Monuments

The Greatest

Islamic

Published by: Masha Books

Copyright © Masha Books

All rights are reserved and unauthorized production in any manner is prohibited

First Printed in India: 2018

Project Designer: Masha Books

Project Author: Yusuf Easa

Afghanistan• HeratMasjid 06• MinaretofJam 07• HeratCitadel 08• ShrineofHazratAli• Shahe-eDohShamshiraMosque• Jami’stomb• ShrineoftheCloak• OldcityofHerat

Algeria• MaqamEchahid• TlemcenGrandMosque• KetchaouaMosque

Bahrain• Al-FatehMosque• Beital-Quran

Bangladesh• AhsanManzil• SixtyDomeMosque• LalbaghFort• KhanMohammadMridhaMosque

Brunei• OmarAliSaifuddinMosque• IstanaNurulIman

Burkina Faso• BoboDioulassoGrandMosque

China• MosqueofXi’an

Bosnia and Herzegovnia• MehmedPasaSokolovicBridge• StariMost

Egypt• MosqueofAbuAbbasal-Mursi• Al-AzharUniversity• MontazaPalace• Aqmarmosque• Al-NasirMuhammadMosque• CairoCitadel• CitadelofQaitbay

Gibraltar• Ibraham-al-IbrahimMosque

India• AgraFort• TajMahal• Charminar• ChowmahallaPalace• BulandDarwaza• TombofMuhammedGhaus• Humayun’sTomb• RedFort• Akbar ’sTomb• JahazMahal• Shahibridge

Contents

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• QutbMinar• BaraImambara• JamaMasjid

Indonesia• BaiturrahamGrandMosque• MasjidAgungPalembang• GreatMosqueofDemak

Iran• JamehMosqueofIsfahan• ShahCheragh• NoushabnadUndergroundCity• SheikhLotfollahMosque• EramPalaceandGarden• GolestanPalace• SoltaniyehDome• Nasiral-MulkMosque• SultanAmirAhmadBathhouse

Iraq• ImamAliMosque• WadiofPeace• MosqueofSamarra• Al-Shaheedmonument• Fortressofal-Ukhadir• ImamHusaynShrine• CitadelofErbil

Jerusalem• Domeoftherock• Al-AqsaMosque

Lebanon• CitadelofTripoli

Malaysia• NegaraMasjid• PutraMosque• MoroccanPavilion

Mali• GreatMosqueofDjenne

Morocco• HassanIIMosque• KsarofAitbenHaddou• BahiaPalace• Chefchaouen• RoundMinaretofMoulayIdriss• HassanTower• Universityofal-Qaraouiyine

Oman• SultanQaboosGrandMosque• MisfatalAbreyeen• AlAlamRoyalPalace• AlHazmCastle

Pakistan• TombofJahangir• BadshahiMosque• WazirKhanMosque• Minar-E-Pakistan• Shalimargardens• FaisalMosque• LahoreFort

Qatar• HamadInternationalAirport

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Russia• NordKamalMosque

Saudi Arabia• Prophet’sMosque• QubaMasjid• Kasba• Masmakfort• Jawathamosque• King’sfountain• OldDir ’iyah• Dumatal-Jandal• Jeddahtower• GreatMosqueofMecca• KingdomCentre• Mada’inSaleh• IbrahimPalace

Spain• MezquitaCathedral• Alhambra

Syria• GreatMosqueofDamascus• CitadelofAleppo

Tunisia• GreatMosqueofKairouan

Turkey• SuleimanMosque• RustemPashaMosque• BlueMosque• CiniliKosk• HagiaSophia

• Topkapipalace• PertevniyalValideSultanMosque• DolmabahcePalace• NewMosque• BayezidIIMosque• GrandMosqueofBursa

Turkmenistan• NationalparkofIndependence• MausoleumofTurabek-Khanum

UAE• SheikhZayedGrandMosque• Burjal-ArabHotel• BurjKhalifa• JumeirahMosque

Uzbekistan• Mir-I-ArabMedressa• RegistanSquare• Shah-I-ZindaNecropolis• KaltaMinorMinaret

Yemen• Al-MuhdharMosque• Daral-Hajar• Sana’a• BrickbuildingsofZabid• AlSalehMosque• Shaharahbridge

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6 Greatest Islamic Monuments

Herat MasjidThe Herat Masjid stands at 800 years old and is one of the finest examples of Islamic

architecture in Central Asia. From the tile mosaic to the inspired usage of intricate

detailing and bright colours, it serves as a hymn in praise of Allah.

