Mosque

A mosque is a place of worship where congregate Muslims for prayers Commons. The architectural ensemble is most often surrounded by one or more towers or minarets , whose number is limited to six so as not to exceed seven of the mosque in Mecca. The roof is often dome shaped. It's one of the tall minaret that the muezzin (Mouadh-dhan) calls to prayer during the adhan. A mosque is a place of worship, it serves as an agency social , educational: it may thus be accompanied by a madrassa , a training center or a university. She also serves as a meeting place and social exchanges. .

Summary 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Islamic tradition 2.2 Distribution 2.3 Changing the allocation of places of worship 3 Functions religious 3.1 Prayers 3.2 Events of Ramadan Charity 3.3 4 Social functions 4.1 Muslim Community Center 4.2 Education 4.3 Events and Fundraising 5 Roles contemporary political 5.1 Political Influence 5.2 Fundamentalism 5.3 Attacks against mosques 5.4 Funding 5.5 Influence Saudi 6 Architecture 6.1 Architectural Variety 6.1.1 Arab Plan 6.1.2 Map of Iran 6.1.3 Ottoman Plan 6.1.4 Plan Mughal 6.1.5 Other Mosques 6.2 Minarets 6.3 Domes (Kouba) 6.4 Domes 6.5 Prayer rooms 6.6 Zaoua 6.7 Iwan 6.8 Unesco World Heritage 7 Rules and Etiquette 7.1 Separation of sexes 7.2 Clean and dress 7.3 The entry of a non-Muslim 8 Famous Mosques 9 Notes 10 See also 10.1 Bibliography 10.2 Filmography 10.3 Related Articles

Etymology

The mosque name, attested in 1550 in French . It derives from a root proto-Semitic meaning "place the forehead on the ground" and remember that this is a place of prostration. The term Jami (Jami ), "meeting place" will refer to great mosque where the meeting takes place on Friday. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name, masjid or Jami. .

The precursors of the word "mosque" appeared during the fifteenth, sixteenth and ^seventeenth centuries (moseak "," muskey "," moschy "and" mos'keh ") were also used until we decided that "mosque" found in the Spanish , the average French , the Italian or English would become the norm. In the eighteenth ^century, the modern spelling became the most popular and most standard word.

In the European context, the term mosque tends to give way to the term "center" (Markaz), depending on the activities proposed therein. If most people go there to pray, it remains a mosque. While most come for other activities, we speak rather of a Centre (Markaz) ^History

Islamic tradition

According to a saying attributed to Muhammad , "the whole earth is a mosque except cemeteries and places of comfort" . Another voice says that "the land I was given a place of prayer and pure. Whoever among the men of my community will reach a time of prayer has a place of prayer and purity " . According to Islamic belief, the first mosque in the world was Masjid al-Haram also known as the Kaaba in Mecca , which was built by Adam and rebuilt by Abraham and his first son Ishmael on God's command. The second oldest mosque is the al-Aqsa mosque. According to Muslim tradition, it was built 40 years later by Abraham , when Muhammad's Night Journey, it would have led first to the sacred mosque of Mecca to the al-Aqsa in Jerusalem . She was also the first direction of the qibla .

The first built during the reign of Islam is the Quba Mosque in Medina. It was built during the Hegira , flight of Muhammad and his companions from Mecca to Medina. A few days after starting construction, Muhammad would have begun construction of a second mosque in Medina, known today as the Masjid al-Nabawi , or "mosque of the prophet." According to tradition, its location would be one of the first Friday prayers performed in Medina . According to this tradition, requested by the inhabitants of Medina to accept several grounds, Mahomet, not to offend anyone, let his horse, Qooua, to determine the place of arrival in him releasing the clamp. Thus, after many detours she finally stopped on a large empty field and knelt. It is on this ground that the mosque in Medina was built .

During his stay in Mecca, Muhammad carried inside the Kaaba five daily prayers with the followers of Islam , even though the Arabs are not Muslims also perform their rituals. The tribe of Quraysh , chief of Mecca, which is responsible for the Kaaba, is trying to exclude the followers of Mohammed's sanctuary. When he returns to Mecca in 630, he broke the idols of the Kaaba temple and converted into a mosque. It has been known as Masjid al-Haram , or "sacred mosque".

Masjid Al-Haram was significantly expanded over the centuries to facilitate the hajj , the pilgrimage that every Muslim must perform if he has the ability. Its first extension was made to the Islamic period in the reign of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab and it acquired its present form in 1577 during the reign of Sultan Selim II. Modern extensions are made in the reign of the Saudi royal family Al-Saud .

Distribution

Mosques were built outside the peninsula of Arabia and as far as displacement of Muslims, through conquest, trade and migration flows.

In North Africa , the first mosque founded around 670 is the Great Mosque of Kairouan (in Tunisia ) is also the oldest and most prestigious Muslim shrine in the West . Its layout and its architectural features, the Great Mosque of Kairouan became the model for many mosques in various countries of the Maghreb, Andalusia and Egypt until the period of Fatimid .

