Famous Mosques

A mosque is a place of worship for Muslims. Muslims, the followers of religion Islam, are supposed to pray 5 times a day. Each time there is call for prayer, known as azan, following which the Muslims head to mosque for praying.

Islam is the second most followed religion of the world and in almost every city and country of the world (except the Vatican and exceptions of few) there is a mosque for Muslims to pray. Below given are some famous mosques in the world:


Al-Haram Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram)

Al-Haram Mosque, which is also called the Haram Sharif, is located in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Al-Haram Mosque is the largest and the most holy mosque of the world.

Al-Haram Mosque (Al-Masjid al-arm)

This mosque is the main destination of the Hajj pilgrims.

The mosque covers an area of 356,800 square meters and has the capacity to accommodate nearly 820,000 worshipers.

This number can exceed upto  4 million during Hajj season.

The mosque is also one of the oldest mosques. The Holy Kaaba is situated at the center of this mosque which is the Qibla (direction towards which Muslims offer prayers). 

The Holy Kaaba. All Muslim around the world face the Kaaba while offering their prayers.

Al-Nabawi Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi)

Al-Nabawi Mosque, the mosque of the Prophet is the second largest of the world. This mosque is the resting place of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him).

 

The mosque is very special for Muslims as the mosque was built by the Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H) Himself.

The green dome above the mosque is called the dome of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and this is where the tomb of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) is located.

The dome was built in 1486. In the adjacent area of the mosque, early Muslim leaders like Abu Bakar and Umar are buried.

The mosque has been reconstructed many times by various Islamic rulers.


Al Aqsa Mosque

Al Aqsa mosque is present in Jerusalem and is the third holiest mosque of Islam.

According to the Muslim belief, the Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H) was transported from Mecca to this sacred mosque and here he lead prayers till Allah ordered him to return to Ka’aba.

The place where the mosque is located has led to a dispute between the Jews and the Muslims for centuries. The Jews believe that the place was once the temple Mount, one of the holiest place of Judaism.


Dome Of The Rock (Masjid Qubbat As-Sakhrah)

Dome Of The Rock

It is situated in Jerusalem and is one of the most famous Mosques of the world, primarily due to its historic importance.

It was built by the order of Umayyad Caliph, Abd al-Malik in the year 691 CE. It is also considered a holy place by the Jews and Christians.

The heart of the mosque is the "Foundation Stone" from which Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) ascended into heaven.


The Zahir Mosque

The Zahir Mosque

The Zahir Mosque was built in 1912 due to the efforts of Tunku Mahmud and is located in Alor Star which is the state capital of Kedah in Malaysia.

The Zahir Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques of the world.

The mosque occupies 124,412 square feet of land and the central hall of the mosque is 62x62 square feet which makes it one of the largest mosques of the world.


Baitul Mukarram Mosque

Baitul Mukarram Mosque

The Baitul Mukarram Mosque is situated in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The mosque was built in the 1960s and is included in the list of 10 largest mosques of the world.

Although the mosque is huge and has the capacity to accommodate 30,000 people, it is small for the amount of worshippers there hence the Government is deciding to add more area in the mosque.

The mosque is the national mosque of Bangladesh.


Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the national mosque of United Arab Emirates. Situated in the capital Abu Dhabi, it is the 8th largest mosque in the world and the largest in the the United Arab Emirates.

It is a marvel of exquisite Islamic architecture having touch of the Mogul and Moorish architectural designs.

The Shikh Zayed Mosque was opened for worship in 2007. It has a capacity of 40,000 worshipers and covers and area of 22,412 m2.


Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

This mosque is located in Bandar Seri Begawan which is the capital of Brunei.

The mosque is perhaps the most beautiful mosque of not only the Asia Pacific but also of the world.

The mosque attracts a lot of tourists and is the landmark of the country.


The Shah Faisal Mosque

The Shah Faisal Mosque

The Shah Faisal Mosque of Islamabad, Pakistan is one of the largest and most beautiful mosques of the world.

The mosque was built in 1966 by the King Faisal of Saudi Arabia and is a symbol of his love towards Pakistan.

The mosque covers an area of 5000 square meters and can accommodate nearly 300,000 worshippers. The mosque was once the house of International Islamic University.


Baiturrahman Mosque

Raya Bayturrahman Mosque

The Baiturrahman mosque is present in Indonesia and is one of the very first domed mosques in South East Asia.

The mosque was built in 1879 by the Dutch and in 1957 some additions were made in the mosque. The mosque was refurbished in 1980’s.

The mosque represents the political role Islam has played in Indonesia.