The Juma Mosque (), also known as the Friday Mosque, is a

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

, located in

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

. An

inscription Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...

on the mosque mentions that “Amir Sharaf al-Din Mahmud ordered the restoration of this mosque in the month of Rajab ”. On the northern wall of the mosque a

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

was erected which a balcony supported by

stalactite A stalactite (, ; , ) is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension (chemistry ...

s in the year of 1437. Located in the historic Icheri Sheher, the mosque has been rebuilt several times. The present Friday Mosque was built in 1899 under the financing of Baku

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

merchant Haji Shikhlali Dadashov. There are traces of a

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...

temple at the site. In the cultural life of the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Azerbaijan, the cathedral mosque served as a socio-cultural center.

History

First mosque

The first mosque, called the Jame Mosque, was built in the 12th century. A sophisticated design of the mosque shows that it was built in several stages. Its main parts are a worship hall in the southern part and minarets in the north. There are small yards between the worship hall and the minarets. The most ancient part of the mosque is a square-shaped worship room. The room resembles kiosk mosques of the Seljuk period. Its cover was archaic. According to its exterior, this dome was constructed in the style of the Maragha-Nakhchivan architectural school, which operated in the 12th century. The ornamental motifs covering the upper part of the dome is found in Seljuk period architectural monuments such as minarets of Shamkir, Garabagh and Atabeklar complex, Maragha Red Gumbez (Dome) Tomb, etc. Some scientists, in particular, Andrey Pavlinov, believed that the Juma Mosque was built on the remains of a temple of fire-worshipers.

Minaret

In 1437, on the northern wall of the mosque, the stalactite-shaped minaret was built to call out the worshipers to namaz. On the inscription found in the archeological excavations of the minaret, the text of Mohammed Olcaytun's mourning, head of the Elkhanians, has been engraved.

Operating as a Madrasa

The rooms of the Jame Mosque were built in the 15th century for educational purposes in the yard of the Mosque. In the nineteenth century, the cells of the Mosque were destroyed due to expansion of A. Zeynalli Street and road construction and just one of them remained to be used as a mosque madrassa.

Second mosque

The second and current mosque, called the Juma Mosque, was constructed in the remains of the Jame Mosque by Baku millionaire and philanthropist Haji Sheikhali Agha Dadashov in 1899. The mosque operated as a carpet museum in the

Soviet period The history of the Soviet Union (USSR) (1922–91) began with the ideals of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution and ended in dissolution amidst economic collapse and political disintegration. Established in 1922 following the Russian Civil War, ...

. The Juma Mosque, which restored its activities as a mosque in the 1990s, was extensively repaired at the expense of the state budget. The square-shaped worship hall with 4 columns in the central part of the Mosque and small dome are the main components of the Mosque. Oriental and European classic motifs have been used in the building's architecture. The portal is characterized by the typical features of Azerbaijani architecture: stone carvings, national patterns, artistic epigraphs, etc. In 2008, by the construction specialists, architects and artists, the mosque was completely restored, heating and lighting systems were installed. On the walls of the mosque, hand-made ornaments, surah from

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

have been engraved and the names of the five members of the

Ahl al-Bayt () refers to the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Sunni Islam, the term has also been extended to all descendants of the Banu Hashim (Muhammad's clan) and even to all Muslims. In Shia Islam, the term is limited to Muhammad, his daugh ...

, who are sacred in

, were written.

Gallery

Juma Mosque, Baku, 2010.jpg, Juma Mosque, Baku, 2010 (3).jpg Mezquita del Viernes, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 33.jpg Mezquita del Viernes, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 34.jpg Mezquita del Viernes, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 35.jpg Mezquita del Viernes, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-28, DD 36-38 HDR.jpg Mezquita del Viernes, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-28, DD 39-41 HDR.jpg Mezquita del Viernes, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-28, DD 42-44 HDR.jpg Джума мечеть 20 апреля 2023.jpg Джума мечеть 20 апреля 2023 2.jpg

References

External links

{{Baku landmarks

Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan Mosque buildings with minarets in Azerbaijan Mosques in Baku Mosques completed in the 1890s Religious buildings and structures completed in 1899 Shia mosques in Azerbaijan