Kramer, Martin, ed. (1999). The Jewish Discovery of Islam: Studies in Honor of Bernard Lewis. Syracuse University. ISBN 978-965-224-040-8. a b c Osborne, Samuel (10 August 2018). "Thousands of Muslims protest China's plans to demolish mosque in rare demonstration against government". independent.co.uk. Independent . Retrieved 8 April 2019. Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan". The Qantara Project. 2008. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013 . Retrieved 5 October 2013. According to Islamic scholars and history, Islam was established in Arabia during the lifetime of Muhammad in the 7th century CE, [9] and so did architectural components such as the mosque. In this case, either the Mosque of the Companions in the Eritrean city of Massawa, [10] or the Quba Mosque in the Hejazi city of Medina (the first structure built by Muhammad upon his emigration from Mecca in 622 CE), [11] would be the first mosque that was built in the history of Islam. [12]

Hillenbrand, Robert (1994). Islamic Architecture: Form, Function, and Meaning (Casebounded.). New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0231101325. OCLC 30319450. a b Michigan Consortium for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (1986). Goss, V. P.; Bornstein, C. V. (eds.). The Meeting of Two Worlds: Cultural Exchange Between East and West During the Period of the Crusades. Vol.21. Medieval Institute Publications, Western Michigan University. p.208. ISBN 978-0-9187-2058-0. For precautionary dissimulation or denial of religious belief and practice in the face of persecution within Shia Islam, see Taqiya. Various takiyah on display in Pettah market, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Part of a series on

The first departure within mosque design started in Persia (Iran). The Persians had inherited a rich architectural legacy from the earlier Persian dynasties, and they began incorporating elements from earlier Parthian and Sassanid designs into their mosques, influenced by buildings such as the Palace of Ardashir and the Sarvestan Palace. [71] Thus, Islamic architecture witnessed the introduction of such structures as domes and large, arched entrances, referred to as iwans. During Seljuq rule, as Islamic mysticism was on the rise, the four-iwan arrangement took form. The four-iwan format, finalized by the Seljuqs, and later inherited by the Safavids, firmly established the courtyard façade of such mosques, with the towering gateways at every side, as more important than the actual buildings themselves. [71] They typically took the form of a square-shaped central courtyard with large entrances at each side, giving the impression of gateways to the spiritual world. [72] The Persians also introduced Persian gardens into mosque designs. Soon, a distinctly Persian style of mosques started appearing that would significantly influence the designs of later Timurid, and also Mughal, mosque designs. Mubarkpuri, Saifur-Rahman (2002). The Sealed Nectar: Biography of the Prophet. Dar-us-Salam Publications. ISBN 978-1-59144-071-0. Fiqh of Masjid & Musalla". Qa.sunnipath.com. 2005-07-03. Archived from the original on 2011-10-19 . Retrieved 2011-11-03.

The masjid jāmiʿ ( Arabic: مَسْجِد جَامِع), a central mosque, can play a role in religious activities such as teaching the Quran and educating future imams. [ citation needed] Prayers Ruggles, D. Fairchild (2002). Gardens, Landscape, and Vision in the Palaces of Islamic Spain. University Park, Penn.: Penn State Press. ISBN 9780271042725. The prayer cap in Bangladesh is known as a "ṭupi" from the Prakrit term "ṭopiā" meaning helmet. In the Chittagong Division and Sylhet Division, it is known as the "toki" from the Arabic term "طاقية". Tupis made in Comilla and Nilphamari are exported to the Middle East. What Muslims Want': A survey of British Muslims by ICM on behalf of Policy Exchange" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-06. Stillman, Norman (1979). The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-8276-0116-1.Grabar, Oleg (1969). "The Architecture of the Middle Eastern City from Past to Present: The Case of the Mosque". In Lapidus, Ira M. (ed.). Middle Eastern Cities. University of California Press. pp.26–46. doi: 10.1525/9780520323803-005. ISBN 9780520323803. Left to the mihrab, in the front left corner of the mosque, sometimes there is a kursu (Turkish kürsü, Bosnian ćurs/ћурс), a small elevated plateau (rarely with a chair or other type of seat) used for less formal preaching and speeches. Goldschmidt, Arthur Jr.; Davidson, Lawrence (2005). A Concise History of the Middle East (8thed.). Westview Press. ISBN 978-0-8133-4275-7.

