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45-468: Construction on the mosque began in 1558 and ended in 1559, according to an inscription on the exterior of the mosque. During this period, Bangladesh had a string of Afghani rulers. The Kusumba mosque was built under one of the last Suri rulers, named Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah. The actual construction of the mosque was overseen by a high-ranking official named Sulaiman. Although the mosque was built under

90-564: A maqsura , denoting not only the place where the imam led prayers but also where some official functions, such as the dispensation of justice, were carried out. In the Mosque of the Prophet ( Al-Masjid al-Nabawi ) in Medina , a large block of stone initially marked the north wall which was oriented towards Jerusalem (the first qibla), but this was moved to the south wall in the second year of

135-418: A mihrab appears is thus the " qibla wall". The minbar , which is the raised platform from which an imam (leader of prayer) addresses the congregation, is located to the right of the mihrab . The origin of the word miḥrāb is complicated, and multiple explanations have been proposed by different sources and scholars. It may come from Old South Arabian (possibly Sabaic ) 𐩣𐩢𐩧𐩨 mḥrb meaning

180-564: A border for decorative panels on the exterior of the mosque. The northern and southern exterior walls each have screened windows. The eastern wall of the mosque contains three blind multifoiled arches. This was a new style of arch created with the construction of the Kusumba Mosque, distinguishing it from other mosques in the region. After the mosque was built, local artisans from the Kusumba village became trained in this style of arch. As

225-493: A certain part of a palace , as well as "part of a temple where 𐩩𐩢𐩧𐩨 tḥrb (a certain type of visions) is obtained," from the root word 𐩢𐩧𐩨 ḥrb "to perform a certain religious ritual (which is compared to combat or fighting and described as an overnight retreat) in the 𐩣𐩢𐩧𐩨 mḥrb of the temple." It may also possibly be related to Ethiopic ምኵራብ məkʷrab "temple, sanctuary," whose equivalent in Sabaic

270-501: A common feature of Late Antique architecture prior to the rise of Islam, either as hollow spaces or to house statues . The mihrab niche could have also been related to the recessed area or alcove that sheltered the throne in some royal audience halls. The next earliest concave mihrab to be documented is the one that was added to the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus when it was built by Al-Walid between 706 and 715. This

315-439: A niche be made to designate the qibla wall (which identifies the direction of Mecca), which became the first concave mihrab niche. This type of mihrab was called miḥrāb mujawwaf in historical Arabic texts . The origin of this architectural feature has been debated by scholars. Some trace it to the apse of Christian churches , others to the alcove shrines or niches of Buddhist architecture . Niches were already

360-424: A result, there are other similar arches in terracotta temples and mosques that were built after the Kusumba mosque. The central arch of these three was the main entrance to the mosque. This arch is decorated with floral motifs, mostly rosettes. These rosettes were a repeated motif and can be found throughout other parts of the Kusumba Mosque. The exterior walls of the mosque are covered in shallow relief carvings. All

405-475: A special room in a house; a throne room in a palace, for example. The Fath al-Bari (p. 458), on the authority of others, suggests the mihrab is "the most honorable location of kings" and "the master of locations, the front and the most honorable." The Mosques in Islam (p. 13), in addition to Arabic sources, cites Theodor Nöldeke and others as having considered a mihrab to have originally signified

450-484: A throne room. The term was subsequently used by the Islamic prophet Muhammad to denote his own private prayer room. The room additionally provided access to the adjacent mosque, and Muhammad entered the mosque through this room. This original meaning of mihrab  – i.e. as a special room in the house – continues to be preserved in some forms of Judaism where mihrabs are rooms used for private worship. In

495-406: A walled enclosure, most of which has been destroyed. This enclosure contained a large gateway entrance to the mosque. This gateway also included structures that served as standing spaces for guards. The original purpose of this external wall was to keep animals and wildlife out. Outside this enclosure, the mosque is surrounded by various types of greenery. There used to be a water tank to the east of