The Herat Masjid was built on the site of two smaller Zorastrian fire temples that were

lost to natural disasters. Construction was started by Ghiyas Ud-Din Ghori and after his

passing, it was continued by his brother Muhammad of Ghor. This was confirmed by an

inscription that was uncovered during a restoration attempt in 1964.

Afghanistan

Did You know?

Well known Timurid leader Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqara was

once the ruler of Herat

7 Greatest Islamic Monuments

Shams al-Din kart started to rebuild the mosque in 1306 as a result of its destruction at the hands

of Genghis Khan in 1221. This effort however was severely hampered by an earthquake in 1364.

The mosque was largely left untouched during the time of the Timurid rulers. It was Jalal al-

Din Firuzshah a prominent ruler under Shah Rukh that was credited with replacing the ruined

building with an entirely new building that had surrounding gardens. The detailing work was

so length that it alone took five years to complete, bringing in workers from across the empire.

The mosque was given one last renovation under the Mughal Empire by Prince Khurram.

While many of the mosaics have a Timurid origin, the mosque has its own designs in colours

and calligraphy. Two huge minarets flank the main entrance and almost every square centre is

covered in beautiful mosaics that have blue bands of Quranic script. The workshop (an on-going

restoration project since 1940) is in a courtyard to the left of the main entrance. The courtyard

also features the remnants of the original Ghorid decoration that is inlaid with Timurid tiling

which shows the change in artistic styles the mosque has witnessed.

8 Greatest Islamic Monuments

Before war and conflict came to

Afghanistan and political instability

made the place a hostile zone for

all travelers, societies and empires

flourished, leaving behind traces of

their greatness. One such example

of their legacy is the Minaret of Jam.

Located in a deep river valley

between towering mountains in

Afghanistan, the Minaret of Jam is a

62 meter tall minaret made entirely

of bricks that dates back to the 12th

century.

What makes this monument a

testament to Islamic architecture

is the intricate brick work, stucco

and glazed tile decoration. The

tiles themselves have alternating

bands showing geometric patterns

and naskhi calligraphy, kufic

calligraphy and verses from the

Quran.

Sadly though, the minaret is in

danger of erosion because of the

river Jam and Hari Rud, while

under constant threat of looters

and illegal excavations occurring

around the monument.

Minaret of Jam

9 Greatest Islamic Monuments

Did You know?

Due to its location, the Minaret of Jam is also

on the list of World Heritage in Danger

10 Greatest Islamic Monuments

The Citadel of Herat or Qala Iktyaruddin can be found in the centre of Herat in Afghanistan.

Dating back to 330 BC, it served as a base when Alexander the Great and his armies arrived

after the battle of Gaugamela. From then on, there were many empires that have used the

citadel in the past 2,000 years and it is also why the Citadel has been destroyed and rebuilt

in the many centuries that followed.

Civilization settled down in Herat as early as 6th century B.C. There is a mound that can

be found in the north part of the Old City, known as Kuhandazh. This mound is thought

to be the site where Alexander the Great built his fort in 330 B.C. Half a kilometre south

of the Kuhandaz lies the walled city. Aligned with the cardinal axes, Arab geographers

note that the city had four gates that head into crossing commercial avenues and a square

citadel. It is this citadel that is commonly referred to as the Herat Citadel. The Citadel was

ruled by many empires including (but not limited to) the Parthians, Kushans, Hephthalites,

Umayyads, Tahirids, Samarids, Ghaznavids and Ghurids. Herat initially thrived with the

Silk Road trade from Levant to India and China, only becoming more important during

the Ghurid dynasty of 1175. This city was among many that fell to the Mongol

invasion but was rebuilt by the Kartid governors in mid-thirteenth century.