The first mosque known China was built during the Tang Dynasty during the ^eighth century in Xi'an. The Mosque of Xi'an , like those of the east, follows traditional Chinese architecture in the shape of pagodas , and does not contain certain elements to the rest of the world, including those of western China.

Their wide distribution in India dates back to the reign of the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth and ^seventeenth centuries. The Mughals brought their own style of architecture, especially the domes with an acute form stretched as the Jama Masjid in New Delhi . But the first mosque built in India was the Qutb Minar mosque in 1193

The first mosques in the Ottoman Empire , like the Hagia Sophia of Istanbul , were originally churches and cathedrals of the Byzantine Empire. The Ottomans were subsequently introduced a new architecture of mosques. Large central domes are added, with multiple minarets and open sides. Ottoman architects have refined the design of columns, the ceilings have become higher, while incorporating traditional elements such as the mihrab . It is up to our days in Turkey 's mosques that bear witness Ottoman model.

Mosques began to be built in Europe with the arrival of the Arabs in Spain ^(eighth century), then with the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, from the ^fourteenth century. But the fastest growth in their numbers occurred recently with the rise in migration from countries with Muslim majorities. Major European cities such as Rome , London and Munich , host mosques feature traditional domes and minarets. They are located in urban centers and to serve as social centers, religious and community for Muslims now numerous enough that live there. In suburban and rural areas of Europe where there are fewer Muslims, we are smaller . The oldest one located in the French department is the Mosque Noor-e-Islam , which is Saint-Denis in Reunion Island : it was inaugurated in 1905 , followed by the Great Mosque of Paris in 1922. In Belgium , the first mosques were built in 1975

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Change of use of places of worship

Many such places of worship being moved from one religion to another exist, some are Islamic.
The Kaaba before Islam was a place of pagan worship, there were 360 idols that when Muhammad ordered the destruction carried out the circumambulation around the Kaaba future main holy place of Islam. As for the Al-Aqsa designated as the third holiest site in Islam, it was erected on the Temple Mount was located where the Second Temple of Jerusalem and is still perceived by Jews as a holy place. In 1453, during the taking of Constantinople , the Ottomans turned almost all the churches, monasteries and chapels in the city including the Basilica of St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia), basting mosaics contrary to the prohibition of representation in the Islam and adding to it four minarets, Sinan Turkish architect was influenced by the architecture of St. Sophia in her later productions. In 1528 the sovereign Mughal Babur built a mosque at Ayodhya in India. The Hindus and historians believe it was built on the whereabouts of the temple of the Hindu god Rama , demolished by the Islamic authorities, with the result that a group of 75,000 people conducted by Indian politicians have demolished the mosque during riots in 1992. Conversely mosques have been converted, particularly in Spain after the Reconquista as evidenced by the current Cathedral of Seville is located on the site of an ancient mosque Almohad minaret which has been preserved and turned into a belfry. We also observed this phenomenon in South-East and India at the end of Moorish occupation.

Religious Functions

Prayers

The salat ( Arabic : ) is one of the five pillars of Islam, and stipulates that Muslims must perform five compulsory daily prayers: before sunrise ( Arabic : fajr), when the sun passes the midpoint Sky ( Arabic : Dhuhr), afternoon ( Arabic : Asr), after sunset ( Arabic : Maghrib) and night ( Arabic : isha'a). Although smaller prayer halls offer the opportunity to make a few, most welcome the five mosques.

While the daily prayers can be performed anywhere, Islam calls all people to attend prayers Friday in the mosque that day, she welcomes the Jumah prayer, or "Friday prayers ", held at the second day, the midday (Dhuhr).

In the Muslim calendar , there are two Aids : Eid al-Adha ( Arabic : or Eid el-Khabir Arabic : Fest), Eid el-Fitr ( Arabic : or es-Saghir Eid Arabic : "Little Feast"). During the first day of these two events, a special prayer is held in the morning in the mosque: Salat el Eid ("Prayer Day"). The Eid prayers are usually performed in large groups. Thus, only the largest mosques normally welcome the Eid prayer. Sometimes, it takes place on large outdoor spaces, because of the crowds.

Salat al-Janazah ( Arabic : ) is also held during the death of a Muslim.

During the eclipse of the sun, mosques host another special prayer called salat al-koussouf ( Arabic : ).

Events of Ramadan

The Ramadan ( Arabic : ), the holiest month of Islam , is celebrated by many events. As Muslims must fast ( Arabic : ) days of Ramadan, mosques welcome dinner (iftar) after sunset and the fourth prayer of the day, maghrib. The food is provided, at least in part, by members of the community. Some mosques also hold meal Sohour , the last meal before fasting resumed at dawn. In Western politicians sometimes attend iftar tables, as part of their campaigns or to try to reconcile the Muslim community .

