Holiest sites in IslamThe holiest sites in Islam are predominantly located in the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant. While the significance of most places typically varies depending on the Islamic sect, there is a consensus across all mainstream branches of the religion that affirms three cities as having the highest degree of holiness, in descending order: Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Mecca's Al-Masjid al-Haram (including the Kaaba), Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, and Al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem are all revered by Muslims as sites of great importance.
MuezzinThe muezzin (مُؤَذِّن) is the person who proclaims the call to the daily prayer (ṣalāt) five times a day (Fajr prayer, Zuhr prayer, Asr prayer, Maghrib prayer and Isha prayer) at a mosque. The muezzin plays an important role in ensuring an accurate prayer schedule for the Muslim community. The English word muezzin is borrowed from مُؤَذِّن, mu.ʔað.ðin, simplified mu'azzin, the active participle of أَذَّنَ "to call". Thus, it means "the calling one". The professional muezzin is chosen for his good character, voice and skills to serve at the mosque.
KhutbahKhutbah (خطبة, khuṭbah; خطبه, khotbeh; hutbe) serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition. Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic tradition can be formally observed at the Dhuhr (noon) congregation prayer on Friday. In addition, similar sermons are called for on the two festival days and after Solar and Lunar Eclipse prayer. Religious narration (including sermons) may be pronounced in a variety of settings and at various times.
SahnA sahn (صَحْن, ), is a courtyard in Islamic architecture, especially the formal courtyard of a mosque. Most traditional mosques have a large central sahn, which is surrounded by a riwaq or arcade on all sides. In traditional Islamic design, residences and neighborhoods can have private sahn courtyards. The sahn is a common element in religious buildings and residences throughout the Muslim world, used in urban and rural settings. The cloister is its equivalent in European medieval architecture and its religious buildings.
Nizari Isma'ilismThe Nizaris (al-Nizāriyyūn) are the largest segment of the Ismaili Muslims, who are the second-largest branch of Shia Islam after the Twelvers. Nizari teachings emphasize independent reasoning or ijtihad; pluralism—the acceptance of racial, ethnic, cultural and inter-religious differences; and social justice. Nizaris, along with Twelvers, adhere to the Jaʽfari school of jurisprudence. The Aga Khan, currently Aga Khan IV, is the spiritual leader and Imam of the Nizaris. The global seat of the Ismaili Imamate is in Lisbon, Portugal.
Isha prayerThe Isha prayer (صلاة العشاء , "night prayer") is the last and fifth of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). It is a four rak'ah prayer. The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion (Furū al-Dīn) according to Shia Islam. In Persian it is known as نماز عشاء (Nemaze ʿišāʾ). In Kashmiri, it is known as Khoftan Nemaz. Likewise in Punjabi, it is called Khuftaan di namaz.
Badshahi MosqueThe Badshahi Mosque (Punjabi, Urdu: ) is an iconic Mughal-era congregational mosque in Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The mosque is located opposite of Lahore Fort in the outskirts of the Walled City of Lahore, and is widely considered to be one of Lahore's most iconic landmarks. The Badshahi Mosque was built between 1671 and 1673 and by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The mosque is an important example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay.
Onion domeAn onion dome is a dome whose shape resembles an onion. Such domes are often larger in diameter than the tholobate (drum) upon which they sit, and their height usually exceeds their width. They taper smoothly upwards to a point. It is a typical feature of churches belonging to the Russian Orthodox church. There are similar buildings in other Eastern European countries, and occasionally in Western Europe: Bavaria (Germany), Austria, and northeastern Italy.
Riwaq (arcade)A riwaq (or rivaq, رواق or ) is an arcade or portico (if in front of entrances) open on at least one side. It is an architectural design element in Islamic architecture and Islamic garden design. A riwaq often serves as the transition space between interior and outdoor spaces. As portico or arcade structure, it provides shade and adjustment to sunlight in hot climates, and cover from rain in any locale. As an arcade element the structure is often found surrounding and defining the courtyards (sahn) of mosques and madrasas, and used for covered circulation, meeting and rest, and ritual circumambulation.
