South Asia has the largest population of Muslims in the world, with one-third of all Muslims being from South Asia.
Islam is the dominant religion in half of the South Asian countries.
Here are 20 striking mosques in South Asia… #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Markazi Jamia Masjid, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
One of the oldest mosques in Rawalpindi and an architectural beauty. Built almost 100 years ago, the mosque still stands tall among historical sites of the city due to its blue & turquoise mosaics and glass artwork
2/ Dewatagaha Mosque, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Built in 1820, it is the resting place of His Holiness Seyedina As-Sheikh Seyed Usman Siddique Ibn Abdurrahman. Accredited with lovely architecture, it is one of the oldest mosques in Sri Lanka.
3/ Badshahi Masjid, Lahore, Pakistan
Built during Emperor Aurangzeb's rule from 1658 to 1707. It is the fifth largest mosque in the world & was indisputably the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 when the Faisal Mosque was constructed in Islamabad
4/ Beemapally Mosque, Kerala, India
Beemapally is a region within the city of Thiruvananthapuram in the state of Kerala, India.
This stunning pink mosque was built to honour Syedunnisa Beema Beevi who travelled from Arabia to establish Islam in Kerala
5/ The Great Mosque of Herat, Afghanistan
Built by the Ghurids, under the rule of Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad Ghori, who laid its foundation in 1200 CE. It was extended several times as Herat changed rulers from the Kartids, Timurids, Mughals & then the Uzbeks
6/ Chini Masjid, Saidpur, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
Built in 1863, it is one of most significant examples of archaeological heritage in the region. This masjid was built in 1863. Perhaps the best and renowned masjid for its mosaic work or Chini Tikri (glass mosaic) Decoration.
7/ The Grand Friday Mosque, Male, Maldives
Masjid-al Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu-al-A'z'am is the biggest mosque in the Maldives. Opened in 1984 its dominant golden dome & slender Minaret decorate the facade of Male'. It can accommodate over five thousand worshippers at a time.
8/ Wazir Khan Mosque, Pakistan
The construction began in 1634 C.E. & completed in 1641. Considered to be the most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque it is renowned for its intricate faience tile work known as kashi-kari, as well as embellished frescoes
9/ Chandanpura Masjid, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Highly colourful, it has a unique architecture consisting of multiple domes and minarets painted in bright colours.
The mosque's origins are obscure but it was renovated in 1952.
10/ Jama Masjid, Delhi, India
Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650 & 1656, & inaugurated by its first Imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. Situated in Old Delhi, it served as the imperial mosque of the Mughal emperors until the end of the empire in 1857
11/ Sachal Sarmast, Sindh, Pakistan
Sachal Sarmast (1739 - 1829) was a Sufi poet & is also popularly known as Shair-e-Haft Zaban (poet of seven languages) and Sartaj-us-Shuara. This tomb with mosque was built in his honour
12/ Makkah Masjid or Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad, India.
A congregational mosque, it is one of the largest mosques in India with a capacity of 10,000 people. The mosque was built during the 17th century, and is a state-protected monument.
13/ Bhong Mosque, Rahim Yar Khan District, Pakistan
Made over a period of nearly 50 years (1932–1982) and won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986. Master Abdul Hameed (kamboh) led the construction of the mosque, making sure it was a landmark. It has ornate interiors.
14/ Blue Mosque, Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan
Many Afghanis believe Ali ibn Abi Talib is buried here. The building gives the city, Mazari Sharif (meaning "Tomb of the Exalted") its name. The shrine was erected here in 1136 and is famous for its beautiful blue tiles
15/ Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
This distinctive colourful red and white striped two-storey building, with a clock tower, was built in 1909.
Its architecture was inspired by the pomegranate, which is manifested in the building colour and shape of the domes.
16/ Nagina Masjid, Agra, India
A white marble architectural mosque at Agra Fort used by the women of the Royal harem. Agra Fort is a classic Mughal Indian architectural fort and palace located at Agra, Uttar Pradesh. A UNESCO World Heritage site.
17/ Green mosque in Vizhinjam, India
This green mosque is an iconic piece of architecture in this fishing village.
18/ Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan, Pakistan
Built between 1320 & 1324 CE by Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq in the pre-Mughal architectural style. It is the mausoleum of Sufi saint Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh & is the earliest example of Tughluq architecture, with blue tile details
19/ Old Friday Mosque, Malé, Maldives
One of the oldest and most ornate mosques in Malé, the Hukuru Miskiy dates back to 1656 and has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage cultural list as a unique example of sea-culture architecture.
20/ 201 Dome Mosque, South Pathalia village, Bangladesh
Still under construction, which began in 2013. The central dome is surrounded by 200 smaller domes. The minaret is expected to be the highest minaret in Bangladesh. The western wall will be inscribed with the entire Qur'an.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
The Qur’an was first revealed during the month of Ramadan. This blessed month is also known by Muslims as the month of Fasting
To celebrate the arrival of #Ramadan here are 24 beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts found in museum collections across the world #RamadanMubarak
A thread…
1/ Folio from a Manuscript of the Qur'an
Iran, Shiraz, 1550-1575
Ink, colors and gold on paper
@LACMA #Ramadan
@LACMA 2/ Double Folio from a Qur'an
c. 1330-1350, Central Asian or Turkish
Early Muslim settlers from central and western Asia carried Islamic book traditions into India, especially in the form of Qur'ans, such as the one from which these pages come
Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda…
1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here
📷 Ash Diler
2/ Shah-i-Zinda is a world-famous example of a continuously constructed historical site. Over 1,000 years ago, it was founded with a single religious monument. Between the 11th & 19th centuries, mosques & mausoleums were continuously added
From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.
The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.
Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia
Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored
2/ The Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking, England
This is the first purpose built mosque that was built in the UK.
It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner, an orientalist of Jewish descent from Hungary. Money was donated by Begum Shah Jahan, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal.
Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:
“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”
A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street…
1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.
2/ Al-Mutanabbi Street has been, since time immemorial, the historic heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.
Libraries developed in the Islamic Golden Age due to a commitment to literacy & seeking knowledge. One of the oldest libraries in the world Al-Qarawiyyin library, was founded by a Muslim woman, more than 12 centuries ago!
A thread on the greatest libraries in Islamic history…
1/ Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco
Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working library, & is still in use today…
1.1/ The Al-Qarawiyyan Library houses a collection of 4,000 rare books & ancient Arabic manuscripts written by renowned scholars of the region. The manuscripts include a 9th century version of the Quran and a manuscript on Islamic jurisprudence written by philosopher Averroes.
Designed to imitate the heavens, Islamic gardens are lush oases of scent, water and sacred geometry. They are a cool place of rest and a reminder of paradise.
Here are 20 beautiful Islamic gardens from across the world…
A thread….
1/ Gardens @CambCentMosque
A harmonious balance between Islamic structure & relaxed English herbaceous and naturalistic planting. A concern for sustainability, biodiversity & insect-friendly planting has also been a constant theme in the selection of plants.
@CambCentMosque 2/ Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The garden, started in 1924, contains a psychedelic desert mirage of 300 plant species from five continents.