Prayer Hall Research Articles

The Mosque of the Blessed Tree in Safawi, Jordan

The Mosque of the Blessed Tree in Mafraq, Jordan represents a revival of Islamic architectural heritage. Situated near an ancient terebinth tree where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have rested, the mosque was erected according to traditional building techniques and Islamic principles. The design, led by MAS Design Office, involved careful integration of local materials along with load-bearing structures. Despite challenges, including limited time and budget constraints, the project was completed in six months. The mosque's design emphasizes simplicity and balance, with features such as a central dome, shallow domes in prayer halls, and pinnacles echoing traditional minarets. The project also involved training local craftsmen in complex stonemasonry techniques.

Creating the Shi’i Sacred Space in Italy

Abstract The most serious challenge that Twelver Shi’is face in Italy is the absence of their conventional places of worship. The present study through empirical methods demonstrates how Shi’is create prayer halls by inclusion and exclusion of certain elements and how confer a sort of sacredness to these locals. Although sacredness of the Islamic places of worship is subject to controversy, in this essay we will see how sacredness of such places emerges as a social construction liable to constant evolution, rather than a God-given and extraordinary phenomenon.

Karakteristik Fisik Arsitektur Islam pada Bangunan Masjid di Kecamatan Curup Tengah Kabupaten Rejang Lebong

This study explores the characteristics of Islamic architecture in Curup Tengah, an area with geographic, cultural, and traditional contexts distinct from the origins of Islamic architecture in Arabia. This study focuses on the adaptation of Islamic architecture to local contexts and community needs, as well as its influence on the appication of Islamic architectural elements in mosques. This study aimed to analyze and describe the characteristics and implementation of Islamic architectural elements, including domes, minarets, calligraphy, geometry, floral motifs, prayer halls, mihrabs, pulpits, porticos, ablution areas, study spaces, ventilation and natural lighting. The methodology employed is qualitative research with a descriptive comparative approach, utilizing data collection through observations, interviews, questionnaires, and relevant literature reviews. The finding indicate that mosques in Curup Tengah generally lack minarets and instead optimize doors and windows for natural ventilation, avoiding the use of artificial cooling systems. The application of Islamic architectural elements in these mosques remains limited, with only eight to twelve of the total thirteen elements being implemented. This research enhances the understanding of how Islamic architectural elements are applied and offers valuable insights for future mosque design in Curup.

The rural mosque uncovered in the Andalusi village of La Graja (eleventh century ce)

ABSTRACT This article examines the rural mosque recently excavated in the archaeological site of La Graja (Higueruela, Albacete). This is a very important find from a historical point of view, since there is little archaeological evidence for this type of building despite the fact that many examples must have existed in al-Andalus. This congregational mosque served the inhabitants of an Andalusi village (Ar. qarya) and other small hamlets in its vicinity. It was built in the early eleventh century ce and abandoned, along with the rest of the settlement, towards the end of the century. Owing to its good state of preservation, its constructive characteristics and architectural plan could be analysed in detail. The most interesting aspect of this find was, however, that it was possible to study the mosque in the spatial context of the village as a whole. This reveals aspects of urban planning at the time of the mosque’s construction and, therefore, the social structure of the group of founding settlers. The excavation also provided relevant data about the uses of the space around the prayer hall and how its presence affected the evolution of the urban layout of the village.

Everyday Migrant Architecture and Socio-Spatial Practices: Bawean Langkher in the Singapore Ponthuk

This article examines how migrants from the island of Bawean in the Indonesian Archipelago architecturally responded to the urban environment upon migrating to Singapore in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Baweanese migrants translated architectural traditions and everyday life routines by adjusting the layouts of existing urban forms to facilitate their socio-religious needs. The continuity of the Bawean langkher (prayer hall) was formed by dynamic links between the community and their changing circumstances, motivations for Baweanese migration, and spontaneous acts of agency and resistance to colonial intervention in and away from the homeland. I explore how the Singapore ponthuk (migrant house) continued to perpetuate the socio-religious norms, mores, taboos, and laws of the Baweanese in the first half of the twentieth century. Within the hinterland, this led to a religious identity that was distinct from that of the larger Malay community. I argue that these continuities can be brought to light through a consideration of the memory of socio-spatial practices in everyday settings. I further suggest that the case of the Bawean langkher in the ponthuks of Singapore expands upon the notion of invisible geographies in the field of Islamic architecture.