During Ramadan, Muslims perform a specific prayer, meritorious, the Tarawih ( Arabic : ). It takes place after the fifth and final prayer, Isha, except among the Shiites who do not practice. During the Taraweeh, the Imam recites from memory whole, and at least once the entire Quran or twice if he wants to be like Mohammed. Some imams do not recite the Quran, especially in the small mosque where the prayer is relatively short. It is also possible to read it if not saved.

Lectures are also held during this month.

Finally, during the last ten days of Ramadan, some mosques welcome the I'tikaf, a practice that involves at least one Muslim community to recite the Koran, worship God and study Islam.

Charity

The third pillar of Islam states that Muslims must perform the zakat ( Arabic : charity). It corresponds to 2.5% (or 1 / 40) of the savings of the Muslim, if the savings exceeds a certain amount, currently estimated in Europe to about 870 euros, and reassessed annually . For Muslims, the Quran prescribes: "Help ye in performing good deeds and piety and do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment! " .

During the month of Ramadan , Zakat is more by making and distribution of individual meals. Charity tables are organized in mosques and tents charity.

Social functions

Muslim Community Center

Upon his arrival in Medina, Muhammad built a meeting place for the Community, a kind of "headquarters" which would address all points concerning the Community, a center of life and gathering. Many Muslim rulers after the death of the Prophet of Islam , have therefore established their fields around a mosque. In the same way as The Mecca is built around the Masjid al-Haram and Madinah around Masjid al-Nabawi , Karbala , in Iraq today, was built around the tomb of Husayn , Muhammad's grand son. In general, downtowns Muslim areas are marked by the presence of mosques.

Instead of the mosque in Iran is significant for several reasons. The mosque, in addition to a religious shrine, is also a public place where anyone can enter. In addition, it offers a real public service by providing running water and toilets . The mosque is involved in the social life of a neighborhood. It provides a place of prayer and rest to certain categories of workers or residents of the neighborhood, and is also an essential link between the "sources of emulation" ( marja-e taqlid ) and religious populations.

The recently built mosques, particularly in non-Muslim countries, by cons tend to move away from downtown. In the U.S., growth in the number of mosques and members of congregations in the suburbs is much greater than in highly populated areas and near the city center. Nevertheless, even a mosque in an area not heavily populated Muslim often grows closer to their homes and businesses in the mosque. Thus, places of worship are the focal points of Muslim communities, even if they are not the center of the entire community.

Education

The education is a mission considered noble, and Islam emphasizes education and knowledge, that it is religious, scientific or literary. The first verses revealed to Prophet Muhammad said: "Read! The name of thy Lord who created, who created man from a clot. Read! Thy Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen (the pen), has taught man that which he knew not. "( Sura 96 ). The prophet says: "The best among you is he who learned the Koran and has made learning ". In one hadith, Muhammad says: "Put yourself in the pursuit of knowledge, to China if necessary." The mosque is therefore intended school of all the sciences, where scientists will be formed. More than a place of worship, the mosque has been in times of radiation of Islamic civilization a mecca of education for the faithful of all ages and backgrounds. Abu Said Al-Khoudry reports that the women said to Muhammad: "Men are the only beneficiaries of your exhortations. So we devoted a day to listen to your teachings. " . They named it one day when he met them and offered them his exhortations and recommendations.

Learning the Quran , Arabic and religious practices is done in countries where the language is not widely spoken. Courses are given on Islam and its history for new Muslims, especially in Europe and the United States.

The madrasas are sometimes incorporated in mosques as the case formerly of Al-Azhar in Egypt and Zaytuna in Tunisia. But the current trend is to move towards the separation between mosque and its ancient university vocation. Indeed, if the simple Islamic education can be performed in any center where there is a mu'allim (which may be the imam) capable of assuming the role of initial training, the following steps require more developed educational structures, more qualified teachers and above means that, in the case of higher education, are the only range State.

Events and Fundraising

The mosques in parts of the world host events and dinners to raise money to fund charitable or cultural activities or simply to meet the community.

United States, young people are also attracted to the mosques that have sports facilities such as golf basketball , to soccer or football. An interesting illustration of this community involvement is that of the mosque Djenne in Mali where, during an annual festival, the community participates in the reapplication of the plaster on the outside of the building brick of mud.

Mosques also host weddings. According to the Sunnah , the Prophet had established the proclamation of marriage in the mosque, where the links should be forged in a sacred Islamic atmosphere, and where Muslims will testify in the faith. According to Aisha / A>, wife of Muhammad, he said: "Announce the marriage made in mosques and beat the drums" because it may transform the mosque into a place of business. This episode is reminiscent of that of Jesus chasing the merchants from the temple.

In Iran , worshipers are liable for both taxes on the rich: not only the zakat, but also khoms corresponding to one fifth of revenues. Half of khoms, called by the Imam (sahm-e Emam), is generally collected by the network of mosques and centralized by the "sources of emulation" (marja-e taqlid). The khoms is for the physical maintenance of the clergy . Today we are witnessing the creation of a public confessional in Iran, the constitution which merges with the processes of privatization and commodification of society. This process affects all religious believers. There is thus the pricing of services offered by the mosque . Ceremonies taking place at the mosque, such as funerals, memorials and rituals back from hajj , for example, result in the provision of services priced and very detailed .

