Al-Nouri Mosque
Encyclopedia
The Great Mosque of al-Nuri also called al-Nouri Mosque, is a mosque
in Homs
, Syria
. It is situated off ash-Shouhada street, adjacent to the city's historical roofed souk
s ("markets").
, the Great Mosque was the site of the city's pagan temple for the sun god ("El-Gabal"). The temple gained Emesa (Homs)
prominence in the region as an important center of paganism and one of its priests, Elagabalus
, became Emperor of Rome. El-Gabal's temple was paid tribute by Aurelian
after he attributed his victory of Zenobia
to the deity.
When Homs became a part of the Byzantine Empire
, the temple was converted into a church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. After the city was conquered by the Muslim
s, one-fourth or half of the church was transformed into the Friday Mosque (Jama'a Masjid) of Homs. According to numerous Muslim geographers who visited the city throughout the centuries of Islam
ic rule, a talisman
made of white stone stood over the gate of the mosque facing the church. It depicted an image of man whose lower body was that of a scorpion, and local tradition claimed that if a man was stung by a scorpion, he should take clay, press it on the image, then dissolve the clay in water and drink it. Afterward, pain from the sting would cease and he would quickly recover.
In 1154, Muslim geographer al-Idrisi wrote that the mosque was "one of the largest of all the cities of Syria". During the reign of Nur ad-Din the Zengid sultan, between 1146 and 1174, much of the modern structure was built and thus the name "al-Nuri" was attributed to him. The Great Mosque has since undergone extensive modifications over the centuries.
of the pagan temple would have stood. Other independent structures in the courtyard include a heavily-decorated basalt
basin, perhaps being an old sarcophagus. Columns with Corinth
ian capitals line the wall, some of which are clearly of Roman origin. The mihrab
("pulpit") of the mosque contains remnants of mosaics in its arch. The main entrance to the mosque is arched, decorated with black and white stone, and carved with Arabic
inscriptions on either side.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. It is situated off ash-Shouhada street, adjacent to the city's historical roofed souk
Souk
A souq is a commercial quarter in an Arab, Berber, and increasingly European city. The term is often used to designate the market in any Arabized or Muslim city, but in modern times it appears in Western cities too...
s ("markets").
History
Originally, under the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, the Great Mosque was the site of the city's pagan temple for the sun god ("El-Gabal"). The temple gained Emesa (Homs)
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
prominence in the region as an important center of paganism and one of its priests, Elagabalus
Elagabalus
Elagabalus , also known as Heliogabalus, was Roman Emperor from 218 to 222. A member of the Severan Dynasty, he was Syrian on his mother's side, the son of Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus. Early in his youth he served as a priest of the god El-Gabal at his hometown, Emesa...
, became Emperor of Rome. El-Gabal's temple was paid tribute by Aurelian
Aurelian
Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following...
after he attributed his victory of Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
to the deity.
When Homs became a part of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, the temple was converted into a church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. After the city was conquered by the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, one-fourth or half of the church was transformed into the Friday Mosque (Jama'a Masjid) of Homs. According to numerous Muslim geographers who visited the city throughout the centuries of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic rule, a talisman
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
made of white stone stood over the gate of the mosque facing the church. It depicted an image of man whose lower body was that of a scorpion, and local tradition claimed that if a man was stung by a scorpion, he should take clay, press it on the image, then dissolve the clay in water and drink it. Afterward, pain from the sting would cease and he would quickly recover.
In 1154, Muslim geographer al-Idrisi wrote that the mosque was "one of the largest of all the cities of Syria". During the reign of Nur ad-Din the Zengid sultan, between 1146 and 1174, much of the modern structure was built and thus the name "al-Nuri" was attributed to him. The Great Mosque has since undergone extensive modifications over the centuries.
Architecture
The body structure of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri is large and rectangular and inside the mosque is courtyard of the same shape. The courtyard includes a raised terrace along the wall, possibly representing a part of the podium on which the cellaCella
A cella or naos , is the inner chamber of a temple in classical architecture, or a shop facing the street in domestic Roman architecture...
of the pagan temple would have stood. Other independent structures in the courtyard include a heavily-decorated basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
basin, perhaps being an old sarcophagus. Columns with Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
ian capitals line the wall, some of which are clearly of Roman origin. The mihrab
Mihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
("pulpit") of the mosque contains remnants of mosaics in its arch. The main entrance to the mosque is arched, decorated with black and white stone, and carved with Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
inscriptions on either side.