Mosques

This morning I visited two mosques – Sultan Hassan and Ibn Tulun – with my fellow teachers. It was my second visit to Sultan Hassan near the base of the Citadel. Sultan Hassan dates from about the 14th century and is a classic example of Mamluk mosque architecture. (If I looked at my notes, I could tell you the style characterics of Mamluk archicture, but I won’t bore you right now.) Suffice it to say it was beautiful and prayerful.

Today was my first visit to Ibn Tulun Mosque (pictured) which dates from the 10th century. In many ways it is much simpler in design and style than the Sultan Hassan Mosque, it is beautiful in it’s own way. The entire mosque covers about 6 ½ acres and is built around a large open-air tiled courtyard. But as I walked the perimeter of the courtyard and passed pillar after pillar supporting the roof I was immediately reminded of the Hypostile halls at the temples of Luxor with their enormous columns that reach up to the heavens. The same feeling came over me at Ibn Tulun as at Karnac Temple (pictured). It is as if the repeated architectural elements serve as a mantra for the mind that makes one more open to prayer.

I asked my colleague Michael who teaches Islamic Art and Architecture at St. Bonaventure University to explain to me the theological principles for mosque architecture. In short, because prayer is central to Islamic faith practice, mosques are intended to be places that direct one’s spirit to prayer. The open air features of the mosques in Egypt are not just a function of weather but are also intended to direct the prayer out of the self and into the created world where one encounters the God of creation.

It is hard to be in holy places – whether Christian or Muslim – and not have one’s soul directed toward the One God, maker of all things. The feeling of entering the courtyard of Ibn Tulun today was not unlike the first time I entered St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and had my breath taken away.

Today was a great reminder that it is a good thing when the people of this world put effort and energy into creating holy spaces to direct our minds to the Holy One.