PERANAN MUSLIMAT DALAM MENJADIKAN MASJID SEBAGAI PUSAT KHIDMAT SOSIAL

The mosque has been a spiritual and social centre for the Muslim community since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Although mosques are generally managed by men, this does not negate the contributions of Muslim women (Muslimat) in enriching the mosque environment. This study aims to analyze the role of Muslim women in making the mosque a hub for social services. The study adopts a qualitative approach with a case study design. Three mosques and three small prayer halls (surau) from nearby locations were selected as the study samples. Study participants consist of active Muslim women committee members appointed. The study employs a focused group discussion protocol as the interview instrument. Data is transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis method with the Atlas.ti software. The study findings indicate that women also play a role in mosque enlivening (imarah), particularly in the realm of social services. The social services carried out aim to assist community members facing social, economic, health, and other issues, while also maintaining the well-being of women in the community. Activities undertaken include charitable sales, foster care programs, financial aid for chronic patients, recreational activities, charitable visits, grant (hibah) management, and collaborations with non-governmental organizations. The contributions of Muslim women through these social service activities benefit the overall community, strengthen social ties, and foster a harmonious environment within the mosque community. This illustrates that Muslim women also possess the potential to empower themselves and Muslim women in general through involvement in programs beyond the mosque environment. Therefore, both the community members and mosque administration should provide support and acknowledge the contributions of Muslimat in mosque enlivening, particularly concerning matters related to Muslim women.

Performance evaluation and damage assessment of historical Yusuf Ziya Pasha Mosque after February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes

Historical masonry heritages are severely affected by the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. The recorded earthquake peak ground accelerations (PGA) are 2.05 g and 0.67 g for Pazarcık and Elbistan earthquakes at the epicenter, respectively. However, there is not any recorded PGA data related to Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Malatya. At this point, the current study aims to propose a methodology to estimate the possible resisted load of historical Yusuf Pasha Mosque in Malatya and possible PGA for Malatya by assessing the performance located in Malatya city center, which is far from the epicenter of Pazarcık earthquake, which is 162 km, and Elbistan earthquake, which is 100 km, using propagated cracks. After these earthquakes, local damages were registered at the Yusuf Ziya Pasha Mosque. The main prayer hall of the mosque and a tomb were constructed in 1792. Three types of materials were used for the mosque: riyolit tuff, sandy tuff for walls, and timber for the roof. The dimensions of the main hall of the mosque are 17.50 m × 12.53 m. Additionally, there is a small tomb located adjacent to the mosque with dimensions of 7.61 m by 4.46 m. First of all, dynamic identification is conducted, and then a numerical model is generated. Material properties were calculated using non-destructive testing methods. The mosque and the tomb are modeled together. The numerical model is calibrated on the basis of the extracted dynamic parameters. Then, nonlinear time history analyses were performed on the model using eight earthquake records. Three of the used seismic records were international, namely the 1995 Kobe, 1986 Chalfant Valley, and 2010 New Zelland Darfield earthquakes. In addition, five national earthquake records are used for the nonlinear dynamic analyses, namely the 2003 Bingöl, 2011 Van-Erciş, 2020 Elazığ-Sivrice, 2023 Kahramanmaraş Pazarcık, and Elbistan earthquakes. Related graphs were tabulated, and crack propagations of the numerical model were compared to damaged mosques.

Evaluating the impact of mosque morphology on worshipers' visual comfort: Simulation analysis for daylighting performance

Visual comfort includes the ability to provide sufficient daylight without exaggeration. When daylight levels are insufficient inside a place or when daylight is intense, inhabitants experience visual discomfort. This study examines visual comfort in prayer halls by investigating the effectiveness of daylighting performance, including daylight amounts, such as illuminance level and daylight factor, and glare, including daylight glare probability, in different mosque morphologies. The evaluation had done by applying a quantitative method via the most recently updated daylighting simulation software using Autodesk-Insight-360 for Revit-2023 and SolemmaClimateStudio for Rhinoceros-6. Results show that mosques with courtyard lighting have reduced glare, and windows placed uniformly along the vertical axis get lots of natural light. The study concluded that levels of visual comfort in the prayer halls, in turn, vary according to mosques morphology. The current research contributes to detecting visual discomfort in mosque architecture based on differences in typological and morphological design characteristics.

