BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE IN ISTANBUL: TURKEY

SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE (THE BLUE MOSQUE) IN ISTANBUL: TURKEY

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE IN ISTANBUL: TURKEY

THE INTERIOR OF THE BLUE MOSQUE

SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE IN ISTANBUL: TURKEY

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

AUBURN GALLIPOLI MOSQUE: SYDNEY AUSTRALLIA

AUBURN GALLIPOLI MOSQUE: SYDNEY AUSTRALLIA

Islam in Australia is a minority religious group. According to the 2011 census, 476,291 people, or 2.2% of the total Australian population were Muslims. This made Islam the fourth largest religious grouping, after all forms of Christianity (64%), No Religion (22.9%) and Buddhism (2.5%). Demographers attribute Muslim community growth trends during the most recent census period to relatively high birth rates, and recent immigration patterns.

While the Australian Muslim community is defined largely by religious belonging, the Muslim community is fragmented further by being the most racially, ethnically, culturally and linguisticall diverse religious grouping in Australia, with members from every ethnic and racial background, including Aboriginal and Anglo Celtic Austraiian Muslims. Members of the Australian Muslim community thus also espouse parallel non-religious ethnic identities with related non-Muslim counterparts, either within Australia or abroad

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

SUNSHINE MOSQUE OF VICTORIA: AUSTRALIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

KEYSBOROUGH MOSQUE OF VICTORIA: AUSTRALIA

KEYSBOROUGH MOSQUE OF VICTORIA: AUSTRALIA

Australia 2012: 476 000 Muslims, 340 Mosques

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

 

THE PONSONBY MOSQUE: AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: The Ponsonby Mosque on in Ponsonby, Auckland, was built in the 1970s. Islam first came to New Zealand in the 1870s with the arrival of Muslim Chinese gold prospectors. Later waves of Muslim immigrants came from India, Eastern Europe and Fiji.

 

 In 1959 it purchased a house in Ponsonby, central Auckland, and converted it into the first Islamic Centre in the country. In 1960 the NZMA invited Moulana Said Musa Patel from the Gujarat to become New Zealand's first Imam. In 1967 this house was sold and another bought; in 1972 this too was sold and another acquired at 17 Vermont Street, Ponsonby. In 1979 the house on this site was removed and construction work began to build New Zealand's first real Mosque. Also in 1979 the NZMA was a founding constituent member of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ), the national Muslim organisation.

Former presidents of the NZMA include Kosovo-born Mazhar Krasnigi (1975 and 1987–88) and Nazmi Mehmeti from the Republic of Macedonia (1963). The longest serving Executive Committee member between 1956 and 1981 was Hajji Avdo Musovich (1919–2001), originally from Montenegro. The current president of the Association is Imtiaz Ali and the current Secretary is Feroze Ali (no relation).

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

QOL SHARIF MOSQUE OF KAZAN: RUSSIA

QOL SHARIF MOSQUE OF KAZAN: RUSSIA

The Qolşärif Mosque, also spelled Qol Sharif, Qol Sherif and Kol Sharif via the Tatar Колшәриф мәчете, Qolşärif mäçete, and Kul Sharif via the Russian мечеть Кул-Шариф, mechet Kul-Sharif) located in Kazan Kremlin, was reputed to be – at the time of its construction — the largest mosque in Russia, and in Europe outside of Istanbul.

Originally, the mosque was built in the Kazna Kremlin  in the 16th century. It was named after Qolsharif, who served there. Qolşärif died with his numerous students while defending Kazan from Russian forces in 1552. It is believed that the building featured minarets, both in the form of cupolas and tents. Its design was traditional for Volga Bulgarita, although elements of early Renaissance and Ottoman architecture could have been used as well. In 1552, during the storming of Kazan it was destroyed by Ivan The Terrible.

Tatar scholars speculate as to whether some elements of Qolşärif Mosque can be seen in Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow (8 minarets, a central cupola, not typical for Russian architecture). Since 1996 the mosque has been rebuilt in Kazan Kremlin, although its look is decisively modern. Its inauguration on July 24, 2005 marked the beginning of celebrations dedicated to the Millennium of Kazan. It can accommodate 6,000 worshipers.

Several countries contributed to the fund that was set up to build Qolşärif Mosque, namely Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Qolşärif is considered to be one of the most important symbols of Tatar aspirations. Nowadays the mosque predominantly serves as a museum of Islam. At the same time during the major Muslim celebrations thousands of people gather there to pray.

The Qolşärif complex was envisioned to be an important cornerstone of Kazan's architectural landscape. Besides the main mosque building it includes a library, publishing house and Imam's office.

It is indeed a very Beautiful Masjid

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

QOL SHARIF MOSQUE OF KAZAN KREMLIN: RUSSIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

QOL SHARIF MOSQUE OF KAZAN KREMLIN: RUSSIA

The Qolşärif Mosque, also spelled Qol Sharif,  located in Kazan Kremlin, was reputed to be at the time of its construction the largest mosque in Russia, and in Europe outside of Istanbul. Originally, the mosque was built in the Kazan Kremlin in the 16th century. It was named after Qolşärif, who served there. Qolşärif died with his numerous students while defending Kazan from Russian forces in 1552. It is believed that the building featured minarets, both in the form of cupolas and tents. Its design was traditional for Volga Bulgaria, although elements of early Renaissance and Ottoman architecture could have been used as well. In 1552, during the storming of Kazan it was destroyed by Ivan The Terrible. Tatar scholars speculate as to whether some elements of Qolşärif Mosque can be seen in Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow 8 minarets, a central cupola, not typical for Russian architecture.

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

QOL SHARIF MOSQUE OF KAZAN KREMLIN: RUSSIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

WHITE MASJID OF BULGAR KAZAN: RUSSIA

The White Mosque was officially opened on 10 June 2012 with participation of a wide public within the framework of the Bolgar Forum “Izge Bolgar Jiyeny”.

The ensemble of the White Mosque (Ak Mechet), which was erected by design of architect Sergey Shakurov, includes the buildings of a Muslim temple, a residence of the mufty, and a madrasah, which encircle the prayer square, musallah, with a fountain in its centre and encircled by an arcade of 88 snow-white columns. Owing to the open arcade, visitors do not lose visual contact with nature and archaeological excavations of the ancient Bolgar.

The mosque strikes with its geometric ornaments, carved decoration, elegance of interiors, and its overall stylistics. The area of the prayer hall is 180 sq. m. Two minarets of the mosque, 46.5 metres high, which were made, by proposal of Mintimer Shaimiev, the First President of Tatarstan, in the style of the minarets of the Mosque of the Prophet located in Medina, the famous place of pilgrimage of the Muslims of the world, enframe the main building of the sanctuary that is topped by the cupola with diameter of 10 metres, height of 17 metres in its interior measurement and decorated with traditional decorative elements.

One thousand and two hundred tonnes of marble were used for its construction. The white colour of the mosque stands for peace and purity.

A lake was created on the square, reflected in which is the whole White Mosque.

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

WHITE MASJID OF BULGAR KAZAN: RUSSIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

WHITE MASJID OF BULGAR KAZAN: RUSSIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

WHITE MASJID OF BULGAR KAZAN: RUSSIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

WHITE MASJID OF BULGAR KAZAN: RUSSIA

BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:

WHITE MASJID OF BULGAR KAZAN: RUSSIA