Transcript ISLAM OVERVIEW MOSQUE

Islam – submission to God
• Prophet Muhammad
• Mecca – origin of Islam; most holy
city
• Ramadan – 9th month on the
Hegira, considered holy
• Hegira – Islamic calendar
• 1500 years
Five Pillars of Islam
• One god, Allah
• Pray 5 times a day towards
Mecca.
• Donate wealth to charity.
• Ramadan – fast sunrise to
sunset.
• Hajj to Mecca, once in a life time
Qur’an
(Koran)
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Holy text of Islam
114 surahs (chapters)
Arabic – language of Islam
Kufic
–earliest of Arabic calligraphy styles
-decorative, seen on the outside and
inside of a mosque
Kufic Script
Elements of the Mosque
Exterior and Interior Decoration
- Allah is beyond all imagining so
there are no paintings or pictures
-arabesques
-intricate designs with sacred text
- decorative motif; organic and
geometric
Dome of the Rock
The Dome of the Rock is
decorated using arabesques.
– an artistic motif that is characterized by
the application of repeating geometric
forms and fancifully combined patterns;
these forms often echo those of plants
and animals.[1]
– elements of Islamic art used to decorate
the walls of mosques that reflect the
“infinite, uncentralized, nature of the
creation of Allah”.
– conveys spirituality without the
iconography of Christian art.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabesque
Geometric arabesque tiling on the underside
of the dome of the Tomb of Hafez in Shiraz.
Islamic Art and Architecture
• Secular art can have an animal or figural
image
• However, anything created for sacred
purposes cannot have any animal or
figural form
• Secular Art
– Ceramics, textiles, etc.
• Sacred Art
– The Qu’ran, Mosques
Elements of the Mosque
• Minaret – Slender
tower near a
mosque
• Used by the
muezzin to call
out for people to
come to prayer
Minaret
Elements of the Mosque
• Mihrab – Niche indicating
Mecca, direction Muslims pray.
• Holiest place in a mosque
• can be of wood or masonry and
is adorned with pillars
• decorated
Mihrab
Elements of the Mosque
• Minbar
– Pulpit in a mosque
– next to the mihrab
– Platform from which
anyone can speak , not
just religious leaders
– Speaker never goes to the
top step ; reserved for
Allah and the Prophet
Muhammad
Minbar
Mosque
Identify the major structures found in a mosque.
Dome of the Rock
Dome of the Rock
• This shrine was built in Jerusalem by the 9th
ruler between 688-691.
• Built not only to proclaim the supremacy of
Islam, but to ensure that new followers of
Islam would not be tempted by Christianity.
• SYMBOLIC STATEMENT!
Dome of the Rock
and Jerusalem
Significance of this site for the following religions:
– Judaism
• where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, Isaac
• Stands above the believed location of Solomon's
Temple and Herod’s Temple
– Christianity
• Jesus died here
– Islam
• Muhammad ascended to Paradise form this rock to
speak to Allah and then returned as Allah’s prophet.
Dome of the Rock
• Why is it so pretty?
– Basic structures:
• Columns (different sizes), mirhab
– Details
• Full moon decoration on the top (symbolizes crescent
moon symbol of Islam
• Turkish tiles on the top (from the restoration in 50s-60s)
and white marble on the bottom.
• Arabic inscriptions from the Qur’an.
– Mathematical rhythm.
• All dimensions of the center circle are related to the major
structures.
– For example: each outer wall is 67 ft. long, which is exactly the
dome’s diameter and exactly its height from the base of the drum.
Dome of the Rock
• In the next couple of slides, you will see a
variety of images of the Dome of the Rock.
• As you look at these images, you need to
figure out how the Dome of the Rock is
decorated.
• Once you understand how the Dome of the
Rock is decorated, you will illustrate the
front of this building.
• In your illustration, you need to incorporate
the elements and principles of architecture
that are used for the decoration of the
temple.
Dome of the Rock (Israel)
687-692