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540-541: Is 𐩣𐩫𐩧𐩨 mkrb of the same meaning, from the root word 𐩫𐩧𐩨 krb "to dedicate" (cognate with Akkadian 𒅗𒊒𒁍 karābu "to bless" and related to Hebrew כְּרוּב kerūḇ " cherub (either of the heavenly creatures that bound the Ark in the inner sanctuary )"). Arab lexicographers traditionally derive the word from the Arabic root ح ر ب (Ḥ-R-B) relating to "war, fighting or anger," (which, though cognate with

585-506: Is an inscription located on the exterior of the mosque that includes the date of construction and who it was built by. The entire inscription is written in Arabic, specifically in the Tughra writing style. The only exception to this is the part of the inscription indicating who built the mosque. This is written in Persian. The most prominent feature of the interior part of the Kusumba Mosque

630-549: Is no empty space in-between the art. The mihrab in the Great Mosque of Cordoba is a highly decorated piece of art that draws one's attention. It is a contribution made by Al-Hakam II that is not just used for prayer. It is used as a place of convergence in the mosque, where visitors could be amazed by its beauty and gilded designs. The entrance is covered in mosaics "which links to the Byzantium tradition, produced by

675-451: Is the large, open courtyard in the center of the structure. This open architectural style means the mosque is well lit by sunlight and well ventilated by the wind. All the indoor chambers of the mosque and other structures are centered around this courtyard. This allows for a seamless flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces. As a result, some of the chambers in the Kusumba Mosque are not as private and confidential compared to other mosques in

720-421: Is the seal and signature of the king [in] Oghuz dialect and not known to [Western] Turks; I do not know its origin. The tughra has a characteristic form, two loops on the left side, three vertical lines in the middle, stacked writing on the bottom and two extensions to the right. Each of these elements has a specific meaning, and together they make up the form that is easily recognizable as a tughra. The name of

765-549: The hijra period (2 AH or 624 CE ), when the orientation of the qibla was changed towards Mecca. This mihrab also marked the spot where Muhammad would plant his lance ( 'anaza or ḥarba ) prior to leading prayers. During the reign of the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik (Al-Walid I, r. 705–715), the Mosque of the Prophet was renovated and the governor ( wāli ) of Medina, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz , ordered that

810-548: The Abbasids to the Great Mosque of al-Mansur in Baghdad. It was then moved again to the al-Khassaki Mosque built in the 17th century, where it was later found and transferred to the museum. This mihrab features a combination of Classical or Late Antique motifs, with the niche flanked by two spiral columns and crowned by a scalloped shell-like hood. Eventually, the niche came to be universally understood to identify

855-627: The Khanate of Kazan . Later, tughras were used among the Imperial Russia of Tartary . The Mughal Emperors are also known to have used calligraphic symbols, alongside the Ottomans , the Mughal "Tughra" was circular in shape with three points at its tip, beside the calligraphic signature of the emperor. Afghan currency notes from 1919 to 1936 had the tughra present as well. Pakistan had

900-505: The Qur'an , the word (when in conjunction with the definite article) is mostly used to indicate the Holy of Holies . The term is used, for example, in the verse "then he [i.e. Zechariah ] came forth to his people from the mihrab " . The earliest mihrabs generally consisted of a simple stripe of paint or a flat stone panel in the qibla wall. They may have originally had functions similar to

945-576: The mihrab does not follow the qibla direction, such as is the Masjid al-Qiblatayn , or the Mosque of the Two Qiblas, where Muhammad received the command to change the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to Mecca, thus it had two prayer niches. In 1987 the mosque was renovated, the old prayer niche facing Jerusalem was removed, and the one facing Mecca was left. Mihrabs are a relevant part of Islamic culture and mosques. Since they are used to indicate

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990-509: The mihrab of the Companions of the Prophet in the eastern half and the great mihrab at the end of the transept". The mihrab is decorated similarly to the rest of the mosque in golden vines and vegetal imagery. The lamp that once hung in the mihrab has been theorized as the motif of a pearl, due to the indications that dome of the mihrab has scalloped edges. There have been other mosques that have mihrabs similar to this that follow

