Furniture in a Mosque

Within a mosque, the mihrab, minbar, and prayer rug are liturgical elements designed for worship. The minbar is a high pulpit, an elevated structure from which the khutba (an Islamic sermon) is

Подпись: Figure 2.59 Chapel and bima at the Isaac M. Wise Center, Cincinnati, Ohio (2005). Photography copyright © Scott Hisey, 2005.
Furniture in a Mosque

given during Friday communal prayers. It is located in front of the assembly. Metaphoric elements are typically incorporated in the minbar and include a gate, ascending steps up to heaven, portal, and open door.13 The minbar (Figure 2.60) is located near the mihrab (Figure 2.61), a niche indicating the direction of Mecca.

Подпись: Figure 2.62 Prayer rugs. Photography by Jim Postell, 2006.

Furniture in a Mosque Подпись: Figure 2.61 Mihrab, New Valide Mosque, Uskudar, Turkey. Designed by architect Kayserili Mehmet (1710). Photography courtesy of Inci Ilgin.

Individuals pray using a prayer rug (Figure 2.62). It provides a clean, flat sur­face on which to submit oneself to Allah while praying on one’s knees and hands.

During the call to prayer, prayer rugs are oriented toward the mihrab. Chairs are not used in a mosque.

Updated: September 26, 2015 — 3:00 am