Herat Citadel

11 Greatest Islamic Monuments

Between 1299 and 1300 Kartid Amir Fakhr al-Din reinforced the citadel’s walls, ramparts,

moats and towers. He also added a walled maidan to the west of the citadel, serving as an

open air mosque or idgah. His successor Ghiyath al-Din would build two palaces to the east.

Though it was all destroyed by Timur’s army in 1380, the Citadel was reconstructed once

again when Shah Rukh had to move his capital to Herat. He also added to the construction

by reinforcing the citadel in stone and fired brick. He also covered the exterior of the Herat

Citadel in glazed tiles.

During the 18th century, the citadel would have multiple uses under the Hotaki dynasty

and Durrani Empire. It would suffer some damage during the Anglo-Afghan war of 19th

century. Due to the conflict in the 19th century, the Arg-e Herat, a modern citadel was

immediately built to the north, to take over its defensive role. In 1953 the Citadel was

nearly destroyed when Herat’s army commander ordered its demolition. It was due to the

intervention of King Zahir Shah that the demolition was halted. The Citadel would undergo

some restoration work between 1976 and 1979. In later years, it would incur more damage

due to decades of war and neglect.

12 Greatest Islamic Monuments

It was between 2006 and 2011 that the Citadel was completely renovated. The new

restoration effort involved hundreds of Afghan craftsmen, with funds provided by the

German and U.S governments. When the older compound on the east was excavated, it

revealed two courtyard structures. This rectangular plan measured at 18 x 42 metres. The

plan is protected by 13 semi-circular towers. This area is known as the Upper Citadel, with

a distinctive look thanks to the usage of fired bricks.

The Kartid additions on the west are called the Lower Citadel. This section has walls

made of baked bricks and has a few Timurid period military structures. It also features

nine circular towers (only six have survived) found on the south and west walls. The well

known Malik tower is believed to be named after a Kartid malik. The tower also retains

some segments of its Timurid glazed tile decoration and parts of a Kufic inscriptive band.

13 Greatest Islamic Monuments

In 1970 an Ethnographic Museum, a Handicraft Workshop, a Military Museum

and an Archaeological Museum were set up inside the Lower Citadel. The biggest

attraction is the Citadel’s curtain wall topped with battlements. The Upper Citadel

was opened to visitors as an Open Air Archaeological Museum

with a northern section remade into a traditional residence.

A total of 1,100 items from the Herat region are inside the

museum at the citadel, of which 250 are on display

for the public.

14 Greatest Islamic Monuments

Another beautiful mosque that is popularly referred to as the ‘Blue Mosque’, the Shrine

of Hazrat Ali is one of the many beautiful buildings in Afghanistan. Many of the local

population believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib (one of the most important people in Islalmic

history) is buried here.

It was Ahmed Sanjar of the Seljuk dynasty that built the first shrine in this area, which was

among the many buildings lost to the Mongol invasion of 1220. Later, in the 15th century

Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqarah constructed the Mosque that is seen here and is the most

important landmark in the Mazar-I-Sharif. The mosque is very noticeable thanks to the

iconic twin blue domes that dominate the Herat skyline.

The rich blue tiling that covers the surface of the shrine is a modern design.

The Timurid decoration fell into a

state of disrepair, when the

building was covered

Shrine of Hazrat Ali

15 Greatest Islamic Monuments

in a simple whitewash till the 1860s. It was thanks to Sher Ali Khan that the mosque was restored.

There are many tombs of varying sizes and dimensions that were added over the years. These

tombs contain a number of notable Afghan political and religious leaders over the years. People

like Wazir Akbar Khan and Sher Ali Khan are buried here. It is thanks to these additions that the

mosque now has its irregular dimensions.

The doves that inhabit the shrine complex are well known throughout Afghanistan. Many believe

that the site is so holy that should a grey pigeon make its home here, it would turn white in 40

days. Another belief states that every seventh pigeon is

said to contain a spirit.

Did You know?

There are some who believe that the founder

of Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster is buried

here.