Marakeş'teki (Fas) Ben Youssef Medresesi'nin Ses Atmosferleri

This study investigates architectural acoustics in heritage building that is the Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech (Morocco). It aims to characterize the sound atmospheres in this place of learning and community life of el-Tolba (plural of el-Tãleb: student). For this purpose, the study is divided into three parts. The first is the literature review in which we present the definitions of the key concepts, some research on the sound atmospheres in heritage buildings, the different materials and methods used. The objective of this part is to have an overview of the topic of atmospheres. The second consists of architectural conformation reading which is devoted to the identification of the architectural and spatial devices participating in the creation of these sound atmospheres. Special attention was given to the prayer hall as a place of teaching and prayer. The third part focuses on the quantitative characterization of the acoustic environment through computer simulation. The prayer hall and the central courtyard were chosen for the simulation which was done through the Ecotect V5.50. The simulation analysis is limited to three criteria: the uniformity of the sound in the prayer hall, the sound behavior and the degree of the presence of reverberation. The results show that the builders of the madrasa paid attention to the architectural acoustics. Several strategies and devices were adopted to have sound atmospheres appropriate to this building.

Religious Nationalism, Christianisation and Institutionalisation of Indigenous Faiths in Contemporary Arunachal Pradesh, India

The paper examines the interface of indigenous faiths with the twin forces of Hindu religious nationalism and Christianity, and the eventual institutionalisation of the former in Arunachal Pradesh, a federal state on India’s north-eastern frontier. To substantiate, the paper focuses on nyedar namlos, the newly introduced community prayer halls for Donyi-Polo, the indigenous faith of the Nyishi tribe. The paper argues that nyedar namlos need to be contextualised against the changing socio-political history of the state and its transformation from a socio-political periphery and colonial frontier to an active site of state-making and nation-building, as well as a military frontier, all of which shape the discourse on religion.

Mosque Morphological Analysis: The Impact of Indoor Spatial–Volumetric Visibility on Worshipers’ Visual Comfort

One of the essential needs of humans that is influenced by architectural geometry is visibility in indoor areas. Prayer hall geometry dominates the mosque typology and morphology. The spatial–volumetric shapes of interior prayer halls affect worshipers’ visual comfort and spirituality. In this study, a new integrative framework is developed to quantitatively describe various mosque typo-morphologies affecting the visual comfort of worshipers, including spaciousness and consciousness, to obtain prayer hall typo-morphological patterns that may provide higher levels of visual comfort. Spatial and volumetric metrics from various prayer hall vantage points are used in this study. A two-dimensional isovist (VGA) map in depthmapX.10 collects spatial metrics, while the grasshopper script in Rhinoceros-7 collects 3D isovist volumetric metrics. The findings confirm the feasibility of creating a prominent area in barrier-free mosque layout designs centered on a central domed roof form.

CABARAN PENDIDIKAN DI SABAH SEBELUM TAHUN 1963

Sabah is one of the states in the Federation of Malaysia that is famous not only for the natural beauty of its flora and fauna but also for the uniqueness of its community which consists of dozens of ethnic groups. Based on history, education in Sabah has existed since the administration of the Sultanate of Brunei and the Sultanate of Sulu. While under the rule of the Sultanate of Brunei, the Muslim community who mostly lived in the coastal area of Sabah had an education based on the study of the Al-Quran. During that period, education was in an informal form focused on religious book reading activities carried out in prayer hall, mosques and lodges. Meanwhile for the non-Muslim community, education is also informal through guidance from parents, certain ceremonies or celebrations. When Sabah was under the administration of foreign powers, education in the state was heavily influenced by the policies of administrators such as the British North Borneo Chartered Company (SBBUB) and British colonialism. However, it is generally found that the education of the Sabah community is not taken seriously by the SBBU administrators nor the British colonial authorities. Therefore, the discussion will be focused on the challenges faced in the field of education in Sabah before 1963. The study of this paper uses a qualitative analysis approach and uses archival and library research methods by analyzing various primary and secondary sources such as Colonial Office Files, Statements Annuals, books and articles to obtain research information sources. This study will produce an analysis that can provide a clearer understanding of the historical background of the development of education in Sabah. Identification of the challenges faced will enable the planning of strategies that can further strengthen education in Sabah.

The Contemporary Identity of the Architectural Design in the Great Mosque of Algeria

Objectives: This research paper deals with the issue of the contemporary identity of the architectural design in the Great Mosque of Algeria, which represents a sign of the future through the use of advanced building materials. The contemporary trend in the construction of the Great Mosque of Algeria made us wonder whether the identity of the cultural heritage of the ancient mosques was considered in its architecture. This research paper aims to clarify the continuity between heritage and historical traditions in the architecture of this contemporary mosque.
 Methods: A comparative method was followed, which focused on the identity of the architectural character of the architectural elements that make up the planning system of the Great Mosque of Algeria, and the extent of the impact of heritage on the emergence of this contemporary mosque.
 Results:. The results confirmed the impact of the historical heritage on the architectural character of the Great Mosque of Algeria, including spatial elements, such as the prayer hall and the courtyard, and the identity of the architectural elements that make up the Mosque, such as the mihrab, the pulpit, the minaret and the dome.
 Conclusions: This corresponds to the design direction of the Mosque’s architecture, the direction of belonging. The Mosque is linked to the vocabulary of Islamic architecture and preserves the identity of its architectural character.

