You asked: What type of plan is the Great Mosque of Kairouan?

Like other hypostyle mosques, such as the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, the mosque of Kairouan is roughly rectangular. Wider aisles leading to the mihrab and along the qibla wall give it a T-plan. The sanctuary roof and courtyard porticos are supported by repurposed Roman and Byzantine columns and capitals.

Why was the Great Mosque of Kairouan built?

Role in Muslim civilisation



During this period, the Great Mosque of Kairouan was both a place of prayer and a centre for teaching Islamic sciences under the Maliki current.

What is a central plan mosque?

Features a large dome covered interior space with structural elements that radiate from a central point. Central-Plan mosque. Mosque of Selim II Edirne, Turkey.

What is the form of mosque?

Two main types of mosques can be distinguished: the masjid jāmiʿ, or “collective mosque,” a large state-controlled mosque that is the centre of community worship and the site of Friday prayer services; and smaller mosques operated privately by various groups within society.

What is the historical significance of Kairouan Great Mosque in Tunisia?

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is recognized as one of the most significant religious places in Islam. It can also be referred to as Mosque of Uqba Ibn Nafi, in honor of its original founder. The mosque has great importance historically because it is the first mosque in the first Muslim town in the West.

What was the Great Mosque of Kairouan patterned after?

Known as the Great Mosque of Kairouan, it is an early example of a hypostyle mosque that also reflects how pre-Islamic and eastern Islamic art and motifs were incorporated into the religious architecture of Islamic North Africa.

What is the difference between mosque and Masjid?

“Mosque” is the English name for a place of Muslim worship, equivalent to a church, synagogue or temple in other faiths. The Arabic term for this house of Muslim worship is “masjid,” which literally means “place of prostration” (in prayer).

What does blue mean Islam?

Blue. in islamic tradition, blue (al-azraq) often signifies the impenetrable depths of the universe, and turquoise blue is thought to have mystical quali- ties. as a result, muslims imagine that a person with blue eyes has divinely endowed qualities.

What is the most important part of a mosque?

Essential Architectural Elements of a Mosque



The mihrab is a niche in the qibla wall indicating the direction of Mecca; because of its importance, it is usually the most ornate part of a mosque, highly decorated and often embellished with inscriptions from the Qur’an (see image 4).

What do you say when you enter a mosque?

Entering a Mosque



Vistors may be greeted by the Arabic greeting “Assalamo Allaikum” which means “peace be upon you.” The answer, if the visitor would like to use it, is “Wa ‘alaikum-as-salam”, which means “peace be upon you too”.

Is mosque a derogatory term?

Ahmed said “masjid” (the Arabic word for mosque) should always be used instead of “mosque” even when the medium of communication is English because, according to him, “mosque” is a derogatory term that traces lexical descent from the word “mosquito.” He said “mosque” emerged in Spanish and later in English when …

What do all mosques have in common?

The simplest mosque would be a prayer room with a wall marked with a “mihrab” – a niche indicating the direction of Mecca, which Muslims should face when praying. A typical mosque also includes a minaret, a dome and a place to wash before prayers. Each feature has its own significance.

What is the Medina?

A medina is the old part of a town or city, found in many countries of North Africa, not just Morocco. It is typically walled, and contains narrow streets, fountains, palaces and mosques. … The word “medina” means city or town in modern-day Arabic.