What goes on??!

[buddy1]

I wasnt sure where to post this so I put it in here hoping the Admins will move it where it should really be!!

so, my question!!

I have just been looking at the pictures of the holy places, and It has got me thinking.

I work in Oxford, which, as some of you may know, is having a HUGE mosque built, and its beautiful it really is. but I drove past it earlier with my two eldest children and we got out and looked through the gates at the building, (their father is Muslim so I like to open their eyes to what they are being brought up in, the beauty etc.) and my daughter Jayda asked me "what are the balls on the top for!!" now by the balls, she means the rounded parts on the building, being 2 she sees it as a ball! but I dont know! because i have never been in to a mosque!

could anyone else tell me!!?

also my son asked me "what happens in there mummy?!" and again, I dont really know, other than praying!!

SO my two questions, What are the rounded parts for? and what actually happens in the Mosque!!

When you have all finished thinking what a stupid question it is, please tell me!!! lol!! :D

[Zahida]

:sl: I couldn't stop smiling after reading your post..............out of the mouths of babes eh...............
But i must commend you,that you have shown respect to your husband and taken an interest also in educating your kids about Islam, well done this is truly remarkable.

Anyway the round balls on top are the Dome of the mosque and they are built in that shape as far as i know there is no specific reason for this. There is also a minaret which is a tall upright building which every mosque has ......... In the olden days the Muezzin used to call the Muslims to prayer from this building, standing at the top so that his voice could be heard from a reasonable distance ( a bit like having a motte and bailey castle with the tall tower to spy for invaders).

Anyway inside the mosque they perform things like Quran recitation, the salat, death, marraige just what is known as the nikah and hold classes for girls/boys teaching them Quranic verses, some even have a Sunday class. It is a place for the community to get together so like a social gathering also. Our local mosque also did an art exhibition last year...........

Women are equally welcome in the mosque as men although the womens section tends to be apart from the mens section.........

Why don't you take a trip inside. Arrange for your husband to take you with your children or maybe if he is busy or something you have a muslim female friend who could take you................ Kisses for your babies.xxx:w::bump1:

[aadil77]

Yep^ but that depends if there is a woman's section

[Olive]

I really admire the way you put forward the question, well done! :D

As for the answer, well - sis Zahida just gave it. ;)

I'd just like to add that the Mosque (preferably called Masjid) is like a community centre for the Muslims. It is at the Masjid where the gatherings, speeches and announcements are made as it is the most convenient way to inform the local Muslims.

Hope that helps! :p

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[yasin ibn Ahmad]

Anyway the round balls on top are the Dome of the mosque and they are built in that shape as far as i know there is no specific reason for this.

the tradition of Dome comes from Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.It has a very big dome.This type of architecture affected Islamic architecture after Muslims got closer relationship with Byzantium Empire. Mainly The Ottomans built mosques with a dome.

[Zahida]

:sl: Thankyou....... You know what i did know that but couldn't think from the top of my head when i replied to the post. Thanks again.:thumbs_up

@ Adil..........????? Why wouldn't there be a womens section??? Our local masjid is considerably smaller!! Oxford is huge and popular so by my reckoning they should have a very BIG womens/sisters section.:thankyou:

@ Hanz:thankyou: answered to the best of my knowledge.......:thankyou:

the tradition of Dome comes from Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.It has a very big dome.This type of architec
ture affected Islamic architecture after Muslims got closer relationship with Byzantium Empire. Mainly The Ottomans built mosques with a dome.

[Re.TiReD]

SO my two questions, What are the rounded parts for? and what actually happens in the Mosque!!

Hey :)

There's a 'rounded' part inside too. It's a niche in the wall called the mehrab.

Arrange a visit insha'Allah if you can.

[جوري]

this is a minaret

this is a dome from the inside

Dome outside

this is a mehrab

this is a minbar where the friday sermon is given from--so everyone can hear

hope that helps?

what goes on inside a mosque?
prayers, supplications, sermons (after friday prayer especially) classes, etc

:w:

[جوري]

1. just as an addendum to that.. the minaret were built really so when someone calls for prayer he could reach far corners of the cities and if folks couldn't hear well then they could see the figure of a man calling for prayer and answer its call --
2. the minbar better known to you as pulpit-- is so the imam can give his khutbah (sermon) and be heard also by the folks in the last rows -- sermons are so that they should deal with the affairs of the community answer their needs and educate on religious matters
3. the mehrab (alcove) -- originally were a place of solitude and reflection for all prophets as all of them had such a place of isolation if you'd read the Quran, but are now used to showcase the proper direction of qiblha..
4. the domes are really structural -- and great feats of engineering in my opinion.. (secretly I always wanted to be an architect) but I digress
5. hope that helps insha'Allah?

