Design and symbolism of the mosque
The word âmŽÇČő±çłÜ±đâ means 'place of Lying face down and with arms outstretched as a sign of respect or worship. '. Generally, a Meeting place for prayer, worship and community for Muslims. is any place where a Muslim prays and worships The Arabic word for God, commonly used by Muslims.. Prostration shows the dedication of oneâs life to Allah and the features of a mosque reinforce this submission to him.
| Feature | Symbolism/significance |
| Dome | This symbolises Allahâs universe. It allows air to circulate, particularly in hot countries, and it is built over the prayer hall to allow oneâs voice to be amplified. |
| Minaret | This tall tower is where the call to prayer is heard from. The call to prayer begins with âAllahu Akbarâ meaning âAllah is the greatestâ. Now, recordings are used more so than the traditional method of a man (known as the muezzin) climbing to the tower to call Muslims to worship. |
| The star and crescent | This is sometimes seen at the top of a mosque, and is a commonly known symbol relating to Islam. The five pointed star reflects the Five Pillars of Islam which are central to the faith, and the crescent moon and stars are symbols relating to the greatness of the creator. |
| Prayer hall | This is simply a large hall that the men use for worship. It is a very important part of the mosque. There are no seats as Muslims worship and pray on the floor. Women will often worship on a balcony at the back of the prayer hall. |
| Washing area | The ritual washing, known as wudu, takes place in this area before worship. A water source will be available (sometimes a simple tap, or sometimes a fountain in a beautiful courtyard). |
| Mihrab | This is an alcove within the qiblah wall (prayer wall) which shows the direction of the Kaâbah at Mecca. |
| Minbar | This is a platform from which the imam preaches his sermon during Friday worship. There are usually three steps, and the imam will not go to the top as a sign of respect and humility before Allah. |
| Decoration | There are no images or statues of Allah in a mosque, or anywhere else. This is to stop the risk of idolatry and to allow worship of the true God, rather than representations of him. Often, calligraphy and decorative patterns will be used instead to decorate the mosque. |
| Feature | Dome |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | This symbolises Allahâs universe. It allows air to circulate, particularly in hot countries, and it is built over the prayer hall to allow oneâs voice to be amplified. |
| Feature | Minaret |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | This tall tower is where the call to prayer is heard from. The call to prayer begins with âAllahu Akbarâ meaning âAllah is the greatestâ. Now, recordings are used more so than the traditional method of a man (known as the muezzin) climbing to the tower to call Muslims to worship. |
| Feature | The star and crescent |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | This is sometimes seen at the top of a mosque, and is a commonly known symbol relating to Islam. The five pointed star reflects the Five Pillars of Islam which are central to the faith, and the crescent moon and stars are symbols relating to the greatness of the creator. |
| Feature | Prayer hall |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | This is simply a large hall that the men use for worship. It is a very important part of the mosque. There are no seats as Muslims worship and pray on the floor. Women will often worship on a balcony at the back of the prayer hall. |
| Feature | Washing area |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | The ritual washing, known as wudu, takes place in this area before worship. A water source will be available (sometimes a simple tap, or sometimes a fountain in a beautiful courtyard). |
| Feature | Mihrab |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | This is an alcove within the qiblah wall (prayer wall) which shows the direction of the Kaâbah at Mecca. |
| Feature | Minbar |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | This is a platform from which the imam preaches his sermon during Friday worship. There are usually three steps, and the imam will not go to the top as a sign of respect and humility before Allah. |
| Feature | Decoration |
|---|---|
| Symbolism/significance | There are no images or statues of Allah in a mosque, or anywhere else. This is to stop the risk of idolatry and to allow worship of the true God, rather than representations of him. Often, calligraphy and decorative patterns will be used instead to decorate the mosque. |
The dome in a mosque is built over the prayer hall to allow voices to be amplified