Badshahi Mosque

The Badshahi Mosque (Punjabi, Urdu: بادشاھی مسجد), or the 'Emperor's Mosque', in Lahore is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world. It is Lahore's most famous landmark and a major tourist attraction epitomising the beauty, passion and grandeur of the Mughal era.

Capable of accommodating 10,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall and 100,000 in its courtyard and porticoes, it remained the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 (a period of 313 years), when overtaken in size by the completion of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Today, it remains the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

To appreciate its large size, the four minarets of the Badshahi Mosque are 13.9 ft (4.2 m) taller than those of the Taj Mahal and the main platform of the Taj Mahal can fit inside the 278,784 sq ft (25,899.9 m²) courtyard of the Badshahi Mosque, which is the largest mosque courtyard in the world.

Data Durbar Complex

Data Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of Iran, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The large complex also includes Jamia Hajveria, or Hajveri Mosque.

Masjid al-Qiblatain

Masjid al-Qiblatain (المسجد القبلتین) (Mosque of the two Qiblas) is a mosque in Medina that is historically important for Muslims as the place where a companion leading the prayer was told of the change of Qibla and did 180 turn he is said to have been commanded to change the direction of prayer (qibla) from Jerusalem to Mecca. Thus it uniquely contained two prayer niches (mihrabs). Recently the mosque was renovated, removing the old prayer niche facing Jerusalem and leaving the one facing Mecca.

Masjid e Tooba

Masjid e Tooba or Tooba Mosque is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Locally, it is also known as the Gol Masjid. Masjid e Tooba was built in 1969 in Defense Housing Society, Karachi. It is located just off main Korangi Road. Masjid e Tooba is often claimed to be the largest single dome mosque in the world. It is also major tourist attraction in Karachi. Masjid e Tooba is built with pure white marble. The dome of the Masjid e Tooba is 72 meters (236 feet) in diameter, and is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. Masjid e Tooba has a single minaret standing 70 meters high. The central prayer hall has a capacity of 5,000 people. It has been built keeping acoustics in mind. A person speaking inside one end of the dome can be heard at the other end. This mosque was designed by Pakistani architect Dr Babar Hamid Chauhan.

Grozny Central Dome Mosque

Akhmad Kadyrov Grozny Central Dome Mosque is located in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, and bears the name of Akhmad Kadyrov.

On October 16, 2008, the mosque was officially opened in a ceremony in which Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov spoke and was Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. This mosque is one of the biggest in Europe. In this mosque ten thousand Muslims can pray at a time.^[1]

Faisal Mosque

The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fourth largest mosque in the world. It was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 to 1993 when overtaken in size by the completion of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Subsequent expansions of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca and the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, Saudi Arabia during the 1990s relegated Faisal Mosque to fourth place in terms of size.

Faisal Mosque is the National Mosque of Pakistan. It has a covered area of 5,000 m² (54,000 sq ft) and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshippers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds). Although its covered main prayer hall is smaller than that of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (the world's third largest mosque), Faisal Mosque has the third largest capacity of accommodating worshippers in its adjoining grounds after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina.^[2]. Each of the Mosque's four minarets are 80 m (260 ft) high (the tallest minarets in South Asia) and measure 10 x 10 m in circumference.

The Faisal Mosque is named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project.

It is located in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, putting it at the northernmost end of the city and in front of a magnificent backdrop provided by the Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas. It is a focal point of Islamabad, and a famous and recognized icon of the city.

New Mosque (Istanbul)

The Yeni Mosque, New Mosque or Mosque of the Valide Sultan (Turkish: 'Yeni Cami, Yeni Valide Camii') is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated on the Golden Horn at the southern end of the Galata Bridge. It is one of the best-known sights of Istanbul

The first stage in construction of the mosque started in 1597. It was ordered by Safiye Sultan, who was the wife of Sultan Murad III. The original architect was Davut Aga, an apprentice to the great Mimar Sinan. However, Davut Aga died in 1599 and was replaced by Dalgic Ahmed Cavus.

The project was hampered by political disconnect, and its location and monetary implications created dissent in the court. The Eminönü neighborhood was the city's foremost commercial center, and home to a predominantly Jewish population. In situating the mosque there, Safiye Sultan hoped to extend the sphere of Islamic influence within the city, capitalizing on the growing discontent of local and foreign merchants with the growing power and influence of their Jewish counterparts, which gave the Sultan an easy justification for confiscating their property. However, the vast monetary outlay drew sharp criticism. In particular, the Janissaries resented the growing political power of the Valide Sultan, and believed the mosque to be an unnecessary expenditure. Safiye Sultan was forced to abandon the project upon Mehmet III's death. The new Sultan Ahmed I had no interest in pursuing the project after Safiye Sultan was relegated to the harem and the construction was abandoned.

