Mihrab (in Persian مهراب or محراب, in Arabic ألمحراب pl. محاريب), sometimes spelled "mehrab" or "mehraab", is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla, i.e. the direction of Kaaba that Muslims should face when praying. The wall is called the qibla wall. The mihrab gives the impression of a door or a passage to Mecca. They vary in size but are usually ornately decorated. Mihrabs first appeared in the reign of the Umayyad khalif al-Walid I (705–715). Persian is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... The Arabic language (Arabic: ‎ translit: ), or simply Arabic (Arabic: ‎ translit: ), is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... The Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan with an iwan at center, three domes, and five visible minarets A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Masjid al Haram The Kaaba (Arabic: ‎ translit: Persian: ‎) also known as al-Ka‘abatu’l-Musharrafat (Arabic: ‎), al-Baytu l-‘AtÄ«q (Arabic: ‎), or al-Baytu’l-HÌ£arām (Arabic: ‎ The Sacred House), is a building located inside the mosque known as al-Masjidu’l-HÌ£arām in... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish:Müslüman, Persian:مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... The Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the grandest architectural legacies of the Umayyads. ... Anglicized/Latinized version of the Arabic word خليفة or Khalifah, Caliph is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam. ... Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik (Arabic: ) or Al-Walid I (668 - 715) was an Umayyad caliph who ruled from 705 - 715. ... Alternate meaning: Area code 705 Events End of the short-lived Zhou Dynasty in China Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik succeeded by al-Walid I ibn Abd al-Malik. ... Events August 11 - Germanus is translated from the bishopric of Cyzicus to the Patriarch of Constantinople Umayyad caliph al-Walid I ibn Abd al-Malik succeeded by Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik End of the reign of Empress Gemmei of Japan, she is succeeded by Empress Gensho. ...

Mihrab in Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Mihrab at a mosque in Cairo

The etymology of the term is believed to come from the Persian word مهراب Mihrab which was used in pre-Islamic Persia to designate the niches in the Mithraistic houses of worship. Mihr in Persian means Mithra and Mihrab means Mithraeum. Others, such as the late Ayatolla Khomeini, have suggested that the root might be from Arabic حرب, "to fight" or "lead to war". As a noun it might be derived from "war", حرب and حربة , "lance". محراب is defined as a battlefield, in the sense jihād an-nafs (i.e. the fight against your own soul). Some say that it is also a word from Ethiopian or Hebrew חרבה, hurbah (beer) with a vague connection to the purchase to buildings. Both the latter guesses have less historical bearing. Mihrabs can be made of wood, but is normally made out of masonry, and signified with pillars. Mihrabs very often are very ornamented. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (929x1043, 440 KB) Mihrab in Hagia Sophia July 2005 photo by Radomil talk File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mihrab Metadata This file contains additional information, probably... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (929x1043, 440 KB) Mihrab in Hagia Sophia July 2005 photo by Radomil talk File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mihrab Metadata This file contains additional information, probably... Hagia Sophia as it appears today A section of the original architecture of Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (Church of Holy Wisdom), now known as the Ayasofya Museum, is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted to a mosque, now converted into a museum, in the Turkish city of Istanbul. ... Satellite image of Istanbul and the Bosphorus Istanbul (Turkish: Ä°stanbul; Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολη; Armenian: Ստամբուլը; Hebrew: איסטנבול; Bulgarian: Истанбул; formerly known as Constantinople until 1930) is Turkeys largest city, and its cultural and economic center. ... Download high resolution version (992x1500, 1163 KB)Mihrab at Cairo mosque This photo is the uploaders own work, and is hereby declared to be PD. So there. ... Download high resolution version (992x1500, 1163 KB)Mihrab at Cairo mosque This photo is the uploaders own work, and is hereby declared to be PD. So there. ... Modern Cairo Cairo (Arabic: ‎ translit: ) is the capital city of Egypt (and previously the United Arab Republic) and has a metropolitan area population of approximately 15. ... Etymology is the study of the origins of words. ... Persian is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... Mithra and the Bull: This fresco from the Mithraeum at Marino, Italy (3rd century) shows the tauroctony and the celestial lining of Mithras cape Mithraism (Persian:آيين مهر Ä€yÄ«n-e Mehr) was an ancient mystery religion prominent from the 1st century BCE to the 5th century CE. It was based on... Metal Band from the UK that no one cares about. ... A mithraeum found in the ruins of Ostia Antica, Italy. ... Ayatollah Khomeini founded the first modern Islamic republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini (آیت‌الله روح‌الله خمینی in Persian) (May 17, 1900 – June 3, 1989) was an Iranian Shia cleric and the political and spiritual leader of the 1979 revolution that overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the then Shah of Iran. ... Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than seven million people in Israel and Jewish communities around the world. ...

Usage of Al-Mihrab in The Qur'an

In The Qur'anic context, the term Al-Mihrab is often used in conjunction with a remembrance of an event in life of prior (effectively Jewish) servants of God. In these cases, the term indicates the "Holy of Holies" of the Mosque (1st and 2nd "Temple") in Jerusalem.

Examples are the relating of the story of Mary as a child in the "Al-Mihrab" where the Zacharriah (was a Temple Priest (Q 3.37). Another instance is the apparition of the Angel fortelling the birth of John/Yahya to Zacharia (Q 19.1-19) which is also foretold in the Gospels as occurring "in the Holy of Holies". Based on other texts (The "Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew" and The Gospel of Christ according to Luke (Luke 1.11)), we can confirm that these 2 instances both refer to the "Holy of Holies" of the Jerusalem's (2nd) Temple.

The final such usage is in reference to David and "disputants who climbed into Al-Mihrab" (Q 38.21). Given that David did not build the Temple (Soloman did), but rather use temporary structures in its stead, we note that this may be referring to the "Holy of holies" of the temporary structure, which would also explain how the "disputants" manged to "climb in it".

This Qur'anic consideration of Al-Mihrab provides the amplification of the true meaning of 'Mihrab' -- regardless of its suspected "etymological roots"-- in Islamic faith and Architecture, when we note the progression of 'One central temple' to the distributed Mosques in communities.

The Mihrab then is a 'fragment of Holy of Holies' -- the place where, in the Temple Angels and Spirit descended on the Praying servants (i.e. priests). This 'fragment' or 'analogue' is then reproduced in all the places where men and women go to worship The One God.

I.e. Mihrab serves the same 'spatial-spiritual point' of 'meeting' between the 'community of God' and 'the Spirit' as the "Holy of Holies" served for the one 'Mosque' in Jerusalem.

See also

• Minbar
• Qur'an