Muslim temples of the world. The most beautiful mosques in Russia

Continuing the information coverage about the mosques of the world, in this post I decided to provide information about the 20 largest mosques in the world, which our guys posted on the Salamworld website, citing an article from Wondrous magazine. It should be immediately emphasized that the rating of mosques was compiled taking into account the size of the entire complex, as well as the capacity of the prayer halls. In addition, having visited, by the will of the Almighty, mosques and Muslim places in more than 100 countries from Indonesia and Malaysia to Europe, Turkey, Iran and Arab countries, I know firsthand that there are greater mosques than those included in this rating. Nevertheless, I decided to give this rating as one of the options.

1. The largest mosque in the world is the Meccan Forbidden Mosque (المسجد الحرام), which is the main shrine of the Muslim world. The Kaaba is located in the courtyard of the mosque. The mosque was built in 638. From 2007 to 2012, by decision of the King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, a new large-scale reconstruction of the mosque was carried out. During the expansion, mainly in the northern direction, the territory increases to 400 thousand square meters. meters and will accommodate 1.12 million people. Two more minarets are being built, as well as a new King Abdullah Gate, and all old and new premises are equipped with air conditioning. Taking into account the reconstructed territory of the district, a total of 2.5 million people will be able to participate in ceremonies and events simultaneously. The cost of reconstruction is $10.6 billion.

2. The second largest mosque in the world is the Prophet's Mosque (المسجد النبوي). This mosque is located in Medina (Saudi Arabia) and is the second holiest site in Islam after the Forbidden Mosque. The mosque was built during the lifetime of Muhammad (saw); subsequent Muslim rulers expanded and embellished it. Nowadays, the mosque seats 600 thousand people, on an area of ​​400,500 square meters. meters. During the Hajj period, this number increases to 1 million people.

3. In third place is the Mazar of Imam Reza (حرم علی بن موسی الرضا), an architectural complex erected in 818 in Mashhad (Iran), including the tomb of the imam itself, the tombs of other revered imams, a museum, a library, a cemetery, a mosque and several other buildings. Most of the complex's structures were built during Timurid and Safavid reigns, although the first dated structure bears an early 14th-century inscription, and the structure's dome dates back to the early thirteenth century. The area of ​​the complex is 331,578 square meters and accommodates about 100 thousand people.

4. In fourth place is the Indonesian Independence Mosque (مسجد الاستقلال), which is located in Jakarta. After Indonesia gained independence from the Netherlands in 1949, the idea arose to build a national mosque for the new republic, befitting the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. In 1953, a committee for the construction of the Istiqlal Mosque was founded, headed by Anwar. Anwar presented the project to Indonesian President Sukarno, who welcomed him and subsequently took control of the construction of the mosque. On August 24, 1961, Sukarno laid the first stone of the mosque; construction took seventeen years. Indonesian President Suharto opened the national mosque on February 22, 1978. It is still the largest mosque in the region and can accommodate more than 120,000 people at a time.

5. Hassan the Second Mosque (مسجد الحسن الثاني) is another incredible mosque located in the city of Xablanca. This mosque is the largest in Morocco and the fifth in the world. The capacity of this temple is 25 thousand people (this is only one hall). And the total capacity of the mosque is 105 thousand people. The height of the minaret (this is the only minaret) is 210 meters. This mosque was also built in our time, the beginning was 1986, the end was 1989. The project was drawn up by a French architect. The total cost of construction of this huge temple is 800 million dollars.

6. Faisal Mosque (مسجد شاه فيصل) is a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, one of the largest mosques in the world. The mosque is famous in the Islamic world for its size, with an area of ​​5,000 square meters, it can accommodate 300,000 worshipers. Construction of the mosque began in 1976 by the National Construction organization Pakistan and funded by the Saudi Arabian government. The project cost more than 130 million Saudi riyals (approximately $120 million in today's dollars). King Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud was very instrumental in financing the construction, and after his assassination in 1975, both the mosque and the road leading to it were named after him. The mosque was completed in 1986.

7. Badshahi Mosque (‏بادشاہی مسجد - imperial mosque) is the second largest mosque in Pakistan, located in the city of Lahore. One of the largest mosques in the world. Located on a platform accessible by stairs, overlooking the old city opposite the Shalimar Gardens and Lahore Fort. It was built in 1673-1674 by order of the great Mughal Aurangzeb and is considered one of the most significant monuments of Indo-Islamic sacred architecture of the Mughal era.

8. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (مسجد الشيخ زايد‎‎) is the largest mosque in the UAE. Located in Abu Dhabi, the mosque is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the founder and first president of the United Nations United Arab Emirates. The mosque can simultaneously accommodate 40 thousand believers. The main prayer hall is designed for 7 thousand worshipers. Two rooms next to the main prayer hall can accommodate 1,500 people each. Both of these rooms are for women only. At the four corners of the mosque there are four minarets, which rise approximately 107 meters. The outer row of the main building is covered with 82 domes. The domes are decorated with white marble, and their interior decoration is also made of marble. The courtyard is lined with colored marble and covers about 17,400 square meters.

9. Delhi Cathedral Mosque (مسجد جھان نمہ) is the eighth largest mosque in the world. The construction of the mosque began under Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj Mahal) and was completed in 1656. The courtyard of the mosque can accommodate up to twenty-five thousand believers at a time. One of the relics is a copy of the Koran written on deer skin. The construction of the mosque was the result of the efforts of more than 5,000 workers over six years. The cost of construction at that time was 10 lakh (1 million) rupees. Shah Jahan built several important mosques in Delhi, Agra, Ajmer and Lahore.