The partially constructed structure fell into ruins, and was largely destroyed by a fire in 1660. Later that year, the imperial architect Mustafa Aga suggested that Valide Turhan Hadice, mother of Sultan Mehmet IV, complete the project as a work of piety. The mosque was finally finished in 1663, and inaugurated in 1665

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) is the national mosque of Turkey, and is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (from 1453 to 1923). The mosque is one of several mosques known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.

It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul.

Construction of the mosque started in August 1609 when the sultan himself came to break the first sod. It was his intention that this would become the first mosque of his empire. He appointed his royal architect Sedefhar Mehmet Ağa, a pupil and senior assistant of the famous architect Sinan as the architect in charge of the construction. The organization of the work was described in meticulous detail in eight volumes, now in the library of the Topkapı Palace. The opening ceremonies were held in 1617 (although the gate of the mosque records 1616) and the sultan was able to pray in the royal box (hünkâr mahfil). The building was not yet finished in this last year of his reign, as the last accounts were signed by his successor Mustafa I. Known as the Blue Mosque, Sultan Ahmet Mosque is one of the most impressive monuments in the world. It is one of the elements included in the complex built by Ahmed I to compete with Ayasofya.^[3]

Does Islam tolerate other beliefs?

The Quran says: God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for [your] faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God loveth those who are just. (Quran, 60:8)

It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city.

Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.

ABOVE: Mosque of Omar and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. When the caliph Omar took Jerusalem from the Byzantines, he insisted on entering the city with only a small number of his companions. Proclaiming to the inhabitants that their lives and property were safe, and that their places of worship would never be taken from them, he asked the Christian patriarch Sophronius to accompany him on a visit to all the holy places.

The Patriarch invited him to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but he preferred to pray outside its gates, saying that if he accepted, later generations of Muslims might use his action as an excuse to turn it into a mosque. Above is the mosque built on the spot where Omar did pray.

RIGHT: According to Islam, man is not born in 'original sin'. He is God's vicegerent on earth. Every child is born with the fitra, an innate disposition towards virtue, knowledge, and beauty. Islam considers itself to be the 'primordial religion', din al-hanif, it seeks to return man to his original, true nature in which he is in harmony with creation, inspired to do good, and confirming the Oneness of God.

About ALLAH:

It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word God which can be made plural, Gods, or feminine, Goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.

The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from Allah Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads:

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Muhammad) Allah is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) we are told that "God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child."

Islam in the United States

It is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future. This complex community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand mosques.

Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.

The nineteenth century, however, saw the beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from Eastern Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.

In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President Truman, and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same period saw the establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways modeled after Islam. More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.

GAR-E-HIRA

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Quran

As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, 'migration', in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China.

The Prophet's Mosque View

Masjid al Nabawi in daylightThe Mosque of the Prophet (Masjid al Nabawi) is the second holiest mosque, after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It is the second mosque to be founded by the Prophet Muhammed (saws), the first was Masjid Al-Quba. It was originally built by the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and his companions and has later been extended several times by his followers.

The Mosque of the Prophet (pbuh) became his resting place after his death. The last Prophet's (pbuh) resting place is beneath the green dome. The first caliph, hadrath Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra), and the second caliph, hadrath Umar ibn Al Khattab (ra) are both also resting here. It contains a fourth grave as well, which is reserved for hadrat Isa / Jesus (as), when his time is up after his return to the earth.

The Prophet's Mosque in Medina Hajj 07

Masjid al Nabawi in daylightThe Mosque of the Prophet (Masjid al Nabawi) is the second holiest mosque, after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It is the second mosque to be founded by the Prophet Muhammed (saws), the first was Masjid Al-Quba. It was originally built by the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and his companions and has later been extended several times by his followers.

The Mosque of the Prophet (pbuh) became his resting place after his death. The last Prophet's (pbuh) resting place is beneath the green dome. The first caliph, hadrath Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra), and the second caliph, hadrath Umar ibn Al Khattab (ra) are both also resting here. It contains a fourth grave as well, which is reserved for hadrat Isa / Jesus (as), when his time is up after his return to the earth.

The Prophet's (pbuh) lived where the dome is today after the Hijrah. The Rawdah - the area between his house and the original mihrab is a part of Jannah - paradise, according to a saying (hadith) of the Prophet (pbuh). He said: "What is between my house and my minbar is a garden from the gardens of Paradise". It is extremely crowded here - often hours before the prayer time, as it is every worshipper's desire to pray here. The area holds only a few hundered worshippers - maybe up to a thousand.

Haram Al Sharif and the KA`BA

Worshippers doing tawaf around the Ka'ba and praying inside the Hateem areaThe hateem is a part of the Ka'ba, the walls of the Ka'ba used to be where the walls of the Hateem is now.

The first man on earth - Prophet Adam (as) - first built the Kaaba. He (as) was told by Allah to build it "benath" Allah's throne, i.e. the throne of Allah is "above" the Kaba. However, the throne is symbolic in its nature as Allah is not a physical being that needs to rule from a throne. During time, the Kaba was destroyed and it was later re-built by the Prophets Ibrahim (as) and his son Ismail (as)