1035-426: The qibla wall, and so came to be adopted as a feature in other mosques. A sign was no longer necessary. Today, mihrabs vary in size, but are usually ornately decorated. It was common for mihrabs to be flanked with pairs of candlesticks, though they would not have lit candles. In Ottoman mosques, these were made of brass, bronze or beaten copper and their bases had a distinctive bell shape. In exceptional cases,

1080-469: The South Arabian root, does not however carry any relation to religious rituals) thus leading some to interpret it to mean a "fortress", or "place of battle (with Satan )," the latter due to mihrabs being private prayer chambers. The latter interpretation though bears similarity to the nature of the 𐩢𐩧𐩨 ḥrb ritual. The word mihrab originally had a non-religious meaning and simply denoted

1125-523: The Suri rule, the architectural pattern was not influenced by earlier Suri architecture of North India. Instead, the mosque was built in the style of other Bangladeshi mosques The Kusumba Mosque went on to serve as inspiration for other mosques in Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Kusumba Mosque was damaged by an earthquake in 1897. This earthquake almost entirely destroyed the external wall that used to surround

1170-536: The beyzes are supposed to symbolize the two seas the sultans held sway over: the outer larger loop signifying the Mediterranean and the inner, smaller loop signifying the Black Sea. The vertical lines on the top of the tughra are called tuğ , or flagstaff. The three tugs signify independence. The S-shaped lines crossing the tugs are called zülfe and they, together with the tops of the tugs that also look to

1215-520: The carvings on the external parts of the mosque are quite detailed and were made by skilled artisans. Compared to other mosques in Bangladesh, the work on the Kusumba Mosque is significantly more intricate. On the other hand, the structure of the mosque itself is more simple relative to other Bangladeshi mosques. This is especially visible in the construction of the interior courtyard, which does not contain as many internal structures and features as other Bangladeshi mosques. In addition to these carvings, there

1260-405: The central and southeastern entrances to the interior of the mosque. Each of these mihrabs served different purposes. One was reserved for the prayers of officials and nobility while the other was for the general public. This was a result of the culture of the Kusumba village at the time of construction; it was common practice to separate from the general public from anyone considered important during

1305-547: The characteristic tughra form today. Examples are the tughras of Russian president Vladimir Putin and Emperor of Japan , Akihito , created by artist Vladimir Popov. Mihrab Mihrab ( Arabic : محراب , miḥrāb , pl. محاريب maḥārīb ) is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla , the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which

1350-409: The construction of the mosque: sand stone, granite, and marble.  The shape of the mosque is a basic rectangle with rounded edges. Each of the four corners of the building have rounded, octagonal towers. Along the roof of the mosque, there are stone gutters to drain rainwater. The exterior walls themselves are divided into two parts (top and bottom), separated by mouldings. The mouldings also serve as

1395-474: The craftsmen sent by Emperor Nicephorus II. These mosaics extend along the voussoirs with a geometric and plant-based design, but also in the inscriptions which record verses from the Koran". This mihrab is also a bit different from a normal mihrab due to its scale. It takes up a whole room instead of just a niche. This style of mihrab set a standard for other mihrab construction in the region. The use of

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1440-479: The direction for prayer, they serve as an important focal point in the mosque. They are usually decorated with ornamental detail that can be geometric designs, linear patterns, or calligraphy. This ornamentation also serves a religious purpose. The calligraphy decoration on the mihrabs are usually from the Qur'an and are devotions to God so that God's word reaches the people. Common designs amongst mihrabs are geometric foliage that are close together so that there

1485-522: The enclosure (but still on the grounds of the Kusumba Mosque) that was meant to help provide water to local residents for daily household purposes. This water tank would often wet the ground near it, creating mud that was used in the construction of the mosque and the external wall. While the external wall was built from bricks, the exterior of the mosque itself and much of the floor inside was made entirely of stone. Three types of stone were used in

1530-469: The horseshoe arch, carved stucco , and glass mosaics made an impression for the aesthetic of mihrabs , "although no other extant mihrab in Spain or western North Africa is as elaborate." The Great Mosque of Damascus was started by al-Walid in 706. It was built as a hypostyle mosque, built with a prayer hall leading to the mihrab, "on the back wall of the sanctuary are four mihrabs , two of which are

