Encyclopedia of Islam

mosque

  

485  J

---

Muhammad’s mosque in Medina, and the a

qsa

m

osqUe

 in J

erUsalem

. The Shia would also add 

the mosque-tombs of their Imams, such as those 

of  a

li

 

ibn

  a

bi

  t

alib

 (d. 661) in Najaf (Iraq) and 

h

Usayn

 

ibn

 a

li

 

ibn

 a

bi

 t

alib

 (d. 680) in k

arbala

(Iraq). Contemporary mosques are designed to 

accommodate new social requirements and envi-

ronments, although they continue some of the 

older roles played by mosques. They are sel-

dom combined with shrines any more, but they 

continue to serve educational as well as ritual 

purposes. Mosque building continues to be an 

important undertaking in modern Muslim societ-

ies, even among Muslims who have migrated to 

e

Urope

 and North America.

See also 

architectUre

; 

bazaar

.

Nuha N. N. Khoury