mihrab
section of a mihrabTile section of a mihrab, fritware, Kashan, Iran, early 14th century; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
mihrab, prayer niche in the qiblah wall (that facing Mecca) of a mosque; mihrabs vary in size but are usually ornately decorated. The mihrab originated in the reign of the Umayyad prince al-Walīd I (705–715), during which time the famous mosques at Medina, Jerusalem, and Damascus were built. The structure was adapted from the prayer niches common to the oratories of Coptic Christian monks. Most prayer rugs also have a mihrab, a segment of the design shaped like a niche. Before kneeling, the user places the rug so that the mihrab is facing Mecca.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Virginia Gorlinski.
Citation Information
Article Title:
mihrab
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
05 June 2018
Access Date:
November 13, 2026