Contemporary political roles

The end of the ^twentieth century was marked by an increase in the number of mosques and conveying taking political positions. Some are less controversial. So today, civic participation (especially voting) is generally encouraged by the mosques in the western world.

Other policy actions are challenged. The Islamic fundamentalism and terrorist movements, or at least violent in connection therewith, and are diffused in a small number of mosques across the globe. Conversely, in other mosques were regularly preaching in favor of peaceful coexistence with other trends with Muslim and non-Muslims, especially in times of stress.

Political Influence

During the Iranian revolution , the mosque in Iran has provided the basis for meetings and organizing events . The "Committees for the reception of Imam Khomeini," and the "Islamic Councils of neighborhood" after the revolution have also served in the mosques . These committees, which took care of everyday problems of the neighborhood, or political issues during the revolution, used the Muslim places of worship for secular activities.
It was during the Iran-Iraq war that the Iranian state, during the revolutionary and national mobilization in this period, mixing revolutionary discourse and religious legitimacy to occupy public space. Friday prayers, for example, has two parts: the first is a religious sermon, and the second is explicitly political or social. He even became aware that these sermons are preceded by the intervention of a minister or a technocrat who explains his action . Also during the period of war against Iraq that mosques have begun to have a role in recruiting and supporting candidates for volunteers for martyrdom . The lifting of the Basij has indeed carried out by groups of neighbors or friends, or protests organized by mosques .

In Turkey , officially secular state is a foundation (waqf) religious state (Trk Diyanet Vakfi) which handles the training and remuneration of imams and dictates their sermons. According to Le Soir this organization manages 77,000 mosques and 80,000 civil servants in Turkey but also abroad, eg in Belgium where it operates 62 places of worship .

In Indonesia , the lack of political freedom for years Suharto contributed to the Islamic revival. In 1990, a Muslim scholar said that "the mosque remains a sanctuary for the expression of frustration and dissatisfaction" .

In countries where Muslims are not the majority, mosques are used to promote civic participation. U.S. mosques welcome and registration of voters. Allow Muslim mosques to stay abreast of issues concerning the Muslim community. In Belgium , the Executive Board elections for the provisional wise (installed by a royal decree), which took place on 13 December 1998 , were held in 124 polling stations of which 104 had been installed in mosques and 20 in places public . The faithful of some mosques are involved in protests, sign petitions and get involved in politics. During the crisis of cartoons in February 2006 , leaders of mosques have determined the reaction of the faithful. While some leaders in Southeast Asia and the Middle East called for more violent reactions to the drawings, others have asked the faithful to hold their anger and act peacefully and in both situations, the faithful have reacted accordingly discourse adopted .

Fundamentalism

At the end of the ^twentieth century , a small number of mosques have also become the platforms of imams advocating extremist political violence and Islamist extremist ideas. The mosque in Finsbury Park in London is an example of a mosque that was used for this purpose. The latter has been linked to several individuals suspected or convicted under anti- terrorist like Zacarias Moussaoui and Richard Reid . In Spain , there are a number of clandestine mosques located in garages or apartments, considered by Spanish authorities as spaces for radical proselytism. Many Islamists have been arrested and the monitoring of mosques has become more pronounced, because the authorities fear both the radicalization of young second-generation immigrants, and the presence of radical Islamist groups responsible for recruiting future soldiers. This monitoring is particularly active since the March 11 bombings in Madrid . Some countries like Qatar and UAE conduct the expulsion of foreign imams who hold extremist rhetoric.

Attacks against mosques

On Tuesday, November 20, 1979, the Grand Mosque in Mecca was stormed by a group of religious extremists for several weeks . In the morning, however, King Khalid had met the great Ulema of the kingdom to get them a fatwa authorizing the attack but the soldiers did, however, progressed very slowly. On 23 November, three French gendarmes of the GIGN arrived in Mecca to "convert to Islam" in order to enter the Haram. On the night of 4 to 5 December, about 170 people went . In Iraq , as part of the confrontation between Shia and Sunni , Shiite and Sunni mosques are regularly attacked by armed groups. A bombing perpetrated by Al Qaeda in February 2006 has seriously damaged the mosque of Al-Askari in Samarra. This mosque is holy to Shiites, the attack has raised tensions between Sunnis and Shiite Muslims. In Islam it is forbidden to attack any place of worship or temple. Also in Iraq , mosques came under fire from the U.S. military claims that these fighters are hiding in mosques.

In 2007 , the tension between the Pakistani authorities and some militant Taliban brutally broke during the storm the Red Mosque in 2007. Islamist extremists armed occupy the Mosque and the army conducts an attack to regain control. The event causes the death of over 100 people and raise the armed conflict in northwestern Pakistan.