10. Holy House Mosque (بيت المكرّم‎‎) is the national mosque of Bangladesh. Located in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, this mosque was founded in the 1960s. The mosque complex was designed by the architect Abdul Hussein Tariani. The National Mosque of Bangladesh has several modern architectural features and at the same time these innovations maintain the traditional principles of mosque architecture.

11. Muscat Cathedral Mosque or Sultan Qaboos Mosque (جامع السلطان قابوس الأكبر) - the main mosque of Muscat, Oman. In 1992, Sultan Qaboos decreed that his country Oman should have its own Grand Mosque. A competition was held in 1993, construction began in 1995. Construction work took six years and four months. The mosque is built from 300,000 tons of Indian sandstone. Main prayer hall square shape(74.4 x 74.4 meters) with a central dome rising to a height of fifty meters above floor level. The dome and main minaret (90 meters) and four side minarets (45.5 meters) are the main visual features of the mosque. The main prayer hall can accommodate more than 6,500 worshipers at a time, while the women's prayer hall can only accommodate 750 people. The external prayer area can accommodate 8,000 believers, the total number of up to 20,000 believers.

12. Festive mosque - "Eid Kah" (عید گاہ مسجد) - the largest mosque in China. Located in the central square of the Muslim Uyghur city of Kashgar. It has an area of ​​16,800 m² and can accommodate up to 20,000 worshipers. Built in 1442, although the most ancient sections can be dated back to the 9th-10th centuries. Subsequently it expanded and rebuilt.

13. Masjid Negara (مسجد نغارا) - the national Malaysian mosque of Kuala Lumpur, built in 1965. The main hall of the mosque seats over 15 thousand people and is especially crowded on Fridays. The mosque complex consists of a ribbed star-shaped dome and a minaret 73 m high. The eighteen corners of the dome symbolize the 13 states of Malaysia and the “5 Pillars of Islam”.

14. Masjid-e Aqsa (مسجدِ اقصیٰ) is the largest mosque of the Ahmadi community, located in Rabwah (Pakistan). The mosque was opened in 1972 and accommodates 12 thousand worshipers.

15. Mosque "House of Victories" (مسجد بیت الفتوح). mosque in the suburbs of London, England - the largest in Western Europe. The mosque was built by followers of the Ahmadi sect in 2003. It covers an area of ​​21,000 m² and can accommodate up to 10,000 worshipers in three prayer halls. The complex itself includes a gymnasium, offices, a library and television studios. Construction of the complex cost 5.5 million British pounds.

16. Mosque “Heart of Chechnya” (مسجد قبة غروزني المركزي). The “Heart of Chechnya” mosque, built in the center of Grozny, is in 16th place in this ranking of the largest mosques in the world. As I wrote at the very beginning, here, speaking about the mosque in Grozny, the size of the entire complex was taken into account, while in my previous rating the first place was taken by the Makhachkala Juma Mosque, since its capacity is up to 15 thousand people.

Opening date: October 17, 2008, during the forum “Islam - a religion of peace and creation.” Its construction began on April 25, 2006 with the help of specialists from Turkey. The minarets of the mosque are the highest in Russia; the height of the dome is 3 meters lower than the mosques of Kazan and St. Petersburg. The Heart of Chechnya Mosque is the largest Muslim complex in Russia.

17. Blue Mosque or Sultanahmet Mosque (جامع السلطان أحمد) is one of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul. The mosque has six minarets: four, as usual, on the sides, and two slightly less tall ones on the outer corners. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Islamic and world architecture. Construction of the mosque began in August 1609 and was completed in 1616. The mosque can accommodate up to 10 thousand people within its walls.

18. Al-Fatiha Mosque (جامع مركز أحمد الفاتح الإسلامي) - one of the largest mosques in the world, capable of simultaneously accommodating more than 7,000 believers. The mosque is the largest temple in Bahrain. The mosque is very close to the royal palace in Manama, the residence of the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa.

A huge dome built on top of the mosque, made of pure fiberglass and weighing over 60 tons (60,000 kg), is currently the largest fiberglass dome in the world. Al-Fatih now includes the new National Library, which opened to the public in 2006. The mosque was built by the late Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa in 1987. It is named after Ahmad al-Fatih, the conqueror of Bahrain.

19. Masjid-e Tuba (مسجد طوبٰی) is located in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Among the population of the city, the mosque is also known as Gol Masjid. The mosque was built in 1969 and is located on Korangi Road. Masjid-e Tuba has the largest dome of any mosque in the world (its diameter is 72 meters) and is one of the main attractions of Karachi. The mosque is built of white marble, the minaret reaches 70 meters in height. The central prayer hall seats 5,000 people. The mosque was designed by Pakistani architect Babar Hamid Chauhan and engineer Zaheer Haider Naqvi.

20. Al-Aqsa Mosque (المسجد الأقصى) is a mosque located on the Temple Mount in Al-Quds. The mosque is the third holiest shrine of Islam after the Forbidden Mosque in Noble Mecca and the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) in the Most Serene Medina. Up to 5,000 believers can pray in the mosque at the same time.

There are three main mosques in the Muslim world: Al-Haram (Forbidden Mosque) in Mecca, Al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina and Al-Aqsa (Remote mosque) in Jerusalem.

All these mosques are very important for Muslims, and each of them has its own specific meaning.

Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque)

Al-Haram Mosque is the main Muslim temple located in Saudi Arabia, in Mecca. The Kaaba is located in the courtyard of this mosque.

Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque) during Hajj

The Kaaba is the shrine of Islam, which is a cubic stone structure in the courtyard, in the center of the Holy Mosque (al-Masjed al-Haram) in Mecca. It is the main sanctuary of Islam, which Muslims call al-Bayit al-Haram, which means "the sacred house." The name “Kaaba” itself comes from the word “cube”. The height of the building is 15 meters. Length and width are 10 and 12 meters respectively. The corners of the Kaaba are oriented according to the cardinal points, and each of them has its own name: Yemeni (southern), Iraqi (northern), Levantine (western) and stone (eastern). The Kaaba is made of granite and covered with fabric, and inside it there is a room where a door made of pure gold leads, which weighs 286 kilograms.

Almost three hundred kilograms of pure gold were used to decorate the door.

A Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Eswad), bordered by a silver rim, is mounted in the eastern corner of the Kaaba at a level of one and a half meters. It is a hard stone of irregular oval shape, black with a scarlet tint. It has red spots and yellow wavy lines where the broken pieces meet. The diameter of the stone is about thirty centimeters. He, as Muslims are sure, was sent from heaven by Allah. The Black Stone is the most famous sacred meteorite, the nature of which is still unknown. The stone is very fragile, but it floats in water. After the Black Stone was stolen in 930, upon its return to Mecca, its authenticity was established precisely by its property of not drowning in water. The Kaaba burned twice, and in 1626 it was flooded - as a result, the Black Stone split into 15 pieces. Now they are fastened cement mortar and are enclosed in a silver frame. The visible surface of the stone is 16 by 20 centimeters. It is believed that Allah sent the Black Stone to Adam and Eve as a sign of forgiveness.

To this day, the seven fragments of the Stone are held in place by a large silver frame that goes around the corner of the Kaaba and hides it within itself. most of, leaving only a small opening for pilgrims to kiss and touch.

Governor of Mecca Prince Khaled Al-Faisal at the Black Stone during the traditional washing of the Kaaba

Kaaba has special meaning in Muslim rituals. Muslims all over the world face the direction of the Kaaba during prayer. Muslim believers perform rituals around this structure during the Hajj tawaf- ritual circumambulation of the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise. During this ritual, the Iraqi and Yemeni corners of the Kaaba are worshiped, in which pilgrims touch with their hands, kiss this building and pray near it. According to Muslim tradition, a stone was placed in the Kaaba, which God gave to Adam after the Fall and expulsion from paradise, when the first man realized his sin and repented of it. Another legend tells that the stone is the guardian angel of Adam, who was turned into stone because he overlooked and allowed the fall of the first person entrusted to his protection. According to Arab legend, after being expelled from paradise, Adam and Eve (Hawa) were separated - Adam ended up in Sri Lanka (the island of Ceylon), and Eve - not far from Mecca, on the shores of the Red Sea, in the place where the port of Jeddah is now located. On the outskirts of this city, Khava’s grave is supposedly still located. They met with Adam only two hundred years later, and this happened in the Mecca area. After long separation they got to know each other on Mount Arafat, which is also sacred to the Arabs. Adam, however, even after meeting his wife, missed the temple in which he prayed in paradise. Then God lowered a copy of that temple from heaven for him. According to legend, when the Black Stone was lowered from the sky, it was dazzling white and shone so much that it could be seen four days' journey to Mecca. But over time, from the touch of numerous sinners, the stone began to darken until it became black. The time of construction of the Kaaba and its builders are unknown. According to legend, the Kaaba was built by the first man, Adam, but it was destroyed by the Flood, and even the place where it stood was forgotten. The shrine was restored by Patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ismail, the ancestor of the local peoples. Abraham built the Kaaba using one miraculous device. It was a flat stone on which the forefather Abraham stood, and this stone could fly above the earth and rise to any height, performing the function of mobile devices. scaffolding. It has been preserved, is located a few meters from the Kaaba and is called Makam Ibrahim (place of standing of Ibrahim) and, despite the fact that it has long lost its flying properties, it is also a Muslim shrine. The imprint of Abraham Ibrahim's foot remained on it. Over time, a dome was erected over this stone. Ibrahim was helped in the restoration of the Kaaba by the Archangel Gabriel (Jabrail). From him, Ibrahim and Ismail learned that the temple they had built was an exact copy of the temple in which Adam prayed. For the peoples and tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kaaba has traditionally been a sacred building long before the rise of Islam. The Kaaba was the main sanctuary of the Hijaz, a historical region in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. Since ancient times, the Arabs believed that the Kaaba was the house of God and made pilgrimages to it.

