Saturday, December 10, 2011

Mosque Day (Part II)

I had previously toured the mosque. So while I took the kiddos to the park, Joni and Veronica toured the mosque. I wanted to show these pictures as they are pretty typical of a mosque. They may differ in appearance on the outside, but the insides of every one I have been to, seem to be very similar. 

The Adana mosque is one of the largest in the Middle East. 

It is required that you remove your shoes and cover your head (if you are a woman.)

A bad hair day.

Check out this architecture!




A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship. The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for salat (prayer) as well as a center for information, education, and dispute settlement. The Imam leads the prayer. Many mosques have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls. Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula, but are now found in all inhabited continents.Large mosques play sometimes a political role as well. In Islamic countries like PakistanIran, and Iraq (after 2003), political subjects are preached by imams at Friday congregations on a regular basis. In other Islamic countries, imams are usually banned from mentioning political issues.


minaret is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery. Styles vary regionally and by period. Minarets provide a visual focal point and are used for the call to prayer. 

As well as providing a visual cue to a Muslim community, the main function of the minaret is to provide a vantage point from which the call to prayer is made. The call to prayer is issued five times each day: dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night. In most modern mosques, the adhan is called from the musallah, or prayer hall, via microphone to a speaker system on the minaret. Minarets also function as air conditioning mechanisms: as the sun heats the dome, air is drawn in through open windows then up and out of the minaret, thereby providing natural ventilation

1 comment:

Stephanie Doyle said...

We visited that mosque when I visited my husband in July. It is so interesting and stunning! :)