In the West , these attacks are isolated incidents and are quite related to a political context. The United States for example, the number of attacks against mosques has increased since the September 11. The Netherlands , the number of attacks has also increased after the assassination of Theo van Gogh , who made a film hostile to Islam based on personal experience of Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Mosques in the United Kingdom, have experienced similar attacks after the attacks of July 7, 2005. Some mosques were burned or vandalized occasionally, often found inscriptions neo-Nazi on the buildings. Other mosques are also sometimes referred to in the rest of France as the Paris Mosque , which has suffered several acts of vandalism . Some attacks involve interfaith clashes as in the destruction of Barbari mosque in India in December 1992 which has led to violence between Muslims and Hindus in 1992 and 2002

Financing

In Muslim countries, mosques are run by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. It finances the construction, training of imams (in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture) and their assignment to mosques. Sometimes, some countries require imams from other countries if there is not enough local imams for various mosques. There are mosques built by individuals but the state took over their management.

In Indonesia (the first Muslim country in the world with his number of practitioners), through the Ministry of Religions, the State supports the construction of mosques, pilgrimage to Mecca and religious education .

In France, the 1905 law called separation of Church and State, which states in Article 2: "The Republic does not recognize, pay or subsidize any religion", the mosques are financed by foreign funds and by donations from the faithful and collections, especially during the month of Ramadan . In France, imams are often volunteers, but some, such as those that depend on the Paris mosque, are remunerated by the Algerian state . Nevertheless, the State imposes a limit of 15% to the share of financing from foreign countries (including Morocco and Saudi Arabia). Since Sept. 11, there is a certain distrust of Saudi funding . In Nice , an application for a mosque, filed in 2006 and funded by Saudi Arabia, was denied. The French authorities want to limit the construction of foreign-funded mosques .

In Belgium, the Brussels region is responsible for funding work related to mosques (construction and maintenance) of the region, to support the deficit mosques, and must arrange accommodation for the imam who has the rank above.

After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iran has financed the construction and renovation of several Shiite mosques and shrines including Karbala and Najaf . Through Hezbollah with its leader Hassan Nasrallah studied in Qom, Iran is financing the construction of Shiite mosques and schools .

Saudi influence

The involvement of Saudi in the construction of mosques dating back to 1960 when the founding of the Muslim World League by the royal family. Not until the early 1980s, that is to say after the Islamic revolution in Iran that Saudi Arabia has started to become influential in funding and building mosques outside the country.

The kingdom would have spent more than 45 billion to finance the construction of mosques and Islamic centers. The Saudi newspaper al-Ain Yaqeen estimated that the Saudis have financed the construction of more than 1500 mosques and Islamic centers in 2000, mainly in countries where Muslims are a minority . The construction of the Islamic Center of Rome was primarily funded by King Fahd , who paid 50 million, or 70% of the total cost of construction .

Saudi citizens also contribute significantly, particularly in countries where Muslims are oppressed or poor. After the fall of the Soviet Union , the mosques of Afghanistan have received significant aid from Saudi citizens. Following the Kosovo War during which many religious buildings were destroyed or damaged, the Saudis have financed the restoration of mosques in opposition to their original Ottoman style, rich in frescoes figurative themes .

After the September 11 attacks , some countries have paid more attention to centers and mosques funded by Saudi Arabia. Indeed, Saudi Arabia adheres to the current Wahabi , a strict form of Sunni Islam. This mistrust has sometimes hindered new financing.

Beyond the sums involved in construction, Saudi Arabia also trains Salafi preachers worldwide, including over 30 U.S. .

Architecture

Very diverse in their size and architectural style, the mosque can be simple to masjid for daily worship, as well as Jami '(big mosque), where the faithful congregate for Friday prayers. The characteristic features of the mosque appeared at the dawn of Islam. As to the expansion of Islam, mosques have increasingly incorporated elements from the architecture of conquered territories. Each region is therefore a mosque architecture of its own.

Architectural Variety

Arab Plan

This is the first plan designed. It is based on a more or less mythical home of the prophet in Medina , which is currently located in the Grand Mosque in Medina. The Arab plan, or plan hypostyle is a plan to form square or rectangular courtyard consists of a gantry and a prayer room with columns, the ships being directed parallel or perpendicular (for the Maghreb and certain exceptions) the qibla. It is found throughout the Islamic world, from Syria ( Great Umayyad Mosque of Damascus , for example) to the Maghreb (eg the Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia ), to Spain and to Iraq. The mosques of the Arab plan were built especially under the reign of the Abbasids and Umayyads.

Iran Map

As its name suggests, this plan is found almost exclusively in the Greater Iran , that is to say, in a region including Iran, part of Afghanistan and Pakistan and parts of Iraq. It was also the plan used in India before the Mughal dynasty. It appears ⁱⁿ the tenth century the dynasty Seljuk and is characterized by the use of iwans , a pishtak and a domed prayer hall. Generally, prices of mosques have four cross arranged. A portal is a pishtak forming an advanced, often topped by two minarets and a large open bow. The Shah Mosque in Isfahan is one of the finest examples of Iranian plan known.

