The three Mosques of Pakistan as an Islamic Heritage Architecture

Abstract

Mosques are not only the religious places but also play their roles as the social, educational and political centers for the Muslim community. Congregational prayers are the sources of relations between the Muslims and contribute an awareness of the circumstances. The mosques have also been the safe places during the wars and other emergencies. This is not just for Muslims but also for non-Muslims such as the Paris Mosque was a haven for Jews during World War II. There were no minarets at the start and they were very simple, but soon became an integral part of minarets around mosques. Minaret of the mosque may look from afar. The British newspaper Telegraph has compiled a list of the world's most beautiful mosques, which may be considered as the model of Islamic architecture. For this purpose, he has compiled a photo gallery of the 25 mosques including the three mosques situated within Pakistan territory. One of those mosques is Badshahi Mosque, Lahore. It was built in the 17th century by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir. The total area of this mosque is 279 thousand square feet. It is famous for its red stone and marble externally and internally architecture. The second one is Wazir Khan Mosque; it was built in the 17th century by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and is included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage since 1993. For its carvings and colors, Wazir Khan Mosque has an international reputation. The third one is Faisal Mosque Islamabad. It is the fourth biggest mosque in the world. It is wonderful combination of Bedouin tents and square Kaaba.