I met the Blue Mosque on my very first day in Istanbul. Then we settled in a small private hotel near Sultanahmet Square, located in the center of the city district of the same name.

In my opinion, the Sultanahmet area is the optimal place to stay for your first acquaintance with Istanbul. Everything is close here, once again you won’t need to waste time and money on transport, and if you plan to visit places that are more distant from the center and not very popular with tourists, then the main transport interchanges are just a stone’s throw away - Sikherdzhi station, bus station, piers, where ferries depart from.

Here you can not only admire world-famous attractions such as the Sultanahmet Camiil - also known as the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia Museum (Ayasofya Müzesi), the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici), the Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Saray Müzesi), the Archaeological Museum (Istanbul) Arkeoloji Müseleri), Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art (Türk Islam Eserleri Müzesi), Roksolana Baths (Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamami), Grand Bazaar ( Kapalıçarşı), but also just wander through the narrow streets, look at the Ottoman mansions, shop windows and cafes.

The next morning we went for a walk. They didn’t plot the route using the navigator, almost didn’t look at the map, they walked, as they say, on a whim - still nearby, two steps away. They simply set a course for Sultanahmet Square and, sticking to it, deviated a little, went into alleys, looked at houses and shop windows.

Thus, after about an hour we found ourselves at the Blue Mosque, but not at its main entrance:

This view opens from this very arch:

Of course, this is not the most traditional way to get acquainted with a masterpiece of world architecture, but looking at the mosque from this side, for some reason I am imbued with its grandeur and majesty even more than at the main gate.

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As already mentioned, the Blue Mosque is located in the very center of the historical Sultanahmet district.

To the square Sultanahmet (Sultanahmet ) can be reached by tram branches T1"Zeytinburnu" - "Kabatash" (" Zeitinburnu" - "Kabatas"), stretching across almost the entire historical center of the city.

You need to get off at the stop called " Sultanahmet. Blue Mosque ".

The Blue Mosque has 3 entrances.

Entrance A “looks” directly at the Hagia Sophia, where it is the most crowded. It looks like this:

And this is the view from Hagia Sophia:

Entrance B is located on the side of the Hippodrome, which is located to the right of entrance A (if you are facing it), immediately behind the shopping rows:

As you can see, there are very few people here.

Entrance C is special. Above him, unlike the others, hangs a chain. At one time, this entrance could be used by the Sultan, who rode into the courtyard of the mosque without getting off his horse. And in order to show your humility and respect for Allah, to emphasize your insignificance before him, you had to bend down every time, passing under a low-hanging chain.

Entrance C is also located on the side of the Hippodrome, a little further from Entrance B, almost opposite the Egyptian Obelisk:

This is the view from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, located directly opposite the S entrance.

Personal impressions. Excursions and guides

As I already wrote, we ended up in the courtyard of the mosque in a non-traditional way. And while we were looking around, being impressed and taking pictures of everything, a man came up to us and said that the entrance for tourists was a little further. We, in fact, did not intend to enter there; we saw a sign:

(“entrance for visitors is to the right, for worshipers - to the left, here”).

Nevertheless, they thanked him and moved on to the entrance for guests. But the restless man decided that we needed to give valuable instructions regarding the shoes that needed to be removed upon entering, and at the same time began to skillfully insert various historical “interests” into the text of the “instructions.” We had already begun to understand that such persistent care of us was nothing more than business, but the guy was pleasant, spoke good English, and we, still euphoric after the first day, succumbed to his persistence.

He walked us to the entrance, reminded us to take off our shoes, showed us where to put them, gave us a tour, answered our questions, offered to take photos of us and, of course, left us his business card in case we wanted to walk around other places with him. historical sites of the Sultanahmet area.

At the end of the excursion, we realized that the price should have been agreed upon at the beginning - his services cost 5 euros / 15 TL (Turkish lira) per person, which is not cheap, considering that entrance to the mosque is free, and no more information was received than in articles in guidebooks such as Dorling Kindersley and Orange Guide.

Later, in “especially tourist” places, we often encountered this way of doing business. It seems that they are not offering you anything bad, but they are not doing it in an open way, and in itself this is not very pleasant.

There is no need to be afraid or embarrassed to refuse services that you do not need; you will not offend anyone by doing this, but you will not get an unpleasant aftertaste from the fact that they were imposed on you. We did not blame ourselves for being confused, but regarded this episode as a new experience.

