Research+-+Mosque

I went to Google and typed in "Muslim mosque" and found this site. It looked informative and straight to the point. "Islam: Mosque". __Religions of the World__. 9 November 2009. . I went to Google and typed in "Muslim mosque", and clicked on the Wikipedia address. Then from there, I went to the external links and clicked on one that I thought would be accurate "A Review of Mosque Architecture". __Muslim Heritage__. 17 January 2002. 9 November 2009.  I found this database by going to the Gale U.S. History Resource Center and searched "mosques." I then picked the second article that came up, entitled "Architecture." "Architecture."//Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World//. Richard C. Martin, ed. 2 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. [|http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/]
 * main place of worship for Muslims, said prayers
 * First mosque was that of Muhammad's, in Medina, facing Mecca
 * The wall that faced Mecca was called the qibla wall, other three walls made of shallow arcades, had a roof covering
 * became the setup for design of mosques throughout time
 * were social and political centers for Islamic people
 * serve as courts, schools, libraries, hospitals, many occasions for different reasons
 * House of Allah, where Allah worshiped
 * heart of Muslim life, community and religion
 * where Muslims pray five times daily (one of the Five Pillars)
 * learning school, court, political forum
 * 2 central structures in mosque architecture are dome and minaret
 * together, dome and minaret helped achieve prayer to Allah, the God
 * dome - popular in most cultures - interpret as vault of heaven or an expression of devotion to God, being faithful to religion : define Qibla and lighten it
 * face Qibla - direction of Kaaba - show devotion to god, respect
 * minaret - tall stick like - call for prayers
 * more wide than deep - allow people to get closer and face Qibla Wall
 * those in the front are better rewarded
 * The mosque is often considered the base of the Islamic culture
 * It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Islam
 * It serves as a place to worship as well as a social gathering place
 * Early on, the mosques quickly became a place for Muslims to come together and exchange information
 * The first mosques were very simple, often including a large courtyard used for gatherings
 * The early Muslims were very poor, and often used abandoned Churches or Roman ruins as the beginnings of their mosques
 * All mosques were used as a place for worship and learning
 * Many different layouts of a mosque, and one is called a hypostyle plan
 * A hypostyle plan includes a bay, which is basically a courtyard that can be enlarged as the Islam community grows
 * The minaret is a widely recognized symbol of Islam
 * Gave the mosques visibility and gave a place for the caller to perform the adhan
 * Ornately decorated with things like stucco, marble, and geometric designs
 * The design and layout of mosques very greatly depending on where they are located