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The designation of the oldest mosques in the world requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest mosque congregation. Even here, there is the distinction between old mosque buildings that have been in continuous use as mosques, and those that have been converted to other purposes; and between buildings that have been in continuous use as mosques and those that were shuttered for many decades. In terms of congregations, they are distinguished between early established congregations that have been in continuous existence, and early congregations that ceased to exist. Note that the major regions, such as Africa and Eurasia, are sorted alphabetically, whereas the minor regions, such as Northeast and Northwest Africa in Africa, and Arabia and South Asia in Eurasia, are sorted by the dates in which their first mosques were reportedly established, more or less, barring those that are mentioned by name in the Quran.
To be listed here a site must:
be the oldest mosque in a country, large city (top 50), or oldest of its type (denomination, architectural, etc.);
be the oldest congregation of its type (denomination).
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, Quran 2:144–217;[3]Quran 5:2;[4]Quran 8:34;[5]Quran 9:7–28;[6]Quran 17:1;[2]Quran 22:25;[7]Quran 48:25–27.[8] the holiest sanctuary, containing the Ka'bah, a site of the Ḥajj ('Pilgrimage'), the Qiblah[9] (Direction of formal prayers of Muslims), and the first mosque[10][11] in Islamic thought.[12][13] Rebuilt many times, notably 1571 by the Ottomans, and the late 20th century by the Saudis, further enlargement under way since 2010.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
Jerusalem (old city)
Palestinian Territories
First time in 705 by Omar last time in 1033,[14] associated with Abraham[1]
Al-Masjid al-Aqṣá,[2] the former Qiblah,[15] site of the significant event of Al-Isra' wal-Mi'raj, third holiest site in Islam. Although properly referring to the whole Temple Mount compound (seen as a single mosque),[note 1] today however specifically the silver-domed congregational mosque or prayer hall facing Mecca [otherwise known as Al-Qibli Mosque (see below)] located on the southern side of the compound.
The first mosque built by Muhammad in the 7th century CE, possibly mentioned as the "Mosque founded on piety since the first day"[22] in the Quran.[citation needed] Largely rebuilt in the late 20th century.
v
t
People and things in the Quran
Characters
Non-humans
Allāh ('The God')
Names of Allah found in the Quran, such as Karīm (Generous)
Animals
Related
The baqarah (cow) of Israelites
The dhiʾb (wolf) that Jacob feared could attack Joseph
Believed to be the first mosque on the African continent and the first mosque in the world built by the companions of prophet Muhammad in the 7th century.[23]
Built in the 7th century in Negash, the mosque in Negash, by tradition burial site of several followers of Mohammad who, during his lifetime, fled to the Aksumite Kingdom to escape persecution in Mecca.[24] It was recently renovated by TIKA, a Turkish cooperation organization.[25]
Built in the 7th century in Zeila, shortly after the hijrah; known to be one of the oldest mosques in the world.
Korijib Masjid
Tadjoura
Djibouti
630–640
Possible the oldest mosque in the country.
Mosque of Amr ibn al-As
Cairo
Egypt
641
Named after 'Amr ibn al-'As, commander of the Muslim conquest of Egypt, by order of Caliph Umar. Built as the centre of Fustat (the newly founded capital of Egypt) in 673–642 CE, and rebuilt in 1179 and in 1875.
Opened in October 1983 by the Shi'ite community of Buenos Aires and with the support of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Argentina. It is a very simple building with a subtle Islamic style in its facade.[46]
Arabian Peninsula (including the island-state of Bahrain)
Building
Image
Location
Country
First built
Denomination
Notes
Al-Masjid al-Nabawi
Medina
Saudi Arabia
622
Second holiest site in Islam (after Al-Haram Mosque) and Muhammad's mosque, which houses his tomb in what was initially his and his wife Aisha's house. Largely rebuilt and greatly enlarged in the late 20th century, whilst retaining at its heart the earlier construction of the Ottomans, and landmark green dome atop the prophet's mausoleum.
Masjid al-Qiblatain
Medina
Saudi Arabia
623
Mosque originally with two Qiblah walls: One facing Jerusalem, the first Qiblah and another facing Mecca
The Huaisheng Mosque is the main mosque of Guangzhou. It has been rebuilt many times over its history. According to tradition it was originally built over 1,300 years ago in 627 CE by Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas, who was an uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and was named in memory of Muhammad.
Although the oldest stones date from the 18th century,[67] the Mosque was founded in 742[68] Built in 742, but oldest mosque in China is the Beacon Tower mosque of Guangzhou being built in 627.[69]
Oldest and most famous mosque in Taiwan. Original building was firstly used in 1947, then relocated to a new site where it was reconstructed in 1960.
Kaohsiung Mosque
Taipei
Taiwan
1949
The second oldest mosque in Taiwan. The original building was built in 1949, then moved to a new location where the second building was built in 1951, and the third and final building built in 1992.
