The role of the Friday Mosque (Al-Jami) in Islamic cities

This paper studies four prototypical models of early Islamic cities, namely Al-Basrah, Al-Kufah, Baghdad, and Damascus, and the different elements of which they were composed, with emphasis on Al-Jami (Friday mosque). It analyzes the importance of Al-Jami in the formation of these cities, the role it played physically, socially, and culturally, and its relation to the other elements of the urban fabric such as Al-Souq (market), Al-Madrasah (school), and Al-Khitat (residential neighborhoods). As early Islamic cities grew, it was harder to associate to a single Jami at the city center. As a result, Al-Jawami (plural of Al-Jami) spread throughout the city and incorporated other structures such as schools, baths, shops, caravanserais, and even hospitals and public kitchens, in order to satisfy the growing social and cultural needs of the inhabitants. The study examines the role of Al-Jami in the Ottoman regions in what is known as the Ottoman Kulliye (complex of buildings) because the process of incorporating a wide range of services with Al-Jami flourished in these regions especially in the 9$\sp{\rm th}$H/15$\sp{\rm th}$ and 10$\sp{\rm th}$H/16$\sp{\rm th}$ centuries.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Urban and Regional Planning

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Almansouri, Majdi Ahmed

Contributors dc:contributor

• Riley, Robert B.

• Architecture
• Urban and Regional Planning

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1991 Almansouri, Majdi Ahmed

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9136528
(UMI)AAI9136528

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/21561