1MASJID

THE MOSQUE : HOLY PLACE FOR MUSLIMS


Prayer is established at four levels :the individual, the congregation, the total population of a town and the entire muslim world. There for the Muslims needed more then one type of mosques. The first is the (Masjid), a mosque used for daily prayer by individuals or small groups but not for the Friday worship; it there for has a (Mihrab) but no (Minbar).

The second is the (Jami’), The Friday Mosque; used for the main weekly service, it is normally much larger then the (Masjid) and provided with a (Minbar).

The third is the (Idgah), the place of community prayer, is a great open praying area wit nothing but a (Qibla) wall and a (Mihrab), there the whole population of a city can assemble for the two major festivals, the breaking of the fast and the sacrifice of Ibrahim.

There are two structures necessary for Islamic worship: the Minaret, from which the (muezzin) gives the call to prayer, and the fountain for ablution.

There are three types of minarets, first the classic minaret which begins square, changes to an octagon, then into a cylinder and is finally capped by a mini dome.

Second a minaret which begins with a square, then a sixteen sided shaft and then above the Balcony, an octagon.

Third the continuous cylinder, rising from a square base.

And as everything else fountains could also be works of art. The courtyard afforded an opportunity for architectural display, which the ottomans and especially the maghals seized with passion.

Inside the mosque the chief feature is the (Mihrab), a niche in the center the (Qibla) wall to define the direction of Mecca.