Thanks to this shrine, Mecca became famous - now it is the holy city of Islam, located seventy kilometers from the Red Sea coast, in a very dry and unsuitable area for agriculture. The only factor that made these places attractive for people to settle there was the source fresh water - Zamzam. The location of Mecca on the trade routes of the region also turned out to be successful. The appearance of the source, according to local legend, happened miraculously - God created it for the sake of the patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ismail, the ancestor of the Arab tribes. It was considered one of the seven holy places by the Sabaeans of Persia and Chaledonia. The rest of their shrines were considered: Mars - the top of the mountain in Isfahan; Mandusan in India; Hay Bahar in Balkh; Ghamdan House in Sana'a; Kausan in Fergana, Khorasan; House in Upper China. Many of the Sabaeans believed that the Kaaba was the House of Saturn, since it was the oldest known structure in that era. The Persians also made pilgrimages to the Kaaba, believing that the spirit Brake lived there. Jews also treated this shrine with respect. They worshiped one God there. Christians also came to the Kaaba with no less respect. However, over time, the Kaaba became an exclusively Muslim shrine. The idols revered by the pagans were destroyed in 630 by the Prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca and was, according to the Koran, a descendant of the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim). He left only the images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus that were there. Their images were placed there not by chance: Christians lived in Mecca, and besides them - Jews, as well as Hanifs - righteous followers of the faith in one God, who were not part of any religious community. The Prophet not only did not cancel the pilgrimage to the shrine, but he himself respectfully touched the Kaaba with his staff. In the second year after the Hijra, or according to the calendar more familiar to us - in 623-624 AD, the Prophet Muhammad established that Muslims should pray facing the Kaaba. Before that, they prayed, turning towards Jerusalem. Muslim pilgrims flocked to the Kaaba in Mecca. They believe that the shrine is a prototype of the heavenly Kaaba, around which angels also perform tawaf. The holy place was also destroyed in 930, when the Qarmatians, Shia Ismaili sectarians from Bahrain, stole the Black Stone, which was returned to its place only 21 years later. After this incident, some doubts arose about its authenticity, but they were dispelled by an investigative experiment: they threw the stone into the water and made sure that it did not sink. But the adventures of the Black Stone did not end there: in 1050, the Caliph of Egypt sent his man to Mecca with the task of destroying the shrine. And then the Kaaba was engulfed in fire twice, and in 1626 - a flood. As a result of all these disasters, the stone broke into 15 pieces. Nowadays they are fastened with cement and inserted into a silver frame. Respect for the Kaaba is also expressed in wrapping the relic with a special blanket - kiswa. It is updated annually. Its upper part is decorated with sayings from the Koran embroidered in gold; 875 square meters of material are used to make a kiswa. The first to cover the Kaaba with canvases decorated with silver embroidery was the tubba (king) of Yemen, Abu Bakr Assad. His successors continued this custom. Used various types fabrics. The tradition of covering the Kaaba has undergone significant changes: initially, before the pilgrimage to Mecca of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi in 160 after the Hijra, the coverings on the structure were simply placed on top of each other. After the cover wore out, a new one was placed on top. However, the servants of the Forbidden Mosque expressed their fears to the ruler of the Caliphate that the building simply could not withstand the weight of the blankets piled one on top of the other. The Caliph agreed with their opinion and ordered that the Kaaba be covered with no more than one blanket at a time. Since then, this rule has been strictly observed. The inside of the building is also decorated with curtains. The family of Benny Scheibe monitors all this order. The shrine is open to the public only during the ceremony of washing the Kaaba, and this happens only twice a year: two weeks before the start of the holy month of Ramadan and two weeks after the Hajj. From Abraham's son Ismail, the Kaaba was inherited by the southern Arab tribe of the Jurhumits, who enjoyed the support of the Babylonians. And in the 3rd century AD they were supplanted by another southern Arab tribe, Banu Khuzaa. Out of despair, the Jurhumits, leaving Mecca, destroyed the Kaaba and filled up the Zamzam spring. The Khuzaites restored the Kaaba, and from the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Kaaba became the pantheon of the Arab tribes. The leader of the Khuzaites at that time was Amr ibn Luhey, who became the ruler of Mecca and the patron of the Kaaba. Contrary to the original monotheism of Abraham Ibrahim and his son Ismail, he placed idols in the Kaaba and called on people to worship them. He brought the first idol he erected - Hubal - from Syria. The Quraysh were another Arab tribe that lived in the Mecca area and descended from Adnan, one of the descendants of Ismail, and his wife, the daughter of a Khuzai chief, who drove the Khuzaites out of Mecca and gained control of the city and temple around 440-450. The prophet Muhammad, who glorified the Kaaba throughout the world, came from this tribe. Before his preaching, the Kaaba was the center of numerous religious cults. In the center of the Kaaba stood the idol of Hubal, the deity of the Quraish tribe. He was considered the lord of the skies, the lord of thunder and rain. Over time, 360 more idols were placed there. pagan gods who were worshiped by the Arabs. Near them they made sacrifices and told fortunes. Quarrels and bloodshed were strictly prohibited at this place. It is interesting that among the characters of pagan cults there were images of Abraham (Ibrahim) and Ismail with prophetic arrows in their hands; Isa (Jesus) and Mariam with the baby (Virgin Mary). As we see, everyone found in this place something close to their faith. Pilgrims arrived in Mecca regularly. Twice a year, many people came to the local fair. The Kaaba was known and revered far beyond the Arabian Peninsula. She was revered by the Hindus, according to whose beliefs the spirit of Siwa, the third person of the Trimurti, accompanied by his wife during a visit to the Hijaz, entered the Black Stone.

