September 2022 – Stars in Symmetry

For this part of the series we are looking into the unique architecture of the Mughals of the Indian Subcontinent mosques. Domes have been used in this region even before the arrival of Islam, so we shall look into the history of the domes in this subcontinent and how it shapes the domes of Islamic structures. Also, Islam have been in the Indian Subcontinent as early as the 7th Century, however I chose to discuss about the domes of the Mughal architecture as it is the prominent Islamic architecture style there and they played a huge role in the development of Islamic art and architecture in the region.

History :

Mughal architecture itself was developed by the Mughal as early as the 16th century as they came into the Indian Subcontinent, as Babur, a descendant of Timur, founded the empire in 1526. The Mughals themselves are believed to originate from Central Asia, thus they bring with them the architectural styles from these regions, as well as the prior influences that included the Persians. As they came into the Indian Subcontinent, the local Hindu architectural styles became assimilated into the Mughal architecture, creating a unique amalgamation of both Islamic-Persian and Hindu architecture.

Influences :

As noted before, the Mughals as they came into the subcontinent, they bring the architectural styles that they were already familiar with such as the Persian architecture. In the Indian Subcontinent, the Hindu architecture were already well established in the region and by combining these two influences under the Mughal flag, the unique Mughal architectural style was developed.

The influences came in the form of the style itself as well as the materials used for building the structures as well as the decorations and motifs employed . This kind of architectural style was used from the beginning of the Mughal empire around the 16th Century up until the demise of the empire. One of the last greatest builders of the Mughals is Aurangzeb who built one of the biggest Mughal mosque in Lahore, the Badshahi Mosque.

Shape and Form :

The domes of the Mughal architecture was large, bulbous and onion shaped. The shape is slightly different from the Persians, where the dome usually are straight from the drum or base, going to a point upwards. The Mughal domes, however, have a slight inward line from the base going outwards and ending to a point, creating the ubiquitous onion shape. This shape seems to be referring to the shape of a lotus, where the finial or the tip of the dome resembles an upside down lotus bloom.

The Mughal domes are usually surmounted by a drum, whether cylindrical or polygonal, which is similar to the Persian style. However, usually the drum would be a bit more shallow than its Persian counterpart, about less than 1/3 of the entire dome. Underneath the domes, in the interior of the structure, squinches were used to support the dome itself, a feature which was developed by the Persians and carried over by the Mughals.

Domes for minarets and Chattris, which are smaller, are usually held aloft by a system of arches and columns. These arches are usually in the shape of notched arches, a product of Hindu influence.

Examples :

For this Study series, we are going to look into one of the most ubiquitous feature inside a mosque. We shall look into the evolution of the niche that points to Mecca from a humble signage to one of the most decorated area of a mosque. Further into the series, we will look into the differences of regional Mihrabs as well as their respective evolution.

Etymology :

It is a probability that the term Mihrab comes from the Old South Arabian word Mhrb, which means a certain part of a palace – denoting a special place within a building. It was also believed to be derived from Ethiopic Mekrab which means sanctuary, again showing the correlation of the contemporary Islamic Mihrab.

Interestingly enough in the Al Qur’an there are several references to this sanctuary . In Surah Ali Imran for example, in the story about Prophet Zakariya (Zechariah) and Maryam (Virgin Mary) when she was a child, it speaks about the prophet “approaching the sanctuary” where he would perform his prayers to find Maryam miraculously with provision or food. This sanctuary in referred to as Mihrab in the Qur’an, and it is probable that this sanctuary is the Holy of Holies in the temple.

History and Origins :

The Prophet Muhammad used the term Mihrab to refer to his prayer room in his house ; perhaps this is referring back to the original meaning of a space like the Holy of Holies of the ancient temple. During the reign of Caliph Uthman bin Affan, he ordered that a sign to be posted in mosques in Medina to show the location of the Qibla. However it is still nothing but a sign and the wall facing the Qibla remained undecorated. During Al Walid of the Ummayad Caliphate’s rule, the Prophet’s mosque was renovated, and a niche was made into the wall where Caliph Uthman’s sign was posted, thus starting the tradition of the specially decorated and specified Mihrab.

The design of the original Mihrab was believed to be adopted from the prayer niches of the oratories of Coptic christians.

Significance :

Mihrab is now traditionally used to denote the direction of Mecca, or Qibla, in mosques. Often the shape of arches, portals or doorways as a symbol of the gateway to Mecca. It is an important part for contemporary mosque, and even small prayer rooms or halls often have this feature as so to help worshipers align themselves correctly with the Qibla.

Examples :

Here are some examples of notable Mihrabs around the Muslim world and throughout time. In the upcoming articles we will be looking at Mihrabs in different regions and discuss the forms, materials and its evolution.