Escalators and 27 courtyards were among the additions to the mosque. A$ 6 billion project to increase the area of the mosque was announced in September 2012. After completion,

9588-491: Was built by Muhammad and another was built by Uthman. The one built by the latter was larger than that of Muhammad's, and it acts as the functional mihrab, whereas Muhammad's mihrab is a "commemorative" mihrab. Besides the mihrab , the mosque also has other niches which act as indicators for praying. This includes the Miḥrāb Fāṭimah (Arabic: مِحْرَاب فَاطِمَة ) or Miḥrāb at- Tahajjud (Arabic: مِحْرَاب ٱلتَّهَجُّد ), which

9690-420: Was built by Muhammad for the late-night prayer. The original minbar ( مِنـۢبَر ) used by Muhammad was a block of date palm wood. This was replaced by him with a tamarisk one, which had dimensions of 50 cm × 125 cm (20 in × 49 in). In 629 CE, a three staired ladder was added to it. Abu Bakr and Umar did not use the third step as a sign of respect to Muhammad, but Uthman placed

9792-619: Was founded by Albanian Americans in 1915, but the continent's oldest surviving mosque, the Mother Mosque of America , was built in 1934. As in Europe, the number of American mosques has rapidly increased in recent decades as Muslim immigrants, particularly from South Asia , have come in the United States. Greater than forty percent of mosques in the United States were constructed after 2000. According to early Muslim historians , towns that surrendered without resistance and made treaties with

9894-529: Was guarded by eunuchs , the last remaining guardians were photographed at the request of then- Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud , and in 2015, only five were left. It is generally open regardless of date or time, and has only been closed to visitors once in modern times, as Ramadan approached during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The mosque was built by Muhammad in 622 AD after his arrival in Medina. Riding

9996-471: Was heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture with its use of large central domes. Islam forbids figurative art , on the grounds that the artist must not imitate God's creation. Mosques are, therefore, decorated with abstract patterns and beautiful inscriptions. Decoration is often concentrated around doorways and the miḥrāb . Tiles are used widely in mosques. They lend themselves to pattern-making, can be made with beautiful subtle colors, and can create

10098-453: Was stripped of its gold and jewel ornaments, but the dome was preserved either because of an unsuccessful attempt to demolish its complex and hardened structure, or because some time ago, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab , founder of the Wahhabi movement, wrote that he did not wish to see the dome destroyed. The Saudi takeover was characterized by events similar to those that took place in 1805, when

10200-549: Was supported by palm trunks was made of beaten clay and palm leaves. It was at a height of 3.60 m (11.8 ft). The three doors of the mosque were the Bāb ar-Raḥmah ( بَاب ٱلرَّحْمَة , "Gate of the Mercy") to the south, Bāb Jibrīl ( بَاب جِبْرِيْل , "Gate of Gabriel ") to the west, and Bāb an-Nisāʾ ( بَاب ٱلنِّسَاء , "Gate of the Women") to the east. At this time point in the history of

10302-516: Was the first mosque built in the Maghreb (northwest Africa), with its present form (dating from the ninth century) serving as a model for other Islamic places of worship in the Maghreb. It was the first in the region to incorporate a square minaret , which was characteristic of later Maghrebi mosques, and includes naves akin to a basilica . Those features can also be found in Andalusi mosques, including

10404-523: Was used in reconstructing the ceiling filza. In 706 or 707, the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I ( r.  705–715 ) instructed his governor of Medina, the future caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz , to significantly enlarge the mosque. According to the architectural historian Robert Hillenbrand, the building of a large scale mosque in Medina, the original center of the caliphate, was an "acknowledgement" by al-Walid of "his own roots and those of Islam itself" and possibly an attempt to appease Medinan resentment at

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