The building itself was rebuilt many times. For the first time - under the second righteous caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Khattab. During the Umayyad dynasty, Caliph Abd al-Malik restored the building, expanded the boundaries of the Holy Mosque, and installed arches decorated with mosaics, which were specially brought from Syria and Egypt. During the Abbasid period, on the orders of Caliph Abu Jafar al-Mansur, the mosque was further expanded and a gallery was erected along its perimeter. The area around the Kaaba was thoroughly rebuilt and Ottoman Sultan Abd al-Majid. And in the recent past, in 1981, the space around the relic was reconstructed by the King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz. Nowadays, the territory of the Mesjed al-Haram mosque with the area around the Kaaba is 193,000 square meters. 130,000 Muslims can visit it at the same time. At the corners of the mosque there are 10 minarets, six of which (together with the crescent-shaped superstructures) reach a height of 105 meters. What the Black Stone embedded in the structure is is still unknown. Some scientists consider it a very large meteorite. This opinion is challenged by a strong argument that the stone cannot be an iron meteorite, based on its cracks, and it cannot be a stone meteorite, since it cannot withstand movement and floats in water. Other researchers tend to see the stone as a large piece of unknown volcanic rock: extinct volcanoes stony Arabia is rich. It is known that this is not basalt or agate. However, the expressed opinion that the stone is not a meteorite is subject to serious criticism. In 1980, researcher Elizabeth Thomsen suggested that the Black Stone is of impact nature - it is molten sand mixed with meteorite material. It comes from the Wabar crater, located 1,800 kilometers from Mecca, in the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. The rock from this crater is frozen porous glass, it is quite hard and brittle, can float in water and has inclusions of white glass (crystals) and grains of sand (streaks). However, such a coherent theory has its weak point: the conclusion made by scientists based on the results of several measurements indicates the age of the crater to be only a few centuries. Adding to the confusion are data from other measurements, suggesting that the crater is about 6,400 years old. There are actually three craters in Vabar. They are scattered over an area of ​​about 500 by 1000 meters and have diameters of 116.64 and 11 meters. The Bedouin nomads call this place al-Hadida - iron objects. In an area of ​​half a square kilometer lie many fragments of black glass, white stones made of baked sand and pieces of iron, partially covered with sand. Iron stones from the vicinity of the Wabar craters have a smooth surface covered with a black coating. The largest piece of iron and nickel that scientists found there weighs 2,200 kilograms and is called Camel's Hump. It was discovered by a scientific expedition in 1965 and was later put on display at the Royal University of the Arabian capital Riyadh. The smooth, cone-shaped stone appears to be a piece of a meteorite that fell to the ground and broke into several fragments. The holy book of Muslims - the Koran contains a story about the king of the city of Ubar named Aad. He mocked the prophet of Allah. For their wickedness, the city of Ubar and all its inhabitants were destroyed by a black cloud brought by a hurricane. English researcher Harry Philby became interested in this story. He considered the Empty Quarter to be the most likely location for the lost city. However, instead of ruins - the work of man, he found fragments of a meteorite in that place. From the traces left by this event, it was established that the energy released when the meteorite fell was equivalent to a nuclear explosion with a yield of about 12 kilotons, which is comparable to the explosion in Hiroshima. There are other places where meteorites fell that caused even more powerful impacts, but the case of Vabar has an important feature. The meteorite fell in an open, sandy area that was dry and sufficiently isolated to provide an ideal natural repository. There it was easy to discover both for the nomads of antiquity and for modern scientists. The latter cannot yet give a definitive answer to the riddle of the Black Stone.

Al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque)

Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) is the second most important Muslim mosque (after the Forbidden Mosque), located in Saudi Arabia, in Medina. Under the Green Dome of the Al-Nabawi Mosque is the tomb of the prophet and founder of Islam, Muhammad. The first two Muslim caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, are also buried in the mosque.

Al-Nabawi Mosque (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina

Green Dome (Prophet's Dome)

Tomb of the Prophet Muhammad. The first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, are buried next to it, and on the other side there is another area that looks like an empty grave. Many Islamic scholars and Quranic scholars believe that this grave site is reserved for the prophet Isa (Jesus), who will return to Earth to kill the Dajjal (Antichrist) and then rule the revived Caliphate for 40 years

The first mosque on this site was built during the lifetime of Muhammad, who himself took part in the construction. The layout of this building was adopted for other mosques around the world. When Muhammad was forty years old, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him and called him to serve. Muhammad began his sermons in Mecca, trying to turn the Arabs away from pagan polytheism and convert them to the true faith. In 622, due to strong pressure from the religious leaders of Mecca, Muhammad was forced to flee to the city of Yathrib, located several hundred kilometers away. In Yathrib (which was later renamed Medina) he managed to organize the first Muslim community. Within a few years, the Muslim movement had grown so much that Muhammad was able to create a large army, which in 630 captured Mecca without a fight. Thus the first Muslim state was formed.

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Remote Mosque)

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى‎‎ - extreme mosque) is a Muslim temple in the Old City of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. It is the third holiest shrine of Islam after the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Islam associates isra (the night movement of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem) and miraj (ascension) with this place. At the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Prophet Muhammad prayed as an imam with all the prophets sent before him.

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Remote Mosque) in Jerusalem

Founded in 636 by Caliph Omar on the site of a Jewish temple destroyed by the Romans, Al-Aqsa Mosque was significantly expanded and rebuilt under Caliph Abd Al-Malik in 693. Under Caliph Abd Al-Malik, another mosque was built near Al-Aqsa, called Qubbat As-Sakhra (Dome of the Rock). Nowadays, the Dome of the Rock mosque is often confused with the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Qubbat Al-Sakhra Mosque (Dome of the Rock)

Often the huge golden dome of the nearby Qubbat al-Sahra Mosque ("Dome of the Rock") is confused with the more modest dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling the said golden dome of Qubbat al-Sahra the dome of the "Mosque of Omar". But it is Al-Aqsa that has as its second name the name “Mosque of Omar” in honor of its founder Caliph Umar (Omar) and is the historical center of two mosques on the Temple Mount, and not the Qubbat al-Sahra Mosque, which, nevertheless, in architectural plan is the center of the complex.