Ottoman Plan

This plan is in Turkey (current) mainly, and was developed after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 by the architect Sinan , the greatest builder of Turkish mosques who is credited with over 300 buildings, including the Sleymaniye Mosque at Istanbul. However, we find the beginnings since the thirteenth ^century in the former Ottoman art. It consists of a prayer room under a huge dome confined half domes and couplets.

It is also in addition to the central dome domes often smaller in the rest of the mosque, even when prayer is not performed. Often, the Ottoman style mosques are part of large complexes. One can detect a Byzantine influence (of St. Sophia in particular).

Map Mogul

This plan is only in India from the ^sixteenth century , and is influenced by the Iranian plan. It features a huge yard iwans four, including one opened a prayer room on narrow and rectangular, topped by three or five bulbous domes. The great mosques of Delhi and Bidar use this type of plan.

Other mosques

The mosques of sub-Saharan Africa are marked by earthen architecture. They are often built of mud. The great mosques of Timbuktu and Djenne demonstrating that art feature many pinnacles and buttresses. The great mosque of Agadez (in Niger ), built in the XVI ^century , has a minaret built with traditional Sahelian earth and timber props.

In China Eastern, the minaret is separated from the rest of the mosque and is situated at the entrance. The mosques are more like pagodas, while in western China, the mosques are less influenced by traditional Chinese architecture.

In Poland, the Muslim community of origin Tatar amounts to 5000 souls. A wooden mosque is visible Kruszyniany near the border with Belarus in Podlaskie, another wooden mosque is also visible in the region Bohoniki. A mosque is also in Gdansk to Warsaw and Bialystok.

See also: 48 shots of mosques

Minarets

The minaret () is generally a tall tower above all other buildings. Its purpose was once to provide a high point in the muezzin () for the call to prayer ( adhan ). Today speakers are often placed at the top of the minaret and the muezzin's call is then inside the mosque.

In mosques that do not have minarets, the adhan is done inside the mosque, with or without speakers. In some countries where Muslims are a minority, the call to prayer is not allowed. The Iqama (), which is similar to the adhan is called just before the start of prayer and is usually not announced the minaret.

Whether barreled cylindrical, square or octagonal spiral, and massive or small tops and slender minarets are a constant in almost all mosques. The first mosques were built, however, had no minaret, and currents as Salafism still find that the construction thereof is unnecessary.

The first minarets were built after the Hegira , and the oldest dated seems to be that high 665 in Basra by the first Caliph Umayyad Muawiya ^I.. This has encouraged the construction of minarets, as they allowed the mosques to have the same look that great Christian churches with their steeples. Before the advent of minarets, the call to prayer was launched from the roof of the mosque by the muezzin.

The minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan (in Kairouan in Tunisia ) is considered the oldest standing minaret in the world ^, , its construction, probably initiated during the first half of the ^eighth century , when mainly in the year 836 . Consisting of three levels of decreasing widths, it appears as the prototype of the minarets of Muslim West .

The tallest minaret in the world is that of Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca , with a height of about 210 meters . In Tehran , Iran, two minarets with a height of 230 meters is under construction.

Note that in 2009 will begin in Algiers , the construction of what would become the fourth largest mosque in the world, the Great Mosque of Algiers, with a minaret 200 feet high, a minaret with a dynamic laser directed towards the qibla .

The minaret is usually solitary, but there are exceptions. Thus, the Timurid introduced a monumental gate, accompanied by twin minarets, one on each side, as in Samarkand in what is now Uzbekistan .

Domes (Kouba)

The dome comes from the vaults spherical Persian. It is used in Islamic architecture from the ^seventh century. The domes are often placed directly over the main hall of worship.

Over time, the size of the domes increases. After occupying a small space near the minaret, they now occupy almost the entire surface of the roof of the prayer hall.

From the late ^eleventh century , with the reign of the Seljuks , small domes appear above the mihrab and the iwan, in addition to the large main dome which is at the center . Although domes normally have the shape of a hemisphere, the Mughals popularized domes with a more stretched, particularly in India.

The rounded, dome-shaped are the symbol of perfection.

Domes

A cupola is a way of covering hemispherical, based on a transition zone octagonal (mostly) put itself on four pillars. The transition zone is the great problem of Islamic architects. They can use pendants, that is to say, triangles placed on the convex edge, as in the Byzantine Empire , or tubal , namely small niches, which come from the Iranian world.
The ribs and muqarnas who often fill the domes in the Islamic world in general have no real architectural function.
Dome called outside a dome. From the ^fifteenth century, the domes are often double, that is to say that there is a more or less space between the inner shell and outer shell. This technique enables the highest monuments.

Prayer rooms

The prayer rooms are not sheltering statues, spiritual figures, images of animals or humans. The faithful pray in rows parallel to the wall of the qibla. For prayer, men and women to put behind, however, in many countries, men and women are separated. The interior is simple and does not usually figurative image: the calligraphy , usually verses from the Koran or the shahada , adorn the building and carpets are used to cover the ground and patterns which parent they are oriented toward Mecca. The prayer hall is preceded by a large central courtyard surrounded by porticos and sometimes decorated with a fountain ().

