Mosques

What is it?

• A mosque , is a place of worship for followers of Islam.
• Throughout Islamic history, the mosque was the centre of the community and towns formed around this pivotal building.
• Nowadays, mosques are found on nearly every street corner, making it a simple matter for Muslims to attend the five daily prayers.

How do they look?

• Mosques come in all shapes and sizes; they differ from region to region based on the density of the Muslim population in a certain area. Muslims in the past and even today have made use of local artisans and architects to create beautiful, magnificent mosques.

A feature

• There are however, certain features that are common to all mosques. Every mosque has a mihrab, a niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca; the direction towards which Muslims pray.

Another one

• Other common features include, minarets, tall towers used to call the congregation to prayer. Minarets are highly visible and are closely identified with mosques.

Evolution

• Mosques have developed significantly over the past 1400 years. Many have courtyards containing decorative pools and fountains, which originally supplied water for ablution before prayer. Nowadays however, more private bathroom and toilet facilities are provided.

More information

• More often than not, even in arid desert countries mosques are cool, serene havens. When a person enters a mosque he or she would have left the hustle and bustle of the material world and retreated into a calm shelter or sanctuary. Mosques are houses of worship.

The end