Temple platform

A mosque is not just a building where adherents of Islam come to perform prayers or rituals. It is considered a place that plays a primary role in the life of every Muslim. At the dawn of Islam, mosques were built only on Arabian Peninsula. Then, as religion gained popularity, they began to be built all over the planet.

Today there are many mosques. They differ from each other in size, exterior and interior. From the article we will find out where the most beautiful mosques in the world were built, and which of them are the largest.

Masjid al-Haram (Sacred Mosque)

The largest mosque in the world is the Sacred or Forbidden Mosque. It was erected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the administrative district of Mecca. The building is made in classical Islamic architectural style. The mosque was built by Rasul Ibrahim and his son Ismail.

Inside Masjid al-Haram is one of the main relics of Islam - the Kaaba. Thousands of Muslims come to her every year to receive Allah's blessing and undergo the ablution ceremony.

Masjid al-Haram is a unique structure that amazes not only beautiful view and rich interior design, but also in size. The mosque can accommodate up to 900,000 thousand worshipers, and during the Hajj, the building and the area adjacent to it accommodate up to 4,000,000 million pilgrims.

Prophet's Mosque

The official name of the building is “Masjid an-Nabawi”, which translated from Arabic means “Mosque of the Prophet”. It was built in the period from 571 to 632 AD, just when the Prophet Muhammad lived (hence, in fact, its name).

Masjid an-Nabawi is one of the largest currently operating mosques in Saudi Arabia (Al-Madinah province). Its capacity is 600 thousand people. During the Hajj, its territory hosts about 1 million pilgrims.

Interesting!

The main feature of the mosque is that Muhammad is buried inside it. It is the second most important relic of Islam.

It is located in Islamabad (Pakistan) and is considered one of the popular mosques where thousands of Muslims from all over the world make pilgrimages every year. Made in a mixed architectural style. There are both classic forms and modern design.

The Faisal Mosque was built in 1986. The construction was led by the famous architect Vedat Dalokay. There are no valuable relics for the Muslim community inside the building, but the popularity of the mosque is due to its size. The area of ​​the building is more than 5 thousand m2. There are 300,000 believers inside, and another 200 thousand people in its courtyard.

Despite the fact that the Faisal Mosque is a new building, it has already been modified. The last time the interior and exterior were updated was 10 years ago. The Saudi authorities have allocated over 5 million Saudi riyals for this.

Interesting!

In Ufa (Republic of Bashkorstan) there is a beautiful Medina Mosque. It was built with donations from Muslims and can accommodate only 600 people.

Muslim pilgrimage center cultural heritage Morocco. Located in Casablanca and built in 1986. The mosque's terrace overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, so worshipers often prefer to be on outdoors, and not indoors.

The building is made in classical Islamic style. It has arched vaults, a three-level roof and the tallest minaret on the planet (over 200 m). Today the Great Mosque of Hassan II is the largest and most beautiful in all of Morocco.

One of the main attractions of Indonesia is the Independence Mosque or, as Muslims call it, Masjid Istiqlal. It is located in the heart of Jakarta and is recognized as the largest Muslim religious building located in southeast Asia.

The idea to build the Independence Mosque appeared in 1949. The reason for this was the declaration of Indonesia as a sovereign state (separation from the Netherlands). The area of ​​the mosque with adjacent lands and buildings is 1000 acres. Capacity - over 120 thousand people.

Istiklal architecture is dominated by marble and stainless steel. In appearance it differs from classical mosques, but this gives it uniqueness and zest. It has two domes - small (10 m in diameter) and large (45 m in diameter). There is only one minaret. Its height is 96.6 m.

The Badshahi Mosque is the second largest, but not the most important, religious building in Pakistan. It is located in the city of Lahore and was built between 1673 and 1674. Many Islamic shrines and relics are kept inside the mosque. The main ones:

• Fatima scarves;
• Turban of Muhammad;
• Scarf of Hussein ibn Ali.

The building was built from sandstone by the decision of the padishah of the Great Mongol Empire Alamgir I. The architectural style of the mosque is Indo-Saracenic.

The capacity of the building is up to 60 thousand worshipers. It has 3 domes and 8 minarets. The height of the largest of them is 62 meters.

The main attraction of Yemen. Located in a beautiful and modern city Sana. The initiator of the construction of the mosque, the head of Yemen, is Ali Abdullah Saleh. That is why it is named after him.

Al-Saleh is considered one of the most beautiful and largest in the world. The area of ​​the main prayer hall is more than 14 thousand m2. The premises of the mosque are decorated with gilding, sculptures and engravings, and the lamps are made of Bohemian glass. According to the estimate, the building cost the president $60 million.

Interesting!

Al-Saleh is the only mosque where non-Muslims are allowed. It is open to tourists and anyone can see and appreciate the beauty of the building.

It is included in the TOP of the largest and most beautiful mosques in the UAE (in the city of Abu Dhabi). Refers to modern religious buildings. Its construction was completed in 2007. The area of ​​the mosque is 5.6 thousand square meters. m. It can accommodate up to 40 thousand people.

The special feature of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is its 82 domes. There are only 4 minarets. The highest is 107 meters.

Interesting!

The highlight of the mosque is that inside it is the largest carpet in the world. It is handcrafted and lines the floor of the central prayer hall.

