A mosque is a place of worship. For every Muslim, it is a sacred place. There are several types of mosques, depending on the functions that they should perform. But all mosques serve for prayer. The rich decoration of these structures often speaks of the greatness of the faith of the people and the we alth of the Islamic state. Like many of the most beautiful buildings in the world, mosques are also divided according to their significance and unique design. Khazret Sultan Mosque in Astana ranks 81st among the most beautiful buildings of this kind on the planet.
Islam
Islam means "submission". The founder of this religion is Prophet Mohammed, and Allah is God. It was he who created the earth and the first two people, Adam and Eve, in 6 days. Allah gave Muhammad the Quran, the main book of every believing Muslim. Islam, like many other religions, has its own trends. The two largest of them are Sunnis (90%Muslims) and Shiites (10%). Islam is the third religion in the world, the youngest.
Islam sees God as a judge who punishes and rewards people for their deeds. There is no cult of personalities, images of the prophet and God in it. But there is a clear understanding that Allah is the ruler, the judge.
In Islam there is no division into religious life and secular life, everything obeys the laws of Allah and the Holy Scriptures. Religion captures all spheres of life of a righteous Muslim, teaches kindness and mutual assistance, respect for elders and the desire to live righteously.
A mosque in the life of a Muslim
Mosques are also different, they are divided depending on the functions, as well as in size and decoration. There are four main types of mosque:
- for daily prayer (Muslims pray 5 times a day);
- main mosque, central (also called kabire);
- for Friday prayer, or collective;
- large open, for the celebration of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Adha.
All mosques are for prayer only. This holy Muslim building has its own strict principles. The most important mosque, a symbol of the Muslim faith, is located in Mecca, this is Al-Haram. It contains the Kaaba. This is a small building in the form of a cube, covered with black silk and standing on a marble base. It is of great importance to believers. According to legend, the Kaaba is the first building erected by Muslims to worship God. It is to him that the walls of all the mosques of the world are directed, before which Muslims bow their heads in prayer. And the Khazret Sultan mosque in Astana is notexception.
Air Khazret Sultan
Amazing in its beauty and architecture, the Khazret Sultan Mosque in Astana can truly be called a work of art. The construction of this unique project began in 2009 and was completed in 2012. During the construction of the building, about two thousand people worked. This is the largest mosque in Kazakhstan and the second largest in Central Asia.
The architecture of the holy building is made in typical Muslim traditions. Airy, bright and spacious, it can accommodate up to 10,000 people. The interior decoration is made using Kazakh patterns and ornaments. Carved arches leading to the main hall frame extracts from the Koran. The mosaic floor in soft blue tones gives the impression that the whole building seems to be floating in the clouds.
Outside, the mosque is decorated with four tower-minarets 77 meters high, which are illuminated at night, like the entire mosque, with white light. The main dome of Khazret Sultan is 28 meters in diameter and 51 meters high. This huge structure, decorated with flowing ornaments, is crowned with a traditional golden crescent facing Mecca. Also, the mosque is decorated with 8 more small domes with diameters of 10 m and 7 m.
The entire mosque covers an area of about 11 hectares, and when this rich architectural ensemble is illuminated at night, it makes a fabulous impression. Despite its impressive size, the mosque looks like a transparent jellyfish floating in the black endless ocean.
PhotoKhazret Sultan Mosque in Astana at night can be seen below.
The magical building of the mosque is by far the most beautiful in Kazakhstan.
Amazing mosques
Speaking of the sacred Muslim buildings, I would like to give an example of the most beautiful of them. Of course, in the first place is the largest building, this is Al-Haram in Mecca, it is to her that all the mosques of the world are turned.
In second place is the oldest, built during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, the An-Nabawi Mosque in Saudi Arabia. Its size is impressive - more than 400 thousand square meters. m.
Not to mention the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. This rich architectural structure seems to have come out of the fairy tale "1000 and one night".
Of course, the scale of the Khazret Sultan mosque in Astana is dozens of times smaller than its famous predecessors, but the decoration is in no way inferior in its beauty. It is also framed by fountains and marble floors, white patterned walls and imposing minarets.
Hazret Sultan Mosque: address in Astana
The mosque is located in the heart of Astana, on the street. Koshkarbaeva, 95. You can get to it by buses No. 3, 4, 14, 19, 40. The mosque is within walking distance from the Presidential Park and the Museum of History.
The Khazret Sultan Mosque in Astana, whose contacts are on the official website of the institution, works according to the schedule: Mon-Sun, 09:00-18:00.