Mosque Typo-Morphological Classification for Pattern Recognition Using Shape Grammar Theory and Graph-Based Techniques

The prayer hall is the main space in mosques where prayer and worship take place. It is normally open with a large area where Muslims can pray together. The identification and assignment of organizational forms to formally defined classes are referred to as classification. The term typo-morphology refers to the merging of two ideas: typology, which focuses on syntactic and spatial analysis, and morphology, which focuses on form analysis. This research aims to create a typo-morphological classification of mosques by using shape grammar analysis to obtain the key prototypes that cover both traditional and modern mosque styles. Hence, the proposed mosque sample was grouped according to the extracted prototypes through graph-technique pattern recognition. The study resulted in extracting twenty different typo-morphological prototypes. The current study contributes to discovering the syntactical and formal configuration of mosque buildings, which establishes a distinct and reliable reference in mosque architecture.

Effects of plaster choice on conservation of the original acoustical character of historical mosques

The study aims to contribute acoustic characteristics of two monumental mosques in Western Anatolia: focusing on the change of material properties of the prayer hall and its effects on the perceived acoustical environment during history. Preserving the authentic auditory environments of historical mosques has great importance. Because the acoustical perception of the prayer hall affects users as much as their visual perception. Field measurements and acoustical simulations were held in two historical mosques with similar room volumes but different dome combinations to compare the present and probable original acoustical environments. The values of T30, EDT and STI are investigated by focusing on the change of plaster properties during restoration works. It is found that the original mortars could be differentiated for both cases and they might sound very different when the time they were first built. Acoustic documentation of such important historical monuments of Anatolia is quite a good contribution to the field of archaeoacoustics and historical conservation. However, the study focused on the change of material properties. The findings of the paper can raise the question; of whether it is possible to comment on the originality of materials of a historical space by measuring its current acoustical character.

THE WESTERN MAKSURAH OF THE GREAT MOSQUE OF DİYARBAKIR, RESEARCH AND EXCAVATION

Diyarbakır Great Mosque is a community building located in the district of Cami-i Kebir in the northwest of the traditional city area surrounded by walls. The building on Gazi Street opposite Hasan Pasha Han is inside the road, and the eastern entrance overlooks a square which very likely corresponds to the old forum of the city of Amida. Surrounded by the streets to the North and West, the South overlooks the traditional Sipahi Bazaar. Around the full court near the square of the building, in the south there are: Hanafis section, Shafis section, northern vestibule, Mesudiye Madrasa and its southern portico, a traditional house, and a lavatory. To the east, there is a library, which used to be apparently a timing room (muvakkithane) and an entrance to the East (Eastern Maksurah). To the west, in the Western portico (Western Maksurah), that also includes the Western entrance, there is a Qur'anic school. The octagonal and pointed pyramidal coned fountain, built during the Ottoman period, and the prayer hall and pool, which were raised with several steps, form the other units in the spacious courtyard. In the north of the courtyard, we can find the portico of Mesudiye Madrasa. There is also a solar clock in front of the northern vestibule.
 The aims of this study are: 
 ● introducing the excavations in the Diyarbakır Great Mosque Western Maksurah and explaining the reasons of these excavations;
 ● presenting the results of these excavations; 
 ● giving information on the excavation findings;
 ●explaining the importance of research excavations in restoration works.
 The evaluations made for the preservation of the excavation findings, which were deemed necessary during the restoration works in the great Mosque, will also be explained in this study.

