• Please use real names.

    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

    Firstname Lastname

    Register

    We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know!
  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Focus of Prayer

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
In the mosque prayer hall, there is essentially no furniture. Perhaps a few chairs at the back for the elderly or infirm who cannot easilly bend or kneel.

There is concern for cleanliness so shoes are left outside, there's a place to wash feet and prayer amts or a large carpet keeps worshopers from the ground and dust.

At the far wall, towards the East and Maccah, there is a curved tall recess in the wall decorated with petterned tiles and Koranic inscriptions above.

There's a hidden staircase to an elevated opening from where the Imam willk give his sermon.

Inside the recess are microphones so the voice of the leader of the prayers resonates through the giant space.



[Group 0]-IMG_5995_IMG_5996-2 images_1200.jpg


Asher Kelman: The Mihrab

King Fahad Mosque, Culver city California



Notice the man waiting fro evening prayers. He is comfortable sitting like that. In another house of worship this sitting on the floor would be, to say the least strange. But here, this is respectful and accepted, as he is early!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Here is a wider view.

Typical calssical mosque architecture has an orn ate done. These are not based on religious edicts but rather are decorative, yet there may be inspirational Koranic verses in the mosaics.


[Group 1]-IMG_5952_IMG_5994-41 1200.jpg


Asher Kelman: Prayer Hall with Dome & Mihrab




Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Feel invited to post corresponding views of other houses of worship where the congregants assemble and look towards the leader of prayers!

Asher
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
As with the physical edifices of almost all religious faiths, masajid (mosques) come in a wide range of physical manifestations, from those constructed in a storefront to those with truly stunning architecture. Asher, you have certainly shown us one of the latter.

We are fortunate to have in New Mexico a masjid that is often hailed as one of the more unique, the Dar al Islam mosque in Abiquiú, New Mexico, in the far northern part of the state (yes, the New Mexico base of Georgia O'Keefe). The name "Dar al Islam" literally means "abode of Islam".

Actually, this is a campus, including the masjid, a madrasa (Muslim school), and other facilities. The entire campus was designed by noted Egyptian architect Hasan Fathy. His intent was to combine the traditional Ottoman architectural elements with traditional New Mexican adobe-style architectural elements.

Sadly, the architect was not fully informed as to the climate in northern New Mexico, and at one point the domed roof structure of the school building collapsed as a resit of the impact of the cyclic freezing and thawing of the ice that formed there in the wake of the serious winter snowfalls. But the roof has been reconstructed.

Unfortunately, I have not visited the campus, but here are some shots gleaned from the internet:

campus_ii.jpg


campus_iii.jpg


85509312_2f5e4ad9ac_z.jpg


hassan_fathy8_Abiquiu_mosque4_interior.jpg

Best regards,

Doug
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Doug,

Excellent gathering of images of this totally fitting set of structures that seem to belong to the simple adobe style architecture of the Spanish Missions. However, that is where the similarity ends as, AFIK, local Hispanic were not ever corralled and governed by Muslim Missionaries and forced to give up their native crops and customs. Rather it appears that Islam works here, uniquely, to serve those already in their community while having open doors to any one on the outside who might be inquisitive. (Of course, that "laiser faire" tolerant attitude is hardly ever normal in primarily Catholic or Muslim countries).

The distinguishing feature of the architecture is simplification of the prayer hall but with a wooden set of seats and pulpit for the Imam to officiate. The wood adds history and lineage to the otherwise stark interior.

This is very pure architecture in that it is a place for prayer but has no conceit of being magnificent in itself. This "modesty" lens to the concept of submission to God. In that, it is powerful.

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Views from The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the main mosque in the Sultanate of Oman. It is in the capital city of Muscat.

Too crowded !

i-SzhnJLH-XL.jpg


i-Dm3NSpW-XL.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Antonio,

You are a delight. What a great contribution. A lot of wood for a desert country. I do not understand the first picture. Are we looking down in the Mihrab, (concave indentation for the Imam to be situated), from the women's balcony to the major prayerhall?

This is exceptional ornate and creative. I wonder whether the stone work is inventively new or traditional. I have not observed that successvie layering effect before.

Do you have a veiw of the hall from below? Is there also a dome?

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
With this "not good" photo you will understand the first one.
i-VDDGp4T-M.jpg

Now two more. Today, I suddenly remembered other nices places I have been to, but that will be later on.
Now, two more of the same place. Not a striking Architecture... no patina.
Bare feet visit...

i-Q2MLPxx-XL.jpg


i-hxhRrXH-XL.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
In the mosque prayer hall, there is essentially no furniture. Perhaps a few chairs at the back for the elderly or infirm who cannot easilly bend or kneel.

There is concern for cleanliness so shoes are left outside, there's a place to wash feet and prayer amts or a large carpet keeps worshopers from the ground and dust.

At the far wall, towards the East and Maccah, there is a curved tall recess in the wall decorated with petterned tiles and Koranic inscriptions above.

There's a hidden staircase to an elevated opening from where the Imam willk give his sermon.

Inside the recess are microphones so the voice of the leader of the prayers resonates through the giant space.



[Group 0]-IMG_5995_IMG_5996-2 images_1200.jpg


Asher Kelman: The Mihrab

King Fahad Mosque, Culver city California



Notice the man waiting fro evening prayers. He is comfortable sitting like that. In another house of worship this sitting on the floor would be, to say the least strange. But here, this is respectful and accepted, as he is early!

Asher

Peter,

You mean this fellow?
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Antonio,

Send me the links to post #6 so I can repair it and the pictures will appear again!

This thread is for the buildings and prayer.

I need to somehow combine the two threads! Or this could be just Mosques?

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
The image of the people with the river at the far end was done in Varanasi. We spent 2 or 3 days there...
If this thread is for the buildings and prayer I was wrong posting the above picture. Sorry.
:)
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
You are not at fault!

I need to be clear and have to think more!

But what religion are these folks celebrating? Do you know anything more about them?

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I like wide angles !

i-CJPcPfR-X2.jpg

I gather they are lighting candles and folk in the bg are bathing. Is that the Ganges River in India?

When you show these fabulous pictures, remember Some are less well travelled and have no idea of the festivals, rites, religion or ethnicity of the people!

This is a wonderful time to teach us!

That’s how we hopefully get a more appreciative, inclusive and tolerant world!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I passed this Church tonight and see they are having a mariachi band to help celebrate “Our Lady of Guadalupe”!

A8099059-B0E7-4D41-93F6-79064DEF0112.jpeg


8574AC9F-6FB4-4EF4-A264-AD9D0A8D7716.jpeg


I felt that visiting at night added a feeling of spirituality and displayed so well the beauty of the incredibly well made stain glass windows!

Asher
 
Top