Mihrab
A niche in a mosque wall indicating the direction of Mecca.
A mihrab is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims face when praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is thus the qibla wall. The minbar, the raised platform from which an imam addresses the congregation, is located to the right of the mihrab.
- field
- Islamic architecture
- known_for
- Indicating the direction of prayer (qibla) in mosques
- oldest_surviving_concave_mihrab
- Marble mihrab at the Iraq Museum, 8th century
- etymology
- Multiple origins proposed; possibly from Old South Arabian or Arabic root Ḥ-R-B
Lore & Background
The earliest mihrabs were simple stripes of paint or flat stone panels on the qibla wall. During the reign of Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I (r. The origin of this architectural feature has been debated, with some tracing it to the apse of Christian churches, others to Buddhist alcove shrines, or to royal throne alcoves.
Reader's Guide
The mihrab became a universal feature of mosques after the Umayyad period, with concave niches spreading across the Muslim world. The oldest surviving concave mihrab is an 8th-century marble example at the Iraq Museum, featuring Classical motifs with spiral columns and a scalloped shell hood. Mihrabs are usually ornately decorated with geometric designs, calligraphy from the Qur'an, and foliage patterns. In exceptional cases, such as the Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the Two Qiblas), two mihrabs once existed, but the one facing Jerusalem was removed in a 1987 renovation. The mihrab in the Great Mosque of Córdoba, built under Al-Hakam II, is unusually large, taking up a whole room, and is covered in mosaics made by craftsmen sent by Emperor Nicephorus II.
Did You Know?
- The word mihrab originally meant a special room in a house or a throne room in a palace.
- The first concave mihrab was ordered by the governor of Medina under Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I.
- The oldest surviving concave mihrab is an 8th-century marble piece now at the Iraq Museum.
- The Masjid al-Qiblatayn once had two mihrabs, one facing Jerusalem and one facing Mecca.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mihrab in a mosque?
A mihrab is a recessed niche set into a mosque wall that marks the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca toward which all worshippers face during prayer.
Where is the mihrab positioned relative to other mosque features?
It is built into the qibla wall, and the minbar—the raised platform from which the imam addresses the congregation—is placed to the right of the mihrab.
What is the etymology of the word 'mihrab'?
No single origin has been universally agreed upon; scholars have suggested a possible root in Old South Arabian or in the Arabic triliteral root Ḥ-R-B, among other proposals.
Why is the mihrab important for Islamic worship?
It provides a permanent, visible architectural marker so that every person in the mosque can instantly identify the correct prayer direction without ambiguity, keeping the congregation aligned toward Mecca during salah.
More in Islamic Traditions And Concepts 1-21
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