Built by Arab traders at ancient port of Ghogha, Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat. The qibla (direction to be faced while offering namaaz) of the mosque is faced to Bait al Mukaddas (Jerusalem). The mosque is abandoned by devotees after the qibla was changed to Makkah in AD 623 and another mosque constructed at the same time.[70][71][72][73][74]
Cheraman Juma Masjid
Kodungallur
India
629
Built by Malik bin Dinar, companion of Prophet Muhammad, on orders of Cheraman Perumal,[75] then King of modern-day Kerala, it is the oldest mosque in the Indian subcontinent.[76]
unnamed Ramjapur Masjid
Lalmonirhat, Rangpur
Bangladesh
Prophet's lifetime
Sunni
Possibly the earliest mosque in South Asia is under excavation in northern Bangladesh, indicating the presence of Muslims in the area around the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad.[77]
Palaiya Jumma Palli
Kilakarai
India
630
Sunni
Considered to be the first mosque to be built in Tamil Nadu, and the second mosque in India. Constructed by Yemeni merchants and trade settlers in the Pandiya Kingdom and ordered by Bazan ibn Sasan, Governor of Yemen at the time of Muhammad.[78]
Considered to be the oldest Islamic building in Afghanistan.[79]
Jamia Masjid, Banbhore
Banbhore, Sindh
Pakistan
727
This is the oldest mosque of Pakistan which is located in Bhambore.[80] Also believed to be the first mosque in South Asia.[81] Built after the conquest of Sindh.
This is the oldest mosque of Gilgit Baltistan located in Khaplu.[82][83]
Sixty Dome Mosque
Bagerhat
Bangladesh
1450
Built by Khan Jahan Ali, it is considered to be the second-oldest mosque in Bangladesh. The fortified structure contains eighty-one domes, sixty stone pillars and eleven mihrabs.
A Muslim prayer hall with a silver-colored lead dome located in the southern part of Al-Aqsa Mosque (Temple Mount), built by the RashiduncaliphUmar ibn Al-Khattab.
Fourth holiest site and the national mosque of Syria. It was originally built after the Muslim conquest of the city in 634. The current structure dates to 715.
Southwest Asia (excluding the Arabian peninsula, Caucasus, and Syrian region)
Building
Image
Location
Country
First built
Denomination
Notes
Ayasofya Mosque (Hagia Sophia)
Istanbul
Turkey
1453 (537)
Built in 537 as a Greek Orthodox cathedral, converted to a mosque in 1453, and then a museum in 1931.[87] In 2020, it was again converted into a mosque by order of a Turkish court.
Great Mosque of Kufa
Kufa
Iraq
639
Shia
The mosque, built in the 7th century, contains the remains of Muslim ibn Aqeel – first cousin of Husayn ibn Ali, his companion Hani ibn Urwa, and the revolutionary Mukhtar al-Thaqafi.
Built by the Umayyad caliph Umar II, as part of his conversion of the city into a military base to shield Antioch from a potential Greek attack. The building fell into ruin during the reign of Al-Mu'tasim, approximately 120 years later.
It was built on the main (Visigothic) church of the city after the site was being divided and shared between Muslims and Christians for around seven decades. The great mosque was built by Abd al-Rahman I, the first Muslim ruler of Spain in 785,[90] it underwent successive extensions in the 9th and 10th centuries and was concluded in 10th century under the command of Almanzor. After the Christian reconquest of Cordoba in 1236, Ferdinand III of Castile converted the mosque into a cathedral, the current Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. With 23,400 square metres (2.34 ha), it was the second largest mosque in the world on the surface, after Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, only later replaced in this respect by the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul in 1588.
Small mosque for the monarch and his courtiers inside the Aljafería. It is accessed through a portal that ends in a horseshoe arch inspired by the Mosque of Córdoba but with S-shaped springers, a novelty that will imitate the Almoravid art and Nasrid art. The front of the mihrab is conformed by a very traditional horseshoe arch. The arch of the portal, an alfiz framed its back, in whose curved triangles two mirrored rosettes are recessed, as is the dome of the interior of the mihrab. In 2001, the original restored structures of the Aljafería were included in the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon, a World Heritage Site.[92]
Aljama Mosque in , a vast, fortified Moorish palace-city built by Abd-ar-Rahman III (912–961). The marbled, jeweled complex was plundered & destroyed first by Muslims, then by Christians when civil war ended Caliphate of Córdoba. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018.