1575-547: The mihrabs are decorated with detailed carvings that generally follow a nature theme. The most common carving motifs include fruits, vines, and flowers. The central, main Mihrab is located in the western part of the mosque. Just next to this, on the right, is the part of the mosque dedicated to education and the study of the Quran . The interior western wall of the mosque also contains two more mihrabs. These are located just opposite to

1620-402: The mosque and many parts of the mosque itself, especially the domes on top of the mosque. Although the earthquake caused severe damage, the main structure of the Kusumba Mosque survived. This might be a possible reason that the mosque is nicknamed Kala Pahar (কালা পাহাড়), meaning black mountain, or Kala Rotno (কালা রত্ন) which means Black Gem. Another possible reason for these nicknames comes from

1665-498: The original external wall that used to surround the mosque, as some sections of the wall were covered in black plaster. Since the original construction of the Kusumba Mosque, it has never been restored. However, some of the external domes damaged in the earthquake have been repaired by the Bangladesh Department of Archaeology. The mosque is now also officially protected by the department. The Kusumba Mosque lies inside

1710-407: The origins of the word tughra. The first sees it derived from a Turkic secretarial emblem called tughragh , and the second as an effort by Persian scribes to shape the name of the ruler into a bow-like element called turgha / turghay , subsequently mispronounced as tughra. The primary argument for the first school is a remark by Mahmud al-Kashgari in his Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk : The tughragh

1755-438: The region; people passing by are able to see into the inner parts of the mosque with relative ease. While most mosques only contain a singular mihrab , the Kusumba mosque is unique because it has multiple mihrabs. These mihrabs are made of the same stone as the exterior walls of the mosque and the arches of the mihrabs are supported by large pillars. These pillars include tasseled decorations that are attached with chains. All of

1800-632: The right, signify that the winds blow from the east to the west, the traditional movement of the Ottomans. The lines to the right of the tughra are called hançer and signify a sword, symbol of power and might. Although the tughra is largely identified with the Ottoman Sultans, they have also sometimes been used in other states, such as the Qajar dynasty , Safavid Empire , the Crimean khanate ,

1845-412: The sultan is written out in the bottom section, called a sere . Depending on the period, this name can be as simple as Orhan , son of Osman , in the first tughra in 1326. In later periods honorifics and prayers are also added to the name of the tughra holder and his father. The loops to the left of the tughra are called beyze , from Arabic meaning egg . Some interpretations of tughra design claim that

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1890-472: The time of prayers. Tughra A tughra ( Ottoman Turkish : طغرا , romanized :  ṭuġrā ; Turkish : tuğra ) is a calligraphic monogram , seal or signature of a sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. Inspired by the tamgha , it was also carved on his seal and stamped on the coins minted during his reign. Very elaborate decorated versions were created for important documents that were also works of art in

1935-635: The tradition of Ottoman illumination , such as the example of Suleiman the Magnificent in the gallery below. The tughra was designed at the beginning of the sultan's reign and drawn by the court calligrapher or nişancı on written documents. The first tughra examples are from the 14th century. Tughras served a purpose similar to the cartouche in ancient Egypt or the Royal Cypher of British monarchs. Every Ottoman sultan had his own individual tughra. There are two main schools of thought on

1980-663: The tughra on its coins from 1947 till 1974; both of these are present in the State Bank Museum in Karachi. The nawab of Bahawalpur and the Nizam of Hyderabad had tugras on their coinage as well. The flowing lines could symbolize the wide reach of Suleyman's rule and his future conquests. It could also signify the spread of Islam to other realms beyond the Ottoman Empire. There are modern calligraphy artists that use

2025-579: Was then followed by a mihrab added to the Mosque of 'Amr ibn al-'As in Fustat in 710–711. Subsequently, concave mihrabs became widespread across the Muslim world and were adopted as a standard feature of mosques. The oldest surviving concave mihrab today is a marble mihrab housed at the Iraq Museum . It is believed to date from the 8th century, possibly made in northern Syria before being moved by

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