Islam's holy book, the Quran, also calls places of worship of other religions, such as churches and synagogues, as mosques.
Islamic mosques as places of prayer were born simply in Arabia, as open places in the 7th century, modeled on the eastern basilicas. The Kaaba for Muslims has a biblical meaning, because according to the Koran it is due to the action of Abraham and his son, and this mosque located in Mecca, is the place of pilgrimage of the faithful, where they must attend at least once they live.
A mosque is the building in which Muslims worship God. According to Islamic history, this (Mosque) was a center of the community and the cities that formed around this central building. Nowadays, especially in Muslim countries, mosques are practically in every corner, making it easy for Muslims to perform the five daily prayers. In the West, mosques are an integral part of Islamic centers that also contain facilities for teaching and community services.
There are mosques of all shapes and sizes, which differ from region to region depending on the density of the Muslim population in a given area. Muslims in the past, and even today, have made use of local artisans and architects to create beautiful and magnificent mosques.
There are, however, certain characteristics that are common to all mosques. Each mosque has a mihrab, a niche in the wall that indicates the direction to Mecca, the direction Muslims pray for. Many mosques have a minbar (or pulpit) from which an Islamic scholar can give a sermon or speech.
Mosques have developed significantly over the past 1,400 years. Many have courtyards containing decorative fountains and pools, which originally supplied water for ablutions before prayer. At present, however, they have more private facilities for ablutions and for sanitary services. Originally mosques were simple structures with dirt floors, now they generally have floors covered with carpets. Most are decorated only with straight lines of geometric designs that ensure that Muslims line up in straight rows to perform their five daily prayers.