The largest cathedral mosque in India (Delhi). Construction began in 1650 by order of ruler Shah Jahan and ended 6 years later. The architectural style of the building is classical Islamic. The entire work on creating the plan and constructing the Jami Masjid cost 1 million rupees.

Interesting!

Pope John Paul II tried to improve relations between followers of Islam and Christians. His first step towards peace was a visit to the Umayyad mosque (Syria, Damascus).

Inside there are several relics and shrines of Islam. The main one is a hand-written copy of the Koran. The pages of the book are made from thin pieces of deerskin.

Another name for the mosque is Gol Masjid. The building is located in Pakistan, in the city of Karachi. Extraordinarily beautiful and modern building, designed by Babar Hamid Chauhan and built under the direction of Zaheer Naqvi in ​​1969, is extremely popular among locals, Muslims from all over the world and tourists.

Relics and shrines are not kept in the mosque. Its feature is a large prayer hall with a capacity of 5 thousand people (the area nearby can accommodate 38 thousand worshipers), many mirrors on the walls (about 70 thousand) and onyx decoration.

The beautiful and largest festive mosque in China is located in the city of Kashgar (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region). The architect of Eid Kah is the famous Muslim Saxiz Mirza.

The area of ​​the mosque is almost 17 thousand m2. Capacity – 20 thousand people. Construction of Id Kah began in 1442.

The highlight of the mosque is the large gate. They are made of yellow brick and have gizum inlays. Every tourist who comes to Kashgar, first of all, rushes to see the exterior of Id Kah and take a photo against its background.

The mosque is recognized as one of the largest and most beautiful not only in the Russian Federation, but throughout the CIS. Built in the Republic of Chechnya in the city of Grozny. The building is made in the Ottoman architectural style and has an area of ​​5000 m2. The decision to build the “Heart of Chechnya” was made by Akhmad Kadyrov, the first president and mufti of the republic. Construction of the mosque began in 2006 and ended in 2008.

The building's capacity is 10 thousand worshipers. It has 1 large dome and 4 small ones. There are four minarets at the “Heart of Chechnya”. Their height is 63 meters. Travertine marble was used during the construction process. The inside of the mosque is decorated with gold and gilding.

The Sultanahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque is the pride of Turkey. It is located in Istanbul and was built in 1616 by order of Ahmed I. The decision to build a large and beautiful structure came to him after the defeat of the Ottoman Porte by Turkish troops. Thus, Ahmed I decided to appease Allah, but a year later he died of typhus. His remains are in the mausoleum next to the Blue Mosque.

The architectural style of the building is a mixture of Byzantine and classical Islamic. The mosque has 6 minarets and a large dome, the diameter of which is 23 and a half meters. The main hall of Sultanahmet measures 53x51 meters. The height of the walls is 43 m. The capacity of the building and the surrounding area is 10 thousand pilgrims.

The name of the mosque is translated from Arabic as House of Victories. Located in the suburbs of London (England) and built in 2003 with money allocated by the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.

Baitul Futuh functions as a center of Islam, calling for loyalty, freedom and goodness. The mosque hosts religious events and rituals designed to show Europe and the world that the Islamic faith is not dangerous, as some believe.

National Mosque of Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur. The construction of Masjid Negara was completed in 1965. The building consists of several large halls, where worshipers from different parts of the world spend a lot of time. The most spacious of them can accommodate more than 8,000 people.

The religious complex includes a star-shaped dome, a minaret 73 meters high, and several buildings for clergy. The dome has 18 corners. They are believed to symbolize the number of states of Malaysia and the 5 pillars of Islam.

The Al-Fatih Cathedral Mosque is located in Manama (Bahrain), next to the residence of the country's king Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa. It is one of the largest mosques in the world and can accommodate more than 7 thousand people.

The building's dome is made of fiberglass sheets. The weight of its structure exceeds 60 tons. Inside the mosque there is not only a hall for worshipers, but also the premises of the National Library of Bahrain. Previously, only Muslims had access there, but in 2006 it opened to everyone.

It is located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and is considered the third most important shrine in Islam. The place on which it was built is sacred to Muslims, because, according to legend, Muhammad made a night pilgrimage there and then ascended to heaven.

Al-Aqsa was destroyed several times. It suffered the most during the capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders. At different times it was a palace, Christian Church, the headquarters of the Templar Order, but after Salah ad-Din came to power, it was returned to the status of a Muslim mosque.

Today the building has been restored and expanded. It can accommodate 5 thousand people, has one dome and one minaret. The design of the mosque is dominated by gold, marble, lead and gilding.

Another name is Muscat Cathedral Mosque. Located in the city of Muscat (Oman). The initiator of the construction of the building was Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. This is a popular leader of Oman who cares not only about the material well-being of the country, but also about the spiritual needs of Muslims.

The Sultan Qaboos Mosque is one of hundreds of religious buildings in Oman. It differs from them in its huge size, beautiful classical Islamic architecture and interior decor. The walls of the building are covered with mosaics, and there are 35 chandeliers in the central hall. The largest lighting fixture weighs 8 tons. It is designed for 1100 lamps.

Not just a mosque, but an architectural complex, the center of which was the tomb of Imam Reza, who died in 818 at the hands of the son of Harul al-Rashid (Arab caliph). The place where Reza died is today considered sacred and revered by both Sunnis and Shiites. Religious buildings gradually grew around the imam's mausoleum, which later merged into one architectural complex called a mosque.

Today, only Muslims can visit the Mausoleum of Imam Reza in Mashhad (Iran), but a couple of times a year the mosque opens its doors to tourists and people of other religions.

