A mosque is where Muslims go to pray, mostly on Fridays because Friday is the Day of Assembly. Mosques are like churches to Muslims. Today's mosques are very elaborate. They have high walls, and very few things in them in order to keep Muslims focused on their prayers without any distractions. A dome at the top gives the feeling of a place of worship. Early mosques used to be made out of mud and looked like houses.

Each day before praying, muslims must follow certain procedures. One includes washing the whole body before praying. This is usually done with water, but if water is not availiable, sand or earth is used. Dressing right is also very important before prayer. Clothing must be modest, and men must wear clothes from their navels (belly-buttons) to their knees, but women must cover their whole bodies so that all that is showing is their face, hands and feet. Prayers are considered worthless or wasted if you have not washed or dressed properly. All mosques have a place to wash before prayer.

Before entering a mosque, shoes must be removed. There are no seats or benches because praying involves standing, sitting, squatting, kneeling, and prostrating. Also, men and women pray separately. Most mosques have a separate place for women to pray, and some have only places for men. If a mosque has no place for women, they pray at home.

Inside of the mosque, there is a mihrab, which is an empty alcove at the front of the mosque. It is placed where everyone in the mosque can see it. This is because the mihrab always faces Mecca, where the Ka'ba is located. This direction is called qibla.

The pulpit is always right of the mihrab. The pulpit is called the minbar, which has steps up to a platform. The khatib (preacher), always stands one step before the platform to show respect for the earlier prophets & caliphs who stood there. At the bottom of the minbar steps there is a doorway (with no door). A curtain is stretched across it to keep anyone except the khatib out.

The Imam, or prayer leader, is a well respected man. Unlike the khatib, he stands on the middle steps of the minbar. The Imam is not like a priest, because he is not ordained, which means made holy at a special service. Anyone in the Islamic community could be chosen to be an Imam.

In some very large mosques, there is a also a dakka. This is where officials stand and copy the movements of the khatib so that everyone knows what to do (like kneel, stand, sit, etc.) Next to the daka is a special lectern (a reading desk or stand) called the kursi. The kursi is where the Quari, a man who loudly repeats prayers and sermons spoken by the Imam can rest the Quar'an, which is the holy book of Islam, like the bible.

1. A mihrab, which is an alcove in one wall, which indicates the direction to face when praying.

2. A minbar, which is a raised platform on which the khatib (preacher) stands to speak. Not all mosques have a minbar, but they are very common.

3. A prayer area for men, and usually one for women.

4. A place to wash and prepare for prayer. If you do not wash before praying, your prayers are worthless.

Dakka -- a raised platform on which officials stand and copy the movements of the khatib so that everyone knows what to do (sit, stand, kneel, etc.)

Imam -- A prayer leader more holy than the khatib. He preaches mostly on Friday.

Ka'ba -- see ka'ba

Khatib -- preacher

Kursi -- special lectern where the quari rests the Quar'an.

Mihrab -- an alcove in one wall. When facing this alcove, you are facing Mecca, the correct direction for prayer.

Minbar -- a raised platform on which the khatib stands to speak.

Qibla -- the direction to Mecca

Quar'an -- the Islamic bible

Quari -- a man who loudly repeats prayers and sermons spoken by the Imam.

Alcove -- This word is not Islamic, but here is the dictionary's definition:
al|cove (al'kov), n. 1 a small room or recess opening out of a larger room. SYN: nook. 2 A recess or large, hollow space in a wall. SYN: niche. 3 Archaic. a bower; summerhouse. [ < Frence alcove < Spanish alcoba < Arabic al-qubba the vaulted chamber]

"Caltech Muslim Students - Various Pictures of Mosques" [Online] http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~calmsa/images/new/images.html (December 5, 1998)

Ramzy, H. "Mosques Around the World" [Online] http://wwwusers.brookes.ac.uk/99045778/HOME.htm (11/10/00)

Bowker, John. World Religions, New York, N.Y.: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1997.

Macdonald, Fiona. A 16th Century Mosque, New York, N.Y.: Peter Bedrick Books.

Knight, Khadijah. World Religions: Islam, New York, N.Y.: Thomson Learning, 1996.

Husain, Sharukh. What Do We Know About Islam?, New York, N.Y.: Macdonald Young Books, 1995.