Harris, John (April 22, 2006). "Paranoia, poverty and wild rumours – a journey through BNP country". The Guardian. London . Retrieved May 28, 2006. Kaplan, David E. (December 15, 2003). "The Saudi Connection". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on June 16, 2006 . Retrieved April 17, 2006. a b Nuha N. N. Khoury (2009). "Mosque". In Juan Eduardo Campo (ed.). Encyclopedia of Islam. Infobase Publishing.

Mosques built in Southeast Asia often represent the Indonesian-Javanese style architecture, which are different from the ones found throughout the Greater Middle East. The ones found in Europe and North America appear to have various styles but most are built on Western architectural designs, some are former churches or other buildings that were used by non-Muslims. In Africa, most mosques are old but the new ones are built in imitation of those of the Middle East. This can be seen in the Abuja National Mosque in Nigeria and others. [ citation needed] The first mosque in East Asia was established in the eighth century in Xi'an. The Great Mosque of Xi'an, whose current building dates from the 18th century, does not replicate the features often associated with mosques elsewhere. [31] Minarets were initially prohibited by the state. [32] Following traditional Chinese architecture, the Great Mosque of Xi'an, like many other mosques in eastern China, resembles a pagoda, with a green roof instead of the yellow roof common on imperial structures in China. Mosques in western China were more likely to incorporate elements, like domes and minarets, traditionally seen in mosques elsewhere. [31] Namazgah Mosque in 2018. It was the largest mosque in the Balkans at the time of completion. Nielsen, Jørgen Schøler; Akgönül, Samim; Alibašić, Ahmet; Goddard, Hugh; Maréchal, Brigitte, eds. (2011). Yearbook of Muslims in Europe. Vol.3. Leiden, the Netherlands: BRILL. ISBN 9789004205161.

Men in the UAE often wear the Gahfiyyah cotton prayer cap. Emirati men wear the white Ghutra on top of a Gahfiyyah Cap with a white thobe called a Kandoura or Kandoora. In an effort to strengthen religious awareness for foreign visitors, Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makthoum the crown prince of Dubai has, from 2012 onwards, requested that all visiting westerners and non-Muslims adhere to Islamic dress code during religious festivals. If full adherence is impossible a simple Gahfiyyah worn during prayers will suffice. a b Erzen, Jale Nejdet (2011), "Reading Mosques: Meaning and Architecture in Islam", The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 69 (1): 126–129, doi: 10.1111/j.1540-6245.2010.01453.x, JSTOR 42635843

The Great Mosque of Kairouan in present-day Tunisia was the first mosque built in northwest Africa, with its present form (dating from the ninth century) serving as a model for other Islamic places of worship in the Maghreb. It was the first to incorporate a square minaret (as opposed to the more common circular minaret) and includes naves akin to a basilica. [28] [29] Those features can also be found in Andalusian mosques, including the Grand Mosque of Cordoba, as they tended to reflect the architecture of the Moors instead of their Visigoth predecessors. [29] Still, some elements of Visigothic architecture, like horseshoe arches, were infused into the mosque architecture of Spain and the Maghreb. [30] Swanbrow, Diane (June 23, 2005). "Study: Islam devotion not linked to terror". The University Record Online. Archived from the original on December 30, 2006 . Retrieved February 24, 2007. In modern-day Saudi Arabia, the Grand Mosque and all of Mecca are open only to Muslims. Likewise, Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi and the city of Medina that surrounds it are also off-limits to those who do not practice Islam. [108] For mosques in other areas, it has most commonly been taken that non-Muslims may only enter mosques if granted permission to do so by Muslims, and if they have a legitimate reason. All entrants regardless of religious affiliation are expected to respect the rules and decorum for mosques. [52]