Generally, opposite the entrance to the hall, is the mihrab ( / Span>) is a niche, often decorated with two columns and arches, which indicates the qibla, that is to say the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca toward which Muslims turn during prayer. It is often in the middle of the qibla wall. It is probably in the mosque of Medina found the first mihrab ( 705 - 706 ).

The minibar, a desk or a seat which is presented sermons, is located to the right of the mihrab, the top of a series of steps. It is used during Friday prayers. The first minbar was built by the prophet in the year 7 AH, the form of a wooden pulpit from which he could appeal to the faithful ^, . Today, the minibar is included in the qibla wall during construction. The floor of the mosque where the congregation gathers for worship, is covered with carpet. There is no seat or bench. According to a study in Marseille , Montpellier , Alsace-Moselle and Ile-de-France , places of Muslim worship in France are generally discrete areas of modest size which is barely at first to imagine the cult destination. This discretion may be explained by the significant financial costs for the purchase of large buildings or land. There is also the deterrent role played by certain municipalities whose first reflex of the principle of resistance . In Muslim countries, there may be prayer rooms in workplaces, large shopping centers or in schools. Some airports such as Doha, Abu Dhabi or Riyadh are also equipped with prayer rooms.

Zaoua

Zaouia () is a spiritual Sufi. The word has the meaning zaoua first angle, this definition induces the "isolation" conducive to meditation. Indeed, this term will initially designate a site or a dedicated room within a larger structure in which the mystics could withdraw as suggested by the meaning of the Arabic root word. Subsequently, the word will designate a religious complex containing a mosque, rooms for study and meditation and a hostel for the needy receive. Zaoua is a church built around a relic, a wali, and is mainly dedicated to the teaching of Quran and spiritual practices. It often buries the holy founders of the brotherhoods Sufi who occupy it.

We do find that in some mosques zaouias the Maghreb. According to some local people's thoughts, the zaouias have a range of supernatural powers, they are said that can intercede with God . Some radiation educational, intellectual and cultural role, as they contain manuscripts and books of mathematics , of astrology , to astronomy and pharmacy .

Ivan

The iwans were born in the Iranian world long before the arrival of Islam, probably Dynasty Sassanid. It is a vaulted hall with a rectangular open front by a large arch. The iwan plan combined with the square of the palace Achaemenid model gave the mosque plan called "Iran" (four iwans arranged in a cross and opening onto a courtyard called sahn (in Persian : ). At the center of the court You can find some ablution fountains.

These are the Abbasids who introduce the iwan in Islamic architecture. Found later in the plan iwans Mughal influenced by the Iranian plan .

The madrasa , whose type was born in Iran, also use this element, and have allowed it to spread (low) in Syria , in Egypt and the Maghreb. The iwans serve as living rooms and allow the resident is seeking the sun or to get to safety as required by the seasons and times of day. In winter, we moved into the northern iwan to receive the rays of the sun south, and summer in the southern iwan to be missed by them .

UNESCO World Heritage

Islamic monuments on the list of UNESCO World Heritage are:

• Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam : Criteria (ii ), (iii ) and (iv)
• The mosque Soltaniyeh : Criteria (iv)
• Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat : Criteria (iv)
• Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrii : Criteria (i) and (iv)
• Qutub Minar : Criteria (iv)
• Islamic Cairo : Criteria (i) (v ) (vi )
• The Mosque of the Shah and Sheikh Lutfallah mosque , built at the site of Naghsh-e Jahan square in Isfahan : Criteria (i) (v) and (vi)
• Kairouan and its famous mosque : Criteria (i) (ii) (iii) (v) and (vi)

Rules and Etiquette

Because the mosques are places of worship, the people in it are bound by those trying to pray. It is forbidden to speak in the mosque aloud, or discuss topics deemed disrespectful. Clapping is only tolerated for women when the imam made a mistake. The reason is that according to the word of Muhammad: "(...) who wants to point something out during the prayer formula tasbih (saying Subhan-Allah" Glory to Allah "). . It is reprehensible to spit in the mosque, especially during prayer. According to Abdullah ibn Umar : The "Messenger of Allah winning illustrated overview of a spit on the wall of the Qibla, he rubbed it, then turned to the faithful, saying: When one of you is praying he does not spit in front of him, because Allah is in front of him who prays. " . It is also unlawful for one who has eaten of the garlic , the onion or leek to go to the mosque because of the unpleasant odors that may disturb people praying . No man in a state of high impurity of staying in the mosque when he knows his condition until it is purified. It is the same for women during menstruation and lochia .