Built in 999 in Toledo, this building is a rarity in that it is in much the same state as it was when it was originally built.[95] The building is a small square structure. It measures roughly 8 m × 8 m. Four columns capped with Visigothic capitals divide the interior into nine compartments. Covering each of these bays is a vault that has a distinctive design that is unique unto itself. Some of the designs are more rectilinear while others embrace the curved forms of the vault more prominently. Within each one is a piece of their culture and tradition of building in the Islamic art manner.[95] The influence of the caliphate of Córdoba can be seen in the brickwork on the facade of the building which resembles those seen at the Cathedral–Mosque of Córdoba. Both Mosque of Cristo de la Luz with Cathedral–Mosque of Córdoba are the oldest examples of the islamic culture at Spain.[96]
Arabic: الـمـسـتـمـيـم, romanized: al-Mustimim was built in the middle of the 11th century[98] on the foundations of Roman architecture, located in the old Muslim neighborhood . The building continued maintaining the Islamic faith in Spain well beyond the reconquista of the city by the Christian troops of Alfonso VI of León and Castile in 1085, until the period of 1498–1505, when it was desacralizated by the Catholic Monarchs.
Probably constructed by Abu-l-Qasim Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Qasi, governor of Silves and a rebel leader against the Almoravid dynasty. These are the only ruins of such Muslim fortress to have been identified in Portugal, excavated by Portuguese archaeologists since 2001.
Unique and most identifiable former mosque in Portugal, although a mixture of Almohad and Manueline post-Gothic architecture. Rebuilt in the second half of 12th century with some elements from the 9th century.
Only the minaret remains. Mosque comparable in size to Great mosque of Cordoba, mostly destroyed by earthquake in 1365. Minaret used as a church bell tower was built higher in 16th century.
Only parts of the original minaret remain, incorporated in the church bell tower. It's 22.7 metres tall and 4.2 metres across. Across it lies an old Muslim cemetery of Jardim dos Amuados.
Only minaret of the medium-size mosque in Plaza Abul Beka neighborhood remains. Minaret was expanded and used as a bell tower. The mosque was converted to a church but destroyed in 1600s during Morisco Revolts. Ronda was a Muslim city for 700 years. The city had 7 or 8 mosques, none survive today.[104]
It is considered to be the oldest mosque in North Macedonia. However, as a result of the various renovation works, the building has been altered to such an extent that it is no longer in its original state. [106]
Several sources state that a mosque was founded in 1860 at 2 Glynrhondda Street, Cardiff, Wales. This has been rejected by an academic paper as a transcription error.[124]
Western-Central Europe (excluding the British Isles, Nordic countries, and countries that are also in Eastern Europe)
Building
Image
Location
Country
First built
Denomination
Notes
Grand Mosque of Paris
Paris (first in Metropolitan France)
France
1926
This mosque was the first mosque built in France since the 8th century; it was built in the Moroccan style, and honored Muslim French veterans of World War I.[125]
Erected in 1915 by the Imperial German Army administration for Muslim Allied prisoners of war in the POW camp in Wünsdorf, later used as refugee camp. In 1930 torn down due to lack of a congregation.
Mobarak Mosque
The Hague
Netherlands
1955
The first known purpose-built mosque in the Netherlands.
Centre Islamique de Genève ("Little Mosque" of Geneva)
A mosque of the community of Finnish Tatars. It is considered to be the oldest mosque in Nordic countries. Finland's first Muslim cemetery was established in the 1830s for Russian troops.[128]
Founded by the Ahmadiyya; first purpose-built mosque in a Nordic country.
Islamic Cultural Centre Norway
Oslo
Norway
1974
Founded by Pakistani-Norwegians aided by Danish Muslims; of the Sunni Deobandi school. The first Shi'i mosque, Anjuman-e Hussain, opened in 1975; the first Sunni Barelvi mosque opened in 1976.
^According to historian Oleg Grabar, "It is only at a relatively late date that the Muslim holy space in Jerusalem came to be referred to as al-haram al-sharif (literally, the Noble Sacred Precinct or Restricted Enclosure, often translated as the Noble Sanctuary and usually simply referred to as the Haram). While the exact early history of this term is unclear, we know that it only became common in Ottoman times, when administrative order was established over all matters pertaining to the organization of the Muslim faith and the supervision of the holy places, for which the Ottomans took financial and architectural responsibility. Before the Ottomans, the space was usually called al-masjid al-aqsa (the Farthest Mosque), a term now reserved to the covered congregational space on the Haram, or masjid bayt al-maqdis (Mosque of the Holy City) or, even, like Mecca's sanctuary, al-masjid al-ḥarâm,"[16]
^Long, David E. (1979). "2: The Rites of the Hajj". The Hajj Today: A Survey of the Contemporary Pilgrimage to Makkah. pp. 11–24. ISBN978-0-8739-5382-5. With thousands of Hajjis, most of them in motor vehicles, rushing headlong for Muzdalifah, the potential is there for one of ... There is special grace for praying at the roofless mosque in Muzdalifah called al-Mash'ar al-Haram (the Sacred Grove) ...
