Islamic Architecture

REL 262

masjid

“place of prostration”

Jama’a

“congregation”, mosque for Friday services

minaret

tower for call to prayer

muezzin

caller

minbar

elevated pulpit for leader to deliver sermon

imam

prayer leader

mihrab

niche indicating the direction to Mecca

muqarna

decorated squinch

qibla

the direction of Mecca

ablution fountain

fountain where worshippers can purify themselves before prayer (“wudu”)

sahn

courtyard

riwaq

arcade surrounding courtyard

dikka

elevated platform for second imam

kursi

stand to hold the Qur’an

hypostyle mosque

mosque with many rows of closely spaced columns

Great Mosque of Kairouan

hypostyle mosque in Tunisia

Mosque of Cordoba

hypostyle mosque in Spain, includes Catholic cathedral in the middle

Mosque of Afyon

hypostyle mosque in Turkey

four-iwan mosque

mosque with four barrel-vaulted chambers with monumental arched openings

Masjid-i Jami

four-iwan mosque in Iran

Sultan Hasan Mosque

four-iwan mosque in Cairo, includes mausoleum

madrassas

theological schools

central-plan mosque

mosque with a dome over the main prayer hall

Selimiye Mosque

central-plan mosque in Turkey, built by Sinan

bazar

market

kulliye

multi-functional mosque complex

horseshoe arch

arch whose ends are curved inwards

iwan

monumental arched opening

qibla wall

wall of a mosque facing Mecca