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MOSQUE ARCHETYPES
from THE BRITISH MUSLIMS AND THE MOSQUES - An architectural, cultural and theological approach
by abmukadam
To understand the architectural language of mosques, we must draw inspiration from historic mosque types. Rudolph Stagers makes mentions in his book, ‘Sacred Buildings: A Design Manual, that throughout history, “four basic types of mosques have arisen in the Muslim world: The Arab Hypostyle, the Persian Four-iwan, the Indian Three Dome, and the Turkish Central Dome mosque.” (Stagers, 2008).
If we were to subtract all of the regional and cultural external architectural characteristics from these four historic mosque types, we are left with one common feature – “an open space that is clean, in which people can face Mecca and offer their prayers.” (Salem 2012)
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The four types mentioned also share another common feature, a Sahn (courtyard) - open spaces either towards the entrance or the center of the complex. These open spaces are often accompanied by a small water pool or fountain which is commonly used for wudu, the cleansing ritual before prayer (Petersen, 1996).
As we proceed inside a mosque, they all share a mutual theme - a clean open prayer space orientated towards the Qiblah (direction of prayer) with numerous amenity spaces within proximity. Within the main prayer hall itself, a mihrab (niche) is positioned in the centre of the Qiblah wall. To the right of the mihrab a mimbar (raised deck) is placed. This acts as a pulpit or a raised platform for the Imam to stand on and, deliver sermons and reminders.
To a Muslim worshipper, a mosque is more than just a
place of worship. It is a place of refuge, a place of relief, a place where one is considered more spiritually connected to God than anywhere else. Beyond the essence of spirituality, a mosque is one of the most important and sacred buildings in the Islamic world – it is a symbol of Islam.
“The Muslim world is spread out like a gigantic wheel with Mecca as the hub, with lines drawn from all the mosques in the world forming the spokes. These lines converge on a city and within that city on a point. The city is Mecca, and the point is the Ka’ba at its centre.” (Dickie. J, 1978)
All around the world, mosques are architectural masterpieces not only for Muslims but also for non-Muslims. From the plethora of domes of the Ottoman Era, soaring minarets from the North African and Mughal period to the detailed carpets of the middle eastern styles, purposebuilt mosques are a sight of wonder to behold all around the globe. Beyond their regional and cultural styles, they all offer the same principle – a clean place of prayer, regardless of their architectural differences, they all observe under the homogenous umbrella of Islam.
