Oman is a country in which religion and culture have merged into one, and it is simply impossible to imagine them without each other. To praise their God, the Omanis erect majestic temples, which amaze with their wealth and luxury. The mosques of Oman are the sights that every tourist is simply obliged to see in order to feel the spirit of the country.
Oman is a country in which religion and culture have merged into one, and it is simply impossible to imagine them without each other. To praise their God, the Omanis erect majestic temples, which amaze with their wealth and luxury. The mosques of Oman are the sights that every tourist is simply obliged to see in order to feel the spirit of the country.
Features of Islam in Oman
Islam as a religion consists of several structural branches - Sunnism, Shiism, Sufism and Harijism. A kind of the latter is ibadism. It is this current of Islam that the overwhelming majority of Omanis profess. Ibadizm has a number of distinctive characteristics. In particular, this is in some way modesty, simplicity and puritanism. And the mosques in Oman fully corresponded to this trend until the time when "black gold" was found in this country. Often temples were built even without minarets, and prayer halls were decorated according to the principle "simple, but clean". But after the economy of the state sharply went up, this feature of ibadism has receded into the background. A striking example is the main mosque of the capital .
Sultan Qaboos Mosque - the third most beautiful in the world
It is still known as the Muscat Cathedral Mosque. It is the center of religion of the country. The mosque impresses with its splendor, capturing the spirit of tourists. Its construction took place from 1995 to 2001.
They erected a mosque on orders and on the funds of Sultan Qaboos. It should be noted that Omanis are worshiped for their leader because he thinks not only about material goods and his own state, but also about the spiritual development of the country and the preservation of traditions. The result of his principles of government was a real masterpiece of architecture.
The mosque covers an area of 416 thousand square meters. m, and the main material for the construction was 300 thousand tons of Indian sandstone. The main hall is decorated with expensive enamel, white and gray marble. The ceiling is crowned by a chandelier weighing 8 tons, and a carpet is spread on the floor, over which 600 women have been piling over the course of 4 years. But the main thing is that even non-Muslims can visit the Mosque of Sultan Qaboos in Muscat , which is, in principle, a rarity for the Eastern countries.
Other mosques of Oman
Other Muslim temples on the territory of Oman can not compete in beauty with the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, but, nevertheless, they possess a refined flair of the eastern fairy tale. Among them:
- Mohammed Al Ameen. It is located in the city of Bausher, and was discovered relatively recently, in honor of the mother of Sultan Qaboos. Tourists are also allowed here, but only on special days for visits. Prayer halls are decorated in typical Oman style, using carved elements and white marble.
- Al Zulfa. It is located in the city of Sib. Its construction was in 1992. The roof of the mosque is crowned with about 20 domes, painted with gold. Inside access is open only to Muslims.
- Taimur Bin Faisal. It was erected in honor of the grandfather of Sultan Qaboos in 2012. Its architecture bears a skilful combination of Mongolian motifs of the 16th century and modern Omani traditions. For representatives of other religions, visits are allowed from 8 to 11 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
- Talib bin Mohammed. Its main feature is the minaret. Unlike many others, it is made in the style of Hindu temples.
- Al Zawawi. It was built in 1985 in honor of the Zavawi family. From inside the walls of the mosque are decorated with metal plates on which quotations from the Koran are engraved.