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84-659: The Central Adelaide Mosque , also known as Adelaide City Mosque or Adelaide Central Mosque or Adelaide Mosque , and formerly known as the Afghan Chapel , is a mosque located in Adelaide , South Australia . The mosque was built in 1888–1889, with its four distinctive minarets added in 1903, and is the oldest permanent mosque in Australia. Located in Little Gilbert Street in the south-west corner of

168-479: 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

252-1040: 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

336-519: 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

420-454: 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

504-548: A sermon attributed to him in Nahj al-balagha . Among contemporary authors, this is also the view of Hassan Abbas , John Esposito , Clément Huart , Betty Kelen, John McHugo, Moojan Momen , Hossein Nasr and Asma Afsaruddin , and Reza Shah-Kazemi , while W. Montgomery Watt ( d.  2006 ) regards the aforementioned list of early Muslims in al-Sira al-nabawiya as "roughly accurate." Other Sunni sources specify

588-597: 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 ,

672-572: 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

756-600: A year at the Adelaide Mosque, usually for the Fast of Ramadan . In August 1890, over 80 Muslims and one Hindu were present to observe this important festival. Four minarets were added in 1903, and the mosque gardens grew lush and mature. Over time, as the cameleers passed on or returned to their countries of origin, the mosque became unused and decrepit, until the post- World War II wave of migration to Australia. Muslims arriving mostly from Bosnia and Herzegovina in

840-687: A young age. This places him in Shi'ism above Abu Bakr, who was a middle-aged man at the time of his conversion. Since social status in Islam depended on Islamic precedence, historical reports about the order in which his followers joined Muhammad are often not reliable. Nevertheless, an approximate list of early Muslims may be compiled with reasonable certainty, and one such list is given by Ibn Ishaq. Many of them were young and middle-class men, surmises Watt, some of whom did not enjoy any clan protection and were thus susceptible to harassment by Meccan pagans. Among

924-655: 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

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1008-720: 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

1092-422: 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

1176-747: 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

1260-488: Is difficult to establish the chronological order of early conversions, the identities of early Muslims are known with some certainty. Muhammad may have received his first revelations around 610 CE , which he initially shared only with his wife, Khadija bint Khuwaylid . Over time, in his hometown of Mecca , Muhammad gathered a small following of those who embraced his message of Islam ( lit.   ' submission ' to God) and became Muslims . This increasingly drew

1344-417: 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

1428-595: 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

1512-593: 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,

1596-411: 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

1680-797: 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

1764-591: The Adelaide city centre , the mosque was originally built to accommodate the spiritual needs of "Afghan" cameleers and traders coming in after working in South Australia's northern regions. After the congregation dwindled and the mosque fell into disrepair in the early 20th century, it took on a new lease of life with post- World War II Muslim migration, and has since been thriving. Hadji Mullah Merban came from Kandahar , Afghanistan . He planned on retiring and moving to Adelaide after leading camel teams on

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1848-673: The Australian Overland Telegraph Line and subsequently becoming a respected spiritual leader, led the moves to have a mosque built. Abdul Wade (also known as Wadi, Wabed, Wahid), originally from the Quetta district (now Pakistan) and then merchant and cameleer in the area of Bourke, New South Wales , became the trustee and builder of the mosque. Funding was raised through donations from the small Muslim community in Adelaide and also from Melbourne . Plans for

1932-744: The Banu Hashim , Muhammad's clan, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib were two early Muslims. Ubyda ibn al-Harith , some years senior to Muhammad, was another relative of him who embraced Islam early on. Besides Abu Bakr, a young Talha ibn Ubayd Allah was another early convert from the Banu Taym clan in Mecca. Among the Banu Zuhra , another Meccan clan, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf , Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and his brothers, Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud , al-Muttalib ibn Azhar and his brother, and Khabbab ibn al-Aratt were all early Muslims, though

2016-652: 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

2100-513: 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

2184-589: 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

2268-438: 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

2352-401: 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

2436-403: The early Muslims , and may have been open spaces rather than elaborate buildings. In 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

2520-403: 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

2604-410: 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

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2688-582: 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

2772-483: The Adelaide Mosque has become a place of prayer for Muslim migrants from Bosnia, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries, as well as Australian-born Muslims and converts. The mosque used to be referred to as the Afghan Chapel, and the current website refers to itself as Adelaide City Mosque or Adelaide Central Mosque. Mosque Originally, mosques were simple places of prayer for

2856-641: 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

2940-566: 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

3024-462: 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

3108-570: 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

3192-730: 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

3276-794: 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

3360-558: The Shia jurist Ibn Shahrashub ( d.  1192 ) counters that Ali grasped the message of Muhammad despite his youth, which he views as a merit for Ali, adding that Jesus and John the Baptist were similarly bestowed with divine wisdom in childhood, according to the Quran , the central religious text in Islam. In Shia sources, not only Ali was the first male convert but he also never practiced idolatry, having been raised by Muhammad from

3444-520: The Sunni–Shia disagreement over this matter has an obvious polemical dimension, and Abu Bakr's status after the death of Muhammad might have been reflected back into the early Islamic records. Sunni sources often describe Ali as the first child to embrace Islam, and the significance of his Islam has been questioned by Watt, and also by the Sunni historian al-Jahiz ( d.  869 ). Alternatively,

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3528-751: 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

