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ELEMENTSIslamic architecture may be identified with the following designelements, which were inherited from the first mosque built byrhall (originally a feature of the Masjid al-Nabawi):

Minarets or towers

A four-iwan plan

Mihrab

Arches

Courtyards(sahn) Prayer area hall

Domes and cupolas

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Central fountains usedfor ablutions (once used as

a wudu area for Muslims). The use of Islamic

geometric patterns andfoliage based arabesques.

The use of

decorative Islamiccalligraphy insteadof pictures whichwere haram (forbidden) inmosque architecture. Note

that in seculararchitecture, human andanimal representation wasindeed present.

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MINARETS

Minarets or towers these were originally used as torch-lit

watchtowers, as seen in the Great Mosque of Damascus; hence thederivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning "light".

Different types of minarets are as follows:

1. Iraq

2. Morocco

3. Turkey

4. India

5. Egypt

6. Asia

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MIHRAB

Mihrab or prayer

niche on an inside wallindicating the directionto Mecca.

The drawings alongsidegives us an idea aboutthe plan, elevation andsections of a typicalMihrab in Islamic

Architecture.

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ARCHES

Arches are thestructure thatspans a space whilesupporting weight.

The mostimportant form ofopening was the

pointed arch whichwere principallytwo and fourcentered.

Diagram showing anexample of a two-

centred arch.Diagram showing a four-

centred arch

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COURTYARDS(SAHN)

Is a fundamental featureand can be seen as

different variations. According to their function

the courtyards werecloistered and arcaded andthe sides were punctuated

with gateways, prayerchambers or archedporches (iwans).

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Domes And Cupolas

D A d

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Domes AndCupolas

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