If you want to use the services of a guide, you should take care of this in advance, for example:

• buy a tour at the tourist information center (it is located on the same Sultanahmet Square, next to the tram stop);
• find on the Internet. There are a sufficient number of offers for the request “individual guide in Istanbul” - read, choose according to your taste, contact the guide;
• It is possible to book an excursion on the spot in museums. Mosques, of course, do not have this service.

Opening hours of the Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, but is closed to tourists during prayer times.

Prayer (namaz) is performed five times a day; its time depends on the position of the sun in the sky and, accordingly, cannot be constant.

A very approximate time interval for the start of prayers:

5-6 am, 9-10 am, noon, 4-5 pm, 7-8 pm.

There are also Friday and holiday prayers.

In any case, the muezzins announce the beginning of prayer, or more precisely, the invitation to it - their call is heard from the minarets of all mosques throughout the city.

It is interesting that the call to prayer does not occur at once, but with a slight “overlap” - starting at one point in the city, it, like a relay race, passes from one mosque to another and at some point, merging together, covers the entire city.

Entrance to all mosques in the city is free.

Rules for visiting mosques

The Blue Mosque is operational, like the vast majority of mosques in the city (there are about three thousand in total!). When visiting mosques, you must follow the following rules:

• clothing should cover the body as much as possible (trousers, not shorts; a skirt below the knees; preferably long sleeves at the top of the clothing);
• Women must cover their heads (coverings are provided);
• You need to take off your shoes at the entrance to the mosque.

Good advice
If you are in Istanbul in winter and plan to often go to mosques and look at their interiors, I recommend taking care of warm socks - a little cooler outside, and your feet will start to freeze.

Personal observations

I would like to note that during our numerous visits to mosques, we have never encountered any discontent from parishioners and ministers; I have never been reprimanded if I had my head uncovered. I noticed that believers really come to prayer, and they don’t care about tourists.

History of the Blue Mosque

Sultanahmet Mosque ( Sultanahmet Kamil), or the Blue Mosque (tur. Mavi Сami - Blue Mosque, Gök Sami - heavenly mosque), as Europeans later began to call it, was built by order of the young Sultan Ahmet I at the beginning of the 17th century.

After more than a century of growth and prosperity of the Ottoman Empire, a significant increase in its territories in the east and south, and the end of the reign of the great commander and reformer Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire began to lose its strength and power.

In 1606, the war with Austria was lost, and the Turks had to recognize the Habsburg imperial title; At the same time, there was a war with Iran, which took away strength, and ultimately led to the defeat of the Turks.

These and other reasons could not but affect the weakening of Turkey’s power and, accordingly, the internal mood in the state.

In 1609, the young Sultan decided that the time had come to turn to Allah for help, but first he needed to pay him tribute for his sins. Building a mosque is the best way. Any Muslim knows that a person who builds a mosque will be rewarded for it at the end of his life.

Therefore, Sultan Akhmet decided to build not just a mosque, but a mosque worthy of Allah himself, for which he invited Sedefkar Mehmet Agha, the most talented student of Haji Sinan, one of the best architects of his era.

They decided to build the mosque on the site of the palace of the Byzantine emperors, directly opposite the former Hagia Sophia. For this, the palace and many of its buildings that belonged to the nobility were destroyed. There was nothing left of the spectator seats at the Hippodrome.

In the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in the “Byzantine era on the territory of Istanbul” hall (1st floor, hall No. 3) you can see the remains of the palace of the Byzantine emperors, as well as its virtual reconstruction. The scale is truly impressive!

It is difficult to say whether the young sultan wanted to challenge the “ghost” of Constantinople in the person of the majestic Hagia Sophia, or whether his main goal was to appease Allah with the construction of such a grandiose structure, surpassing in size and richness of interior decoration all existing buildings, including those remaining from the Byzantine ones times

The Sultan’s sincere faith in the mercy of Allah is also confirmed by the fact that he allocated money for the construction of the mosque from his personal treasury, and did not use the state treasury. Usually his predecessors built mosques with money earned in wars, but Akhmet did not win a single significant victory.

Construction of the mosque lasted seven years - from 1609 to 1616.

Sultan Ahmet I lived another year after construction was completed, and died of typhus at the age of 27 and was buried in the garden of the mosque.

Architecture of the Blue Mosque

The architecture of the Sultanahmet Mosque combines Byzantine and classical Ottoman styles. At first glance, the Sultanahmet Mosque seems to reflect the monumental Hagia Sophia. A little more “modern”, a little more streamlined, but its proportions, cascading domes and majesty definitely make it clear the similarities between these monumental creations

If you take a closer look, you will see a fundamental difference, perceptible in the details.

Blue Mosque:

Hagia Sophia:

To make it more convincing, you can imagine what it looked like without minarets:

The style of architecture is determined not only by forms, but by a whole variety of factors. This is the spirit of the time, materials, and the internal content of the architectural space.

For those who are interested in comparing Byzantine cathedrals with mosques, I suggest you look at the monuments of Orthodox architecture in Istanbul, which are carefully preserved and restored whenever possible: the Cathedral of St. Irene, the Church of the Savior in Chora (Kariye Müzesi), the Pantocrator Monastery and others.

The base of the Blue Mosque in architectural terms is a rectangle with sides 72x64 meters, it is easy to calculate that its area is 4608 square meters! The courtyard occupies exactly the same amount of space.

Such a large territory is due not only to the desire to demonstrate its scale, but is also used for practical and noble purposes - in addition to the mosque, there was a whole complex of buildings: a hospital, kitchens, madrassas, a caravanserai and some charitable institutions. In the 19th century, they were all destroyed, but the madrasah is still in operation. It is located in the east wing.

Madrasah - lit. “place of study” - a Muslim educational institution in which the high school program is combined with the program of the Muslim theological seminary.

In the center of the courtyard there is a hexagonal fountain for ablutions:

Today the fountain is decorative. Those who come to prayer perform ablutions before entering the courtyard, using, of course, not a fountain, but a modern water supply.

The Legend of the Six Minarets

The most common legend about why Sultanahmet has six minarets says that Mehmet Aga allegedly misheard when he listened to the Sultan’s instructions and instead of “altyn minare” (tur. altın minareler - golden minarets) heard “alty minare” (tur. altı minareli - six minarets).

It is hard to believe that the architect is hard of hearing, especially since the Sultan personally supervised the construction of the mosque, appearing every Friday for its construction.

The version that sounds more plausible is that the Sultan deliberately decided to go against all laws in order to surpass the importance and grandeur of Hagia Sophia, which at that time was the main mosque of the city and had four minarets (the maximum possible number).

When the construction was completed, the imams ( imam - cleric in charge of a mosque) were indignant at such audacity of the young Sultan and accused him of pride - after all, the Forbidden Mosque in Mecca had the same number of minarets - the maximum possible number! Sultan Ahmet did not change anything in his brainchild, and in order to remain Mecca, he paid for the construction of the seventh minaret for the Forbidden Mosque.

The conflict was resolved, and the Blue Mosque to this day flaunts its six minarets, directed upward, remaining one of a kind - exalted, elegant and majestic.

Numbers

Four minarets stand at the corners of the mosque and have three balconies each.

The two minarets are located at the end of the square and have two balconies each. The height of each minaret is 64 meters.

Interior of the Blue Mosque

Space and light

The first thing that catches your eye when you get inside is the huge space and its lighting.

The light in the mosque is dim, but at the same time there is enough light to give the colors the opportunity to play on the patterns of the tiles. This is truly a unique experience.

The trick is that the volumetric space is illuminated through small windows, some of which are covered with stained glass. Those. the space is illuminated as if in parts, the light is focused on a small area, but due to the number of these “foci”, the illusion of its dispersion is created.

It looks something like putting 50 candles in a room, each illuminating a small object, and turning off the central lighting.

The mosque also has central lighting. This is a huge chandelier-candlestick, suspended under the main dome and with a diameter no less than it.

Long chains lower it very low, and in the proportions of the mosque it looks almost lying on the floor.

The floor is covered with a huge carpet. It is not blue at all, but red, more precisely the color of garnet, with traditional floral fragments:

I still remember the pleasant feeling of walking on it - clean, soft, cool.

Numbers

The central hall measuring 53.50x49.47 (2646 m2) can accommodate 35,000 people at a time.

The height of the central dome is 43 meters, and its diameter is 23.5 meters.

The diameter of each column (there are four of them) on which the dome rests is 5 meters.

There are 260 windows in the Blue Mosque, and those that frame the dome are placed in such a way that it creates the illusion of it being suspended, floating in the air:

Iznik miracle

Iznik is a small city known since ancient times as Nicaea and at one time played a large role in the development of Christianity.

At the beginning of the 14th century, it was captured by the Turks and received a new name, which it bears to this day. From the end of the 15th century, the city began to develop the production of unique ceramics, which subsequently made it famous. At the time of construction of the mosque, there was no better choice for decorating its interior than tiles from Iznik, and while the mosque was being built (and this happened over the course of