parts of the mosque

In order for us to understand much better the place of worship of the followers of Islam, we must know a little better about the different parts of the mosque. We are accustomed to the wonderful architecture of cathedrals or Christian churches, but the mosques that today are spread over different territories are a sample of the architectural richness of Islam.

They are different from what we are used to seeing, but really wonderful. They are known for their colors, their exaggerated ornamentation, their domes, some of which are considered the most beautiful mosques in the world.. In this publication, we will not only talk about everything that revolves around these constructions, but we will name some of the most amazing mosques that you should visit on your future trips.

The mosques are the heart of the Muslim community, it is where they go to pray and pray, but they are also centers of training, study and knowledge. From what can be said, these constructions not only have a religious purpose, but also political, social, cultural and even educational.

What is the mosque and what are its functions?

A mosque is a building in which Muslims worship their prophet. With the passage of history, mosques have become a fundamental element of the community and cities, since these were built around this cult building.

Today, especially in Muslim countries, mosques are located almost anywhere in cities. With this, it becomes easier to perform five prayers a day as Muslims do.

There are mosques of different shapes and sizes as we will see in the next section, they differ between them due to the density of population, from one area to another. At the beginning of its history and on certain occasions even today, Muslims rely on local craftsmen or architects for the construction of these buildings.

Over the years, mosques have been able to evolve and develop in a remarkable way. Many of the constructions that we can see today have patios, fountains, places to relax, etc. In their origins, they were much simpler constructions than those found in these times.

In its interior, images or statues are not usually found, although on certain occasions decorations with verses from its sacred book are usually seen, the Koran, or designs with geometric shapes. You can find more current designs or more classic designs which are called arabesques.

When a Muslim enters a mosque, he removes himself from the hustle and bustle of the material world and immerses himself in a haven of calm., in a kind of sanctuary. Mosques are places of worship. The word mosque as we know it today means building for prayer, but its origin in Arabic "masjid" has many other meanings.

It can mean, place to kneel, place of prostration. When Muslims pray, they rest their foreheads on the ground to be closer to their god. Prayer creates a bond of union between believers and the prophet.

The main function of a mosque, as we have seen, is the religious function, but it also highlights its social function because this building is considered as a place where the Muslim community gathers and celebrates different meetings, in addition to teaching everything that has to do with Islam.

types of mosque

For many years now, more specifically since the XNUMXth century, mosques have been built on different territories of the world. As we can all imagine, there are different types of constructions and this is what we are going to see next, the three most common forms.

Hypostyle Mosque

Its architecture is inspired by the house of the prophet Muhammad. This first place of worship spread on a large scale throughout Islamic territories. An example of this is the Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia.

Mosque of four iwans

This new form of architecture appears in the eleventh century, it is a vaulted space with a large patio on one side. In each of the walls of this courtyard, there is a vaulted room, which is called an iwan.

central dome mosque

Ottoman architects were greatly influenced by the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, we mean one of the largest Byzantine churches, and which had a central dome.  The Islamic architect Mimar Sinan created a higher and wider dome than that of this church, with a simple and perfect design.

parts of the mosque

It is time to delve fully into the different parts that make up a mosque. That is why, at this point, the we are going to name them one by one and explain them for a better understanding.

• qibla: it is a question of a miro, oriented towards Mecca and to which the faithful direct their prayers and prayers.
• Almemor: pulpit, from which the sermon is recited or read. It is a wooden construction in the shape of a chair, with several steps.
• Minaret: it is the tower, located in the patio area from where the call to prayer is made. Inside this tower, there are some stairs and a terrace at the top.
• Treasure chamber: place, where the treasures of the Muslims are kept. These treasures are donations or alms that are made for any community need.
• Chairs: it is the lectern, where his holy book is placed.
• Macsura: this is an area, which is bounded at the front of the mihrab. It is a recitation, which is reserved by the caliph and all his entourage or his relatives.
• Measure: room, where purification rituals are performed on different parts of the body. It is a recitation, where there are latrines and pools with water to carry out these acts.
• Mihrab: we are talking about an arch, which is located in the central part of the qibla wall. This marks the direction to Mecca, the point most revered by Muslims. In addition, it recalls the place that was occupied by the Prophet Mohammed in his mosque.
• Yard: open space, which is surrounded by galleries and is located in the north or northeast half of these buildings of worship. Inside the patio, you can find fountains, wells, trees, etc.
• Sabbath: in this case, we refer to a passageway that connects the alcazar with the aljama mosque. This passageway is used by the caliph and his entourage so as not to be seen.
• Sala de oracion: it is the space, where the faithful perform their prayers. This space is divided into three parts by means of arches and columns. Its doors lead directly to the street and others to the patio. Next to their entrances, there is usually an area to leave footwear.
• saqifas: they are galleries located on the sides of the patio and that have the function of sheltering the faithful, especially women during prayer.
• Yamur: this part of the mosque, are the finials of the almires. These auctions are composed of a mast with three balls. Sometimes a crescent is usually placed.

Mosques of the world that you should visit

As we have commented at the beginning of the publication, we are used to the beauty of Christian churches and we think that there is nothing with which they can be compared, but this is not the case. There are different mosques in the world, full of color and ornamentation that are really worth visiting.

Pink Mosque – Iran

This mosque is located in Shiraz, one of the most populous cities in Iran. This construction may not look like much when you see it from the outside, but once inside you will be amazed. It was built in 1888 and, they have a great beauty for their stained glass windows, in which the sunlight is reflected and the colors are reflected on the internal walls.

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi – Saudi Arabia

One of the most important mosques in the world is this one that we have just mentioned since the remains of Muhammad are buried in it. This construction, has a total of ten minarets. It was built by Muhammad himself and his faithful, but has been reformed on different occasions.

Selim Mosque – Turkey

It is considered the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture and is therefore a World Heritage Site. It is located in the European zone of Turkey, very close to the border with Greece. It was built on an octagonal base and you can see four impressive minarets 70 meters high.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque – Abu Dhabi

Last but not least, we bring you a project that sought to build the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates. Visually, it is a spectacular construction with white marble cladding and architectural elements from all Islamic cultures.

There are many more really unique and beautiful mosques that you should know and if you have the chance to visit them, do it. Not only to be amazed at its great beauty, but also so that in each one of them you can visualize the different parts that make up a mosque, as we have indicated in the previous section.

We hope that this article has been interesting for you where we have talked about everything that revolves around these religious constructions and that you are encouraged to visit some of them on your next trips.