Wednesday 11 April 2012

Umayyad Mosque, Damascus


The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus (Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير‎, transliteration Ğām' Banī 'Umayya al-Kabīr) or formerly the Basilica of Saint John the Baptist (Greek: Βασιλική του Αγίου Ιωάννη του Βαπτιστή, transliteration Vasilikí tou Agíou Ioánni tou Vaptistí), located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is considered the fourth-holiest place in Islam.

After the Arab conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist (Yahya). The mosque holds a shrine which today may still contain the head of John the Baptist, honored as a prophet by both Christians and Muslims alike, and the place where Isa (Jesus) will return at the End of Days. The tomb of Saladin stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque.

Taj-ul-Masjid, India

               Taj-ul-Masjid
The Crown of Mosque



Basic Information
Location                Bhopal, India
Branch/tradition     Hanafi Deobandi
Style                     Mughal
Dome(s)               3
Minaret(s)             2
Capacity              175,000
Area                    400,000 m² (4,300,000 sq ft)


Description
The mosque is also used as a madrasah (Islamic school) during the day time.
"Taj-ul-Masajid" literally means "The Crown of Mosques".
A fountain and water reservior are there in the complex. The main prayer room is unique - 4 bow shaped arches, 9 pin pointed domes, ceiling supported by 27 pillars ,an octogonal minar, 3 spires made of marble and wonderful lattice work.

The construction of the mosque was started by Sultan Shah Jahan, Begum of Bhopal (1868-1901). However, the mosque was not completed due to lack of funds, and after a long lay-off, construction was resumed in 1971 by great efforts of Allama Mohammad Imran Khan Nadwi Azhari of Bhopal.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Oman

                                                     Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Basic Information
Location                     Muscat, Oman
Established                 2001
Branch/tradition          Ibadhi Islam
Landscaping,              416,000 square metres.
Mosque complex       40,000 square metres
Library                      20,000 books.
Capacity                    20,000
Minaret(s)                 5
The largest carpet in the world.
The 11th mosque largest in the world.

                                             Interior of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Oman

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi

جامع الشيخ زايد الكبير
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque



Basic Information
Location                   Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Branch/tradition        Sunni
Capacity over           40,000
Dome(s)                   82 domes of seven different sizes
Dome height (outer)  85 m (279 ft)
Dome dia. (outer)     32.2 m (106 ft)
Minaret(s)                4
Minaret height          107 m (351 ft)



Description
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was initiated by the late President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His final resting place is located on the grounds beside the same mosque. As the country’s grand mosque, it is the key place of worship for Friday gathering and Eid prayers. It is the largest mosque in the UAE and numbers during Eid can be more than forty thousand people.

Mosque of Rome, Italy

                                                      

                                                       Mosque of Rome, Italy

Basic information
Original name       Al-Huda Mosque, Rome
Location              Centocelle, Rome, Italy
Affiliation             Islam
Completed          1994
Capacity             12,000
Minaret(s)           1
Minaret height     43m


Description
The Mosque of Rome is the largest mosque in Western Europe that can accommodate twelve thousand people. Located on the edge of central Rome, near the Campi Sportivi sports facilities, Designed by both an Italian (Portoghesi) and Iranian architect (Mousawi).

It has an area of 30,000 m² though estimates show the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London is said to be larger. This mosque is located in the Acqua Acetosa area, at the foot of the Monti Parioli, north of the city. As well as being the city's mosque it is the seat of the Centro Culturale Islamico d'Italia (the Italian Islamic Cultural Centre). In addition to being a meeting place for religious activities, it provides cultural and social services variously connecting Shia and Sunni Muslims. It also holds wedding ceremonies, funeral services, exegesis, conventions, and other related events.

Masjid Mecca, India

مکہ مسجد
Masjid Mecca, Hyderabad, India



Basic information
Location                   Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Completed               1694
Capacity                  10,000
Length                     67 m
Width                      54 m
Height (max)           23 m

Description
Makkah Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, And it is one of the largest Mosques in India. Makkah Masjid is a listed heritage building in the old city of Hyderabad, close to the historic landmarks of Chowmahalla Palace and Laad Bazaar. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, commissioned bricks to be made from the soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site of Islam, and used them in the construction of the central arch of the mosque, thus giving the mosque its name.
It formed the centerpiece around which the city was planned by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah.


National Mosque of Malaysia

National Mosque
Masjid Negara
தேசிய பள்ளிவாசல்


Basic Information
Location                 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Established            1965
Branch/tradition     Sunni
Style                      Modern
Capacity               15,000
Minaret height       73m


Description
Located in strategic areas of Kuala Lumpur City Centre, National Mosque is located next to Railway Station Malaysia, Daya Bumi Building, Grand Post Office Malaysia, the Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park and near the Tasik Perdana Gardens.

National Mosque area are​​13 acres and the building about 3 acres. The whole area of ​​the mosque is surrounded partly by concrete walls and partly by decorative fencing there are seven gates all.

For not Islam tourists is provided as a public toilet Kuala Lumpur City Hall, located near the entrance of specific local and foreign tourists.






Masjid e Tooba, Pakistan

مسجد طوبٰی
Masjid e Tooba, Karachi, Pakistan



Basic information
Location                 Karachi, Pakistan
Affiliation                Islam
Completed             1969
Dome(s)                 1
Dome dia.(outer)    72 m
Minaret(s)              1
Minaret height        70 m


Description
Masjid e Tooba or Tooba Mosque مسجد طوبٰی is in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Locally, it is known as the Gol Masjid. Masjid e Tooba was built in 1969 in Defense Housing Society, Karachi. It is just off main Korangi Road. Masjid e Tooba is often claimed to be the largest single-dome mosque in the world. It is also major tourist attraction in Karachi. Masjid e Tooba is built with pure white marble. The dome is 72 meters (236 feet) in diameter and is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. Masjid e Tooba has a single minaret standing 70 meters high. The mosque is the 18th largest in the world with the central prayer hall having a capacity of 5,000 people. It was built keeping acoustics in mind. A person speaking inside one end of the dome can be heard at the other end. This mosque was designed by Pakistani architect Dr Babar Hamid Chauhan and the engineer was Zaheer Haider Naqvi.

Masjid al-Haram, Saudi Arabia

 الد الحرام‎ مسج
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām



Basic Information
Location Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Established 638
Branch/tradition Islam
Leadership Imam(s): Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais Saud Al-Shuraim
Capacity 900,000 (increased to 4,000,000 during the hajj period)
Minaret(s) 9
Minaret height 89 m (292 ft)


Description
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām الد الحرام‎ مسج ("The Sacred Mosque") is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca (Makkah), it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while performing daily prayers and is Islam's holiest place. The mosque is also known as the Grand Mosque.

The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square metres (88.2 acres) including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to four million Muslim worshipers during the Hajj period, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world.