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After Christianity, Islam is very important in Russia. The religion is young. All over the world, including Russia, the active construction of “houses of Allah” - mosques - continues.

The most beautiful mosque in Russia

The most beautiful of those built in recent years mosques in Russia - the “Heart of Chechnya” mosque. It was erected in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, in 2008. He bears the name of Akhmat Kadyrov, the first President of the Chechen Republic. In the background modern architecture In Grozny, the 63-meter minarets of the most beautiful mosque in modern Russia are directed upward.

This facility was built under the guidance of specialists from Turkey. Therefore, probably, the “Heart of Chechnya” is very reminiscent of the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul - the same Ottoman style. Central domes and minarets located at a distance from each other, a beautiful park with flowers and fountains, night illumination. In Grozny everything is like its Istanbul prototype. Although, unlike Suleymaniye, the “Heart of Chechnya”, as an example of modern architecture, even has, for example, its own television and radio studio. It is also worth noting that the main treasury of Chechnya can accommodate up to 10 thousand believers who come to praise Allah. Many even claim that the “Heart of Chechnya” is the most beautiful mosque in Europe.

The most beautiful mosque in the UAE

But in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, another example of modern Muslim architecture awaits us - the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. The mosque was named in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan An Nahyan, the first President of the UAE. It, just like the “Heart of Chechnya”, was erected at the beginning of the 21st century. This is one of the largest mosques in the world. True, this temple surpasses its Russian counterpart in monumentality and grandeur. The building can accommodate up to 40 thousand believers, and the height of the minarets is 107 meters. The most beautiful mosque in the UAE is far superior to many mosques in its splendor of decoration. modern world. The luxurious building stuns anyone who sees it with its majesty and luxury. Real professionals from many countries worked on the development of design and selection of materials - Germany, Greece, China, Morocco, India, Italy, Turkey, Iran and the UAE.

More than 600 million euros were invested in construction. And it was not in vain that such a sum was spent - the mosque turned out to be beautiful. From the outside it is covered by 1096 columns and 96 pillars are located in the central prayer hall, which is decorated with marble panels made by the hands of craftsmen, decorated precious stones. The white marble building itself and its interior decoration make a deep impression. Italian white marble inlaid with gold and floral mosaics are found throughout.

An amazing thing - in the prayer hall there is the largest carpet in the world. Its area is 5627 square meters. And it consists of 15 huge pieces. Its weight is 45 tons. This carpet flew to the mosque on several planes from Iran - it took two years to create it by thousands of Iranian craftswomen. According to well-known connoisseurs, such a unique product costs 6 million dollars.

But, if the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the creation of modern architects, then the oldest temple in Syria is rightfully considered the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. It was erected in just 6 years by the ruler Al-Walid Umayyad in the 8th century.

The architecture of this mosque is intertwined with Roman architecture. Near the temple there are sanctuaries of the Romans, and in its construction materials taken from these temples were used. In the design of the mosque you can see ancient wooden tiles and colonnades made of colored marble.

The oldest mosque

Followers of Islam call the Prophet's Mosque in Medina (Saudi Arabia), built during the lifetime of Muhammad, the oldest mosque in the world. It is believed that the mosque was founded by the Prophet himself in Medina in 622 AD.

Initially the mosque looked like open terrace, covered with palm leaves, and in the middle there was a platform for reading the Koran.

Now in the center of the Prophet's Mosque there is a very small but very interesting place called the Garden of Eden. It extends from the Prophet's platform to his grave. Pilgrims always try to visit this place - after all, according to legend, it is defined as part of heaven on Earth. The Prophet's Mosque is rightfully considered a unique masterpiece in the history of architecture. But in innovation it is not inferior to its more modern partners. The rectangular bases of its columns have metal gratings. The colonnade is connected to special air conditioners located 7 km from the mosque.

Cold air seems to emanate from the columns, and therefore the temple premises are cool and cozy even in the hottest weather. The floors and walls of the mosque are covered with marble and stones of different colors. In addition to the clever air conditioning system, the mosque, which includes 27 platforms, amazes parishioners with an opening moving dome on each; surprisingly, no sounds are heard at the moment of their movement in any direction.

The most beautiful mosque in the world

Of course, in the eyes and hearts of believers, the place of the most beautiful mosque is occupied by the Al-Haram Mosque, also called the Forbidden Mosque, in Mecca, which appeared in 638. She keeps the main holy relic of Muslims - the Kaaba. The Kaaba (cube) is a structure in the courtyard of the mosque in the form of a black cube covered with fabric, 15 meters high, 10x12 meters long and wide, containing a black stone inside. During the Hajj, pilgrims gather around the Kaaba and perform rites of worship. Muslim believers all over the world turn to the Kaaba while reading prayers, wherever they are.

The corners of the Kaaba are located strictly according to the cardinal directions and are called: “Yemenite”, “Iraqi”, “Levantine” and “stone” (south-north-west-east). On the eastern side and built at a height of one and a half meters is the legendary black stone in a silver frame.

What exactly is the Black Stone? This is a Muslim shrine - the Stone of Forgiveness that Allah sent to Adam and Chava. As the Koran says, the Black Stone, originally white, gradually became blacker and blacker, absorbing human sins.

This is the largest and most beautiful mosque in the modern world, allowing it to accommodate up to 2.5 million parishioners during the Hajj. But the most beautiful places on Earth are not always associated with religion. One of the attractions of Russia, for example, was Peterhof. .
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