Architectural Study of Koca Sinan Pasha Mosque at Kaçanik, Kosova

Koca Sinan Pasha Mosque is one of the oldest classical mosques built in Kosova during the reign of the Ottoman Empire (1389-1912). The mosque bore the name of its donor and was completed in 1594/95. It is located in a small town in the southern part of the country, in Kaçanik. Regarding its compositional scheme, the monument belongs to the examples of Ottoman-style mosques in the Balkans with local elements. Its compositional scheme comprises a prayer hall, portico, and a minaret. The paper focuses on a brief history of the Koca Sinan Pasha, the history of the mosque, architecture, pictorial and sculptural decorations, current condition, and the monument's surroundings. By doing so, the paper helps identify the challenges that the mosque faced during its existence, as well as changes in the structure of the building and its decorations that occurred with time. The study relies on the existing monument as the primary source of information. However, the documentation of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Kosova and the relevant literature that directly or indirectly deals with the issue in question has also been used. The study is accompanied by architectural visualization and photographs of the mosque's exterior and interior. The Paper aims to help study, promote and display the mosque's value to a wider audience

Building the Muslim religious structures in the Tobolsk Province in the late 18th — early 20th century

Analyzed herein is the state politics in the area of building the Muslim religious structures in the Tobolsk Province at the end of the 18th — beginning of the 20th century. The source basis of the work was represented by the statutory and regulatory acts, clerical correspondence retrieved from the state archives, and pictorial materi-als. In this work, historical-comparative analysis, methods of historicism, induction and deduction were employed. During the period in question, more than a hundred of Muslim religious objects were functioning in the Tobolsk Province. The regulation of their building started in the second third of the 20th century. Three parties were partici-pating in the process of obtaining a permit for the erection of mosques: gubernia (province), okrug (county), and volost (district) administration-police bodies and officials; the high clerical body of the Muslims of the European Russia and Siberia — Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly; and the religious community — ummah. The interac-tion between them on the matter of building a mosque could take several years. The decision on the erection of Muslim religious objects was taken by the state authorities. Often, in the case of a discrepancy in the number of believers in the ummah (no less than 200 men), the regional authorities permitted erection of mosques. They softened their stance on this matter. In the Tobolsk Province, at the end of the 18th — beginning of the 20th cen-turу, the mosques were predominantly wooden. There were only few Muslim religious structures in the region built of brick. Mosques in the Province were erected at the expense of members of the ummah and donations of bene-factors. We suggest that the makority of the religious structures were built not as ‘template’ projects, but as the projects specially designed and approved by public officials. One of the features of their exterior was position of the minaret on the roof of the mosque. Also noteworthy are the dimensions of the prayer hall. It was relatively small, with two to five windows on each side. That depended on the needs of the ummahs. On average, the ser-vice life of the wooden mosques was 50–60 years. Subsequently, due to the lower durability of timber as a build-ing material, the Muslim religious objects required capital repair or erection of a new structure.

A Simulation Study to Suggest an Emergency Exits in Mosul’s Mosques in Case of Emergency

Nearly every mosque in Mosul has one or two gates that are essentially arranged on one wall opposing the Qibla wall. The worshipers would be unable to flee if an explosion or arson at the wall of those gates causes the gates to close, either from the inside or the outside. As a result, evacuation would be challenging or impossible. International architectural codes do not contain any specific requirements for fire safety precautions in mosques. However, the mosque prayer hall is essentially an assembly hall that frequently hosts huge crowds of attendees during prayer times. International building regulations stipulate that these assembly buildings must have multiple emergency exits. This study clarifies the issue and offers solutions by designing alterative emergency exits on the side walls or the Qibla wall, which would allow worshipers to leave the mosque prayer hall in an emergency while still meeting the time requirements established by well-known international codes, as well as the standards for fire safety precautions and means of escape. The simulation was realized on the software tool called Pathfinder.

Environmental Pressures at Dirre Sheikh Hussein Sanctuary

Dirre Sheikh Hussein is a religious complex in Ethiopia that dates from the 12th century or earlier. An important focus for pilgrimage, it lies in an isolated part of Oromia State on poorly drained semi-arid lowlands. Significant architecturally and culturally, recent expansion and refurbishment of the major buildings led to structural issues, though these are now largely overcome through consolidation of the prayer hall roof, laying a stone walkway, digging drainage ditches etc. Current deterioration of the buildings can be seen as: (i) fading of colours, (ii) cracks in walls, roofs, and festive places, (iii) deposits of sand around walls and (iv) staining and drainage marks on the white painted surfaces. Heavy falls of rain overwhelm drainage and overfill storage pools. Meteorological observations are infrequent locally, so those made some 70–100 km away were used, along with regridded historical data, reanalysis and CMIP6 projections. These revealed increases in temperature, precipitation and humidity, and provided indications of long-term climate pressures at the site. Changing patterns of future precipitation, particularly heavy rain, may threaten the site. The relative humidity changes are small, though an increasing Scheffer index suggests potentially enhanced wood decay. Changes in soil moisture have the potential to disrupt the foundations. Very hot days may become a problem for the two annual celebrations at the site.