Separation of the sexes

Men and women are generally not mixed (the prayer room for women are often separated from men by either a wall or a curtain). There are even sometimes completely separate mosques, especially in China. According to the sunna , the ranks of women should be behind those of men, for reasons related to genuflect . In reference books , there is a hadith which Anas ibn Malik said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam prayed in the house of Umm Souleym. He smiled at me when I'm behind him, I prayed behind him and Umm Souleym behind us. " It is mentioned in many authentic Hadiths and transmitted recurrently that women prayed with Muhammad behind the ranks of men.

Clean and dress

The faithful must remove their shoes at the entrance to the mosque to meet the purity of the place of prayer. Indeed, the Koran says that prayer is only valid if the body, clothes and place are free of impurities. Another reason is that a Muslim can do his ablutions , which include feet. The best clothes and perfume are recommended for Friday prayers to follow this recommendation: "O Children of Adam, in each place of salat wearing your dress (your clothes)" . The person praying must purify his body by washing and clothes must be clean. It can not, for example, pray with clothes soiled by the urine. Women should be dressed in a coat off and not transparent will not show her attire. She does not wear perfume or anything else that might draw attention to her and distract the men of prayer. Middle Eastern clothes (or Thawb Juba) are often associated with Islam, but their port is not mandatory, unless the Western dress is too tight. However, some Muslims prefer to wear when they go to the mosque.

Entering a non-Muslim

The Quran prohibits the entry of the polytheists in the Masjid al-Haram, "O you who believe! Pagans are unclean; they come near the Sacred Mosque after this year it. And if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He wills, out of His grace. For God is Knowing, Wise " . However, there are several ways of interpreting this verse. For example, the cleric and theologian Abu Hanifah , the founder of the madhhab of Islamic law, Hanafi , thinks that the polytheists may enter the Haram (holy place) to Mecca so they do not stay or not stay there because it interprets the impurity in the sense of spiritual impurity (due to polytheism) . But there is a divergence of opinions between specialists ( fuqaha ) as regards the entry of a non-Muslim in a mosque. The most prominent is the permission to enter all mosques - except the al-Haram mosque in Mecca - so he is not sleeping and not eating in the mosque. Indeed Muhammad greeted the delegation in his mosque thaqifite to introduce him to Islam and was also in the same place the Christian delegation from Najran when she went with him to be introduced to Islam .

"If non-Muslims seeking to enter a mosque to see how Muslims pray and do nothing to tarnish the mosque and are not indecently dressed women and, in the absence of any other barriers to entry, it no objection to them enter the mosque. They are installed behind the priors for them to see how they pray and they warned that Muslims would not be aware so they do not seek to expel the foreigners. Allah knows best. "

However, at the time of his reign, the Caliph Umayyad Umar II banned the entry of non-Muslims in mosques and this rule is still applied today in Saudi Arabia . In practice, the decision to allow the entry of non-Muslims varies from one place to another. In Morocco , for example, the entry is permitted only in two mosques, the Mosque of Hassan II in Casablanca and the mosque Moulay Ismail in Meknes. There are also many other places in the West as well as in the Islamic world where non-Muslims are allowed to enter mosques. The United States for example, most mosques are visited by non-Muslims every month. In Malaysia , admission is generally permitted except during prayer times. To enter, it means that women (Muslim or not) also wear a scarf to cover her head in the style of hijab, and men cover their legs from feet to knees. In Tunisia , the Great Mosque of Kairouan , wearing a veil on her head is not essential and only the legs of women wearing a skirt or short shorts should be hidden. The party is not available to the visitor is the place of prayer itself. In Iran non-Muslims can visit all mosques except the central places such as extremely holy shrines of Imam Reza in Mashhad and Fatimah Ma'sumeh in Qom. In Turkey , the entry of non-Muslims in mosques is not a problem, provided you follow the rules of etiquette apply to everyone, ie remove their shoes and (for women) cover your head with a scarf.

Famous Mosques

The three main mosques and holy places of Islam:

• Masjid al-Haram in Mecca
• Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina
• Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem

Other famous mosques:

• Great Mosque of Kairouan in Kairouan in Tunisia
• Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
• Great Mosque of Sultan Qaboos in Muscat
• Mosque Al Quaraouiyine in Fez
• Mosque of Chinguetti in Mauritania
• Umayyad Mosque in Damascus
• Sleymaniye Mosque : situated in Istanbul
• Blue Mosque in Istanbul
• Friday Mosque in Samarra
• Al Azhar University in Cairo
• Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo
• Great Mosque of Algiers
• Great Mosque of Cordoba
• Mosque Koutoubia in Marrakech
• Shah Mosque in Esfahan
• Paris Mosque
• Mosque Noor-e-Islam , at St. Denis in Reunion
• Great Mosque of Djenne
• Djingareyber mosque in Timbuktu
• Mosque of Xi'an in China (Chinese style)
• Niujie Mosque in Beijing in China (Chinese style)
• Mosque of St. Petersburg
• Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi
• Great Mosque of Tlemcen in Tlemcen
• Faisal Masjid in Islamabad
• Great Mosque of Touba in Senegal
• Friday Mosque of Timur said Bibi Khanum in Samarkand