Appearance of Mosques

Because prayer must be preceded by ritual purification, mosques often have ablution fountains or other facilities for washing in their entryways or courtyards. However, worshippers at very small mosques often have to use restrooms to perform their ablutions. In traditional mosques, this function is often elaborated into a freestanding building in the center of a courtyard.

Because cleanliness is very important inside the mosque, nearly all mosques prohibit worshippers from entering the carpeted prayer hall with shoes on. Thus, foyers with shelves to put shoes and racks to hold coats are commonplace among mosques. To add to this cleanliness and purity of the mosques, many mosques do not admit non-Muslims into the buildings. However, Western mosques in countries where Muslims are not the majority are more likely to allow non-Muslims to enter mosques and attend mosque functions in an attempt to show openness.

The actual mosque, the prayer hall, has no furniture. Unlike in most other places of worship, images of spiritual figures or other animals cannot be found in mosques as Islam prohibits the association of other figures with God. Instead, mosques will often have Arabic calligraphy and verses from the Qur'an on the walls. Mosques generally have at least one large dome over the center of the prayer area. Very large mosques will also have a forest of columns arranged in a grid pattern throughout the prayer area. Most mosques will have at least one minaret, or tall spire, from which the muezzin issues the call to prayer. Larger mosques will have two or more minarets simply for appearance.

Mosque - The qibla wall

Usually opposite the entrance, the qibla wall is the visually emphasized area inside the prayer hall. The qibla wall should, in a properly oriented mosque, be set perpendicular to a line leading to Mecca, the location of the Ka'bah. The faithful kneel in rows parallel to the qibla wall and thus have arrange themselves so they face Mecca. In the qibla wall, usually at its center, is the mihrab, a niche or depression indicating the qibla wall. Usually the mihrab is not occupied by furniture either, unlike with the altars of Christian churches. Sometimes, especially during Friday prayers, a raised minbar or pulpit is located to the side of the , or pulpit for Friday sermons (qutba), it is to the side of the mihrab. Regularly, the mihrab serves as the location where the imam leads the five daily prayers.

Pakistan Mosques

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore

Faisal Mosque, Islamabad

Mohabbat Khan Mosque, Peshawar

Kuzkandi Jamiah Masjid Baghdada, Mardan

Blue Mosque

This was the end of my walk, when I reached the hounslow mosque after walking from 3 stops away.

I took this photograph as i got closer to the place of worship. You can see the shape of the building and the arches which are really popular in mosques.

First sighting of the building from a distance

Local shops 3 Min walk from the Mosque, which includes a take-away, 24-7 newsagents and pharmacy.

Corner before the shops

Road leading towards the Mosque, with this photograph you can tell how busy the nearby roads are and how noisy it is

Slip road from the main, this tells you how the area is full of houses

A walk on the main road leading to the building, passing the the houses

Local shops in the area, that incudes food shops and news agents

The main junction on the main road, this is were most of the traffic is all the time

this tire shop is located on the main road, with the tires on the half of the pavement

Crossing area, near the tire shop

Lawyers advert

Side road off the main

at the beginning of the road, trees and bushes took over half of the pavement and we were walking really close to the road while cars, vans, bikes are going pass

Traffic building up on the main road

Flats for sale on the main road towards my building

full view of the road

full street view

Pub on the junction corner when is a 10 min walk away from the Mosque

I started my walk about 3 bus stops away from the hounslow mosque. I noticed that the roads leading to the mosque were very busy and lively with shops, people and cars.

In this photograph you can see the cross junction and the cars stopped at the traffic lights while the traffic builds up around 4 o'clock

Hounslow Jamia Masjid

Hounslow Mosque is a place of worship where muslims gather to pray. Special prayers are held on Fridays at 1:15pm/2.15pm and all the days on Eid.

It is located on Wellington Road, Hounslow and has local shops, houses, a school and a pub within its 100 yards.

Hounslow Jamia Masjid & Islamic Centre offers a range of services and facilities for religious, social, health and educational needs of the community. A number of these services are run in partnership with local and national agencies.

you can make a donation to Hounslow Jamia Masjid, believes..The Holy Prophet(peace & blessings be upon him) said:"The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity”

Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 604