Saturday, January 24, 2009

Masjid Al-Haram


Khaba was a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom and is generally considered to have reigned near the end of the Third Dynasty. He is thought to be the successor to sekhemkhet. Khaba is believed to have reigned a relatively brief four years between 2643 BC to 2637 BC, although these dates are highly conjectural, based on what scant evidence exists of this early king.
Khaba is commonly associated with the Layer Pyramid, located at Zawyet el'Aryan, about 2 km south of Giza. It is an unfinished pyramid whose construction is typical of Third Dynasty masonry and would have originally risen about 42-45m in height (it is now about 20m). While there were no inscriptions directly relating the pyramid to this king, he is attested in four or perhaps five sites and eight alabaster bowls inscribed with the king's serekh were discovered nearby in Mastaba Z-500 located just north of the pyramid.

History of Khaba


This king is mentioned in the Turin King List as "erased", which may imply that there were dynastic problems during his reign, or that the scribe working on this list was unable to fully decipher the name from the more ancient records being copied from. It has also been suggested that Khaba may be the Horus name of the last king of the Third Dynasty, Huni, and that the two kings are the same person.
Khaba's name, typically displayed within a serekh rather than the more typical cartouche form established by the end of this dynasty, was written using the sign of a rising sun that had the sound value of kha, and a Saddle-billed-Stork that had the sound value of ba. His name translates as "The Soul Appears."[

Masjid Al Nabvi-Madina


The pilgrims are recommended to visit the Prophet's Masjid in Medina, whether they are visiting the sacred territory for the Umra or the Hajj. It is considered as the next most important masjid after the Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah. The third most important masjid is the 'Masjid Al-Aqsa' in Jerusalem. For more information, visit 'The Dome of the Rock' and 'The Noble Sanctuary' links at the end. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mentioned special blessings and rewards for those who perform Salat (prayers) in these three masjid.

Indonesia - Masjid Agung, Semarang, Central Java

Masjid Agung Demak is the classic example of a traditional Javanese masjid. Unlike mosques in the Middle East it is built from timber. The tiered roof is supported by four enormous teak pillars. This means that the mosque is rather small when compared to many modern Indonesian mosques. The tiered roof shows many similarities with wooden religious structures from the Hindu-Buddhist civilizations of Java and Bali. The main entrance of Masjid Agung Demak consists of two doors carved with motifs ofplants,vases,crowns and an animal head with an open wide-toothed mouth. It is said that picture depicts the manifested thunder caught by Ki Ageng Selo, hence their name “Lawang Bledheg” (the doors of thunder).

Friday, January 23, 2009

Shah Faisal Masjid-Pakistan


The enormous Shah Faisal Masjid is superbly sited at the foot of the Margalla Hills. It represents an eight-faceted desert 'tent' supported on four giant concrete girders and surrounded by four 90-meter (300-foot)high concrete minuets that lock like rockets on launching pads. The central 'tent' is faced in white marble and decorated inside with mosaics and a spectacular chandelier. The mosque was designed by the Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, and largely financed by donations from Saudi Arabia. The biggest mosque in the world, it holds about 15,000 people inside, and another 85,000 in the courtyard.

Dubai - Jumeirah Masjid


Mosque, a building that serves as the main place of worship for Muslims. Mosques are of various sizes and types; the Friday mosque-in which the entire congregation assembles to perform the ritual Friday prayers-is by far the largest and most important. The great age of mosque building extends from the 7th century, when Islam was founded in Arabia, to the 16th century.
The Arabic word for mosque is `masjid', i.e. place of prostration. The holy day of the Islamic week is Friday, `yaum al jum'a', on which day all adult Muslim men are commanded to go to the mosque for prayer (women can perform their prayers at home). The mosque where Muslims gather especially for the Friday prayer is the `masjid jum'a', the Grand Mosque.
The city has many fine mosques. The largest and one of the most beautiful Jumeirah Mosque is a spectacular example of modern Islamic architecture and is one of the most photographed sights of Dubai.
The Jumeirah Mosque is located in the city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is the chief port and commercial center of the Emirates.
During the day, birds gather on the dome of the mosque and shelter in its surrounding tree-lined lawn. It is particularly attractive at night when subtle lighting increases its dramatic effect. It is the only Mosque in Dubai that accepts non-Muslims, but only on organized tours.
The Jumeirah Mosque is a dominant city landmark. While strolling through the mosque at sunset, you will be washed in shadows by this elegant formation. The best time to visit is in the early mid-morning, or at night, when subtle lighting throws its artistry in relief.

Sheikh Zayed Masjid-Abu Dhabi


Sheikh Zayed Masjid is the third largest mosque in the world [1], located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan the founder and the first President of the United Arab Emirates, who is also buried there. The Mosque was officially opened in the month of Ramadan in 2007. It is located in a large area between two bridges, Mussafah Bridge and Maqta bridge.
With so many millions pumped into building such a splended place of worship, I sincerely hope their salaah congregations & deen work is just as beautiful and larger then life.