3612-406: 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

3696-722: 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

3780-403: 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,

3864-511: 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

3948-453: The community, they may also have additional facilities, from health clinics and clubs (gyms) to libraries to gymnasiums , to serve the community. Early Muslims From 613 to 619 CE , the Islamic prophet Muhammad gathered in his hometown of Mecca a small following of those who embraced his message of Islam and thus became Muslims . The first person who professed Islam was his wife, Khadija bint Khuwaylid . The identity of

4032-480: 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

4116-545: The confederate Jahsh professed Islam early on. The Banu Makhzum , evidently the politically dominant clan in Mecca, also had some early Muslims, including Abu Salama , al-Arqam , Shams ibn Uthman , and the confederate Ammar ibn Yasir . Khunays ibn Hudhafa is the only named early convert from the Banu Sahm , another Meccan clan. Among the Banu Juma , Uthman ibn Maz'un and some of his close relatives are listed among

4200-510: 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

4284-399: 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

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4368-479: 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

4452-480: 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

4536-498: 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

4620-478: 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

4704-417: The first male convert to Islam as the first Sunni caliph Abu Bakr or Muhammad's foster son, Zayd ibn Haritha . In particular, the Sunni historian al-Tabari ( d.  923 ) lists contradictory Sunni traditions about Ali, Abu Bakr, and Zayd, thus leaving the decision to the reader. The earliest extant records seem to place Ali before Abu Bakr, according to the Islamicist Robert Gleave . Nevertheless,

4788-525: 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

4872-403: 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

4956-519: The ire of the Meccan elite, who persecuted the early converts, especially the slaves and social outcasts. While Khadija is universally recognized as the first female convert to Islam, the identity of the second male Muslim, after Muhammad himself, is disputed. An ongoing dispute concerns the identity of the second male Muslim, that is, the first male who accepted the teachings of Muhammad. Shia and some Sunni sources identify him as Muhammad's cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib , aged between nine and eleven at

5040-462: The last figure was a poor confederate with little protection, and probably suffered persecution in Mecca. Miqdad ibn Aswad and Mas'ud bin Rabi'a, both early Muslims, were two other confederates of this clan. The early converts among the Meccan Banu Adi clan included Sa'id ibn Zayd , Nu'aym ibn Abd Allah, and Umar ibn al-Khattab , who later succeeded Abu Bakr to the caliphate. Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah and Suhayl ibn Bayda' became Muslims from among

5124-443: 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,

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5208-412: 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

5292-425: 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

5376-399: The mosque upon hearing of the death of Gool Mahomet, who had donated money to construction of the mosque, been Mullah there since 1940, and stayed there on frequent visits to Adelaide. The pair set out to find the mosque and found that the congregation consisted of only two or three aged Afghans. Skaka then became Imam at the mosque. In 1951, only seven people attended the Eid prayer. All of

5460-573: The mosque were approved by the Adelaide City Council in 1887 and the simple building of brick and stone, costing £450, took two years to complete. Hadji Mullah became the first caretaker of the mosque, living with his wife in a cottage in the grounds. There was also accommodation provided for aged and unemployed cameleers and other members of the community. In July 1890, it was reported that Friday night worshippers usually numbered 20–40, with up to 100 attending on big occasions. Muslims from as far away as Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie gathered at least once

5544-403: The old Afghans continued to wear national dress, including the old caretaker, Iset Khan, who lived at the back of the mosque and refused to use electric lighting. In 1952, a small number of "ancient, turbaned men", aged from 87 to 117, were reported to be still living at the Adelaide mosque. The new migrants cared for the old people and set about restoring the mosque after their death. Since then,

5628-417: 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

5712-407: The ranks of the Banu al-Harith , another Meccan clan. Early Muslims from the Meccan clan of Banu Amir included Ibn Umm Makhtum , Suhayl ibn Amr , and his brothers. Zubayr ibn al-Awwam is perhaps the only named early convert from the Banu Asad, another Meccan clan. Among the influential Abd Shams clan in Mecca, Uthman ibn Affan , Abu Hudhayfa ibn Utba , Khalid ibn Sa'id , and the family of

5796-573: 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

5880-436: 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

5964-447: 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

6048-643: 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

6132-526: 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

6216-449: The second male Muslim, after Muhammad himself, is nevertheless disputed largely along sectarian lines, as Shia and some Sunni sources identify him as the first Shia imam Ali ibn Abi Talib , a child at the time, who grew up in the household of his uncle, Muhammad. Other sources report that the first male convert was Abu Bakr , who later succeeded Muhammad as the first Sunni caliph , or Muhammad's foster son, Zayd ibn Haritha . While it

6300-687: 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

6384-628: The then Yugoslavia , and the newly independent Indonesia boosted the congregation. In 1950, Ahmed Skaka, who had trained as an imam in Sarajevo and enlisted in the Yugoslav Army before being imprisoned by the Nazis in Bosnia, migrated to Australia. After moving to Adelaide from Melbourne , he and a fellow Muslim from Romania obtained work at Clipsal . They were alerted to the existence of

6468-491: The time. For instance, this is reported by the Sunni historian Ibn Hisham ( d.  833 ) in his recension of al-Sira al-nabawiya , the biographical work of the Shia-leaning historian Ibn Ishaq ( d.  767 ). Similar reports appear in the works of the Sunni authors Ibn Sa'd ( d.  845 ) and al-Suyuti ( d.  1505 ). Ali himself claimed to be the second male Muslim in al-Qasi'a ,

6552-420: 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

6636-747: 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

6720-562: 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

6804-574: The wall in the direction of the city of Mecca (the qibla ), which Muslims must face during prayer, as well as 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

6888-633: 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

6972-471: 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

7056-526: 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

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