^Danarto (1989). A Javanese pilgrim in Mecca. p. 27. ISBN978-0-8674-6939-4. It was still dark when we arrived at Muzdalifah, four miles away. The Koran instructs us to spend the night at al-Mash'ar al-Haram. the Sacred Grove at Muzdalifah, as one of the conditions for the hajj . We scrambled out of the bus and looked ...
^Jones, Lindsay (2005). Encyclopedia of religion. Vol. 10. Macmillan Reference USA. p. 7159. ISBN978-0-0286-5743-1. The Qur'an admonishes: "When you hurry from Arafat, remember God at the Sacred Grove (al-mash' ar al-haram)," that is, at Muzdalifah (2:198). Today a mosque marks the place in Muzdalifah where pilgrims gather to perform the special saldt ...
^Ziauddin Sardar; M. A. Zaki Badawi (1978). Hajj Studies. King Abdul Aziz University. Jeddah: Croom Helm for Hajj Research Centre. p. 32. ISBN978-0-8566-4681-2. Muzdalifah is an open plain sheltered by parched hills with sparse growth of thorn bushes. The pilgrims spend a night under the open sky of the roofless Mosque, the Sacred Grove, Al Mush'ar al-Haram. On the morning of the tenth, all depart ...
^ abReid, Richard J. (12 January 2012). "The Islamic Frontier in Eastern Africa". A History of Modern Africa: 1800 to the Present. John Wiley and Sons. p. 106. ISBN978-0470658987. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
^Sasongko, Agus (31 January 2019). "Muslim Swaziland Mendamba Masjid" [Swaziland Muslims Longing for Mosque]. Republika (in Indonesian). Retrieved 21 March 2021.
^ abArabian American Oil Company; Saudi Aramco; Aramco Services (1987). Aramco world. Aramco. p. 67. Retrieved 5 July 2012. – Then, in 1902, Indonesian Muslims from Java arrived to cultivate Suriname's coastal rice fields, and four years later, the country's first mosque was built at Wanica.
^ abDavid Westerlund; Ingvar Svanberg (13 November 1999). Islam Outside the Arab World. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 453–. ISBN978-0-312-22691-6. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
^Westerlund, David; Svanberg, Ingvar (1999). Islam Outside the Arab World. ISBN9780312226916. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
^Roger Wood (1975). An introduction to Saudi Arabian antiquities. Saudi Arabia: Idārat al-Āthār wa-al-Matāḥif. Department of Antiquities and Museums, Ministry of Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. p. 151. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
^Prof.Mehboob Desai,Masjit during the time of Prophet Nabi Muhammed Sale Allahu Alayhi Wasalam,Divy Bhasakar,Gujarati News Paper, Thursday, column 'Rahe Roshan',24 May,page 4
^Magdalino, Paul, et al. "Istanbul: Buildings, Hagia Sophia" in Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. http://www.oxfordartonline.com. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
^Antonio Pareja (1999). Mezquita de Bab al Mardum, Cristo de la Luz, Toledo 999–1999. Fundacíon Cultura y Deporte Castilla-La Mancha, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha.
^ abPareja, Antonio. Mezquita de Bab al Mardum, Cristo de la Luz, Toledo 999-1999. [Spain]:Fundacíon Cultura y Deporte Castilla-La Mancha, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, 1999.
^ abSharr, KBI (March 2007). "Këshilli me xhaminë më të vjetër në rajon". DITURIA ISLAME, Revistë Mujore, Fetare, Kulturore e Shkencore. Nr. 200 (xhamitë nëpër këshillat e Kosovës): 50.
^ abcJorgen S. Nielsen; Samim Akgönül; Ahmet Alibasic (15 October 2009). Yearbook of Muslims in Europe. BRILL. pp. 169–. ISBN978-90-04-17505-1. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
^Richmond, Simon (2010). Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei. Lonely Planet. p. 580. ISBN9781741048872. Retrieved 15 March 2015. first mosque singapore.
^ abFlorida, Nancy K. (1995). "5: The Demak Mosque: A Construction of Authority". Babad Jaka Tingkir: Writing the past, inscribing the future: history as prophesy in colonial Java. Durham, N. C.: Duke University Press. ISBN978-0-8223-1622-0.
^Gilliat-Ray, Sophie (July 2010). "The first registered mosque in the UK, Cardiff, 1860': the evolution of a myth". Contemporary Islam. 4 (2): 179–193. doi:10.1007/s11562-010-0116-9. ISSN1872-0218. S2CID145759796.
^Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck; Smith, Jane I. (2002). Muslim Minorities in the West. ISBN9780759102187. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
^Tejomukti, Ratna Ajeng (3 December 2017). "Tiga Masjid Bersejarah di Tanah Papua" [Three Historical Mosques in Papua] (in Indonesian). Retrieved 5 September 2020.