:w:

[buddy1]

:sl: I couldn't stop smiling after reading your post..............out of the mouths of babes eh...............
But i must commend you,that you have shown respect to your husband and taken an interest also in educating your kids about Islam, well done this is truly remarkable.

Anyway the round balls on top are the Dome of the mosque and they are built in that shape as far as i know there is no specific reason for this. There is also a minaret which is a tall upright building which every mosque has ......... In the olden days the Muezzin used to call the Muslims to prayer from this building, standing at the top so that his voice could be heard from a reasonable distance ( a bit like having a motte and bailey castle with the tall tower to spy for invaders).

Anyway inside the mosque they perform things like Quran recitation, the salat, death, marraige just what is known as the nikah and hold classes for girls/boys teaching them Quranic verses, some even have a Sunday class. It is a place for the community to get together so like a social gathering also. Our local mosque also did an art exhibition last year...........

Women are equally welcome in the mosque as men although the womens section tends to be apart from the mens section.........

Why don't you take a trip inside. Arrange for your husband to take you with your children or maybe if he is busy or something you have a muslim female friend who could take you................ Kisses for your babies.xxx:w::bump1:

Thank you! I will definately have to sort something out about going to take a wander around!

I really admire the way you put forward the question, well done! :D

As for the answer, well - sis Zahida just gave it. ;)

Whats to admire!! :D to me it was quite random, but the kids put a good question across, and I have a third baby who is just over 5 weeks old so now Im prepare when I have to do it all over again in 3 or 4 years time I guess!! :D

Hey :)

There's a 'rounded' part inside too. It's a niche in the wall called the mehrab.

Arrange a visit insha'Allah if you can.

Im going to, thanks alot!

1. just as an addendum to that.. the minaret were built really so when someone calls for prayer he could reach far corners of the cities and if folks couldn't hear well then they could see the figure of a man calling for prayer and answer its call --
2. the minbar better known to you as pulpit-- is so the imam can give his khutbah (sermon) and be heard also by the folks in the last rows -- sermons are so that they should deal with the affairs of the community answer their needs and educate on religious matters
3. the mehrab (alcove) -- originally were a place of solitude and reflection for all prophets as all of them had such a place of isolation if you'd read the Quran, but are now used to showcase the proper direction of qiblha..
4. the domes are really structural -- and great feats of engineering in my opinion.. (secretly I always wanted to be an architect) but I digress
5. hope that helps insha'Allah?

:w:

Thanks Skye! Love the pictures too! Thank you all millions, the kids have now stopped going on about the big balls to their dad now (who finds it highly amusing!!!!)

Thanks again everyone!!! :D xx

[Fishman]

:sl:
When I first saw a Mosque, I asked what it was. Mum told me it was a sort of church for people of a different religion. I thought that it must be some kind of astronomy religion because of the cresent on top, and how the dome looked like a telescope's dome. I thought that all the people would gather around inside a room built in the dome, which had lots of stars and moons painted on the ceiling.

[Zahida]

:sl: Buddy was just wondering if you managed to sort out a visit yet? Hows the babies kisses for them.......xx

If you have managed a visitplease let us know how you got on what you felt etc etc.......:bump1::w:

[buddy1]

I havent yet! we have been so busy, Alyssa is becoming more and more of a handful as she gets older! 7 weeks old now! and the twins are going off on one about christmas, (we all spend Xmas with my family so my parents and family get to buy them stuff, not that they need an excuse!!!) so they are barking on about christmas and what they are getting! Im trying to tell them its not about presents! some how they dont beleive me!

and then I have had a death, my friend was killed trying to protect his mum and brother from a street robbery so Im off to Birmingham soon for a funeral.

so it has all been go in my house!

we will very soon arrange a visit though, more than likely after the christmas period, its not so busy then!

Thank you all for your words of advice, and i have kissed the kids for you Zahida, they send kisses back to aunty zahida!!! lol!! xxx

[Follower]

Interesting the Hagia Sophia is what is coied in that it was originally a church!

[Amaanah]

:thumbs_up
good information in this thread
the dome gives a good sound effect-with the open air for the reciting of the koran :)

[//-Asif-\\]

I always thought the whole dome theme that mosques have had to do with just the cultural and artistic aspect of Arabia that just stuck around with no real particular reason of why mosques are dome shaped. It just looks good really, and sets mosques apart from a church or synagogue.

[جوري]

Interesting the Hagia Sophia is what is coied in that it was originally a church!

as the christians have done to the mosques in Cordoba When the Christians re-conquered Cordoba in 1236, they did with the mosque what they did in all of the cities of Andalucia - instead of bothering to build a new church, they simply "converted" the building to Christianity and set up an altar in the middle.

http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/mosque2.htm

Do you have a point?

[ummsara1108]

Yep^ but that depends if there is a woman's section

Is there really a Mosque that dont have a women's section, any I have been to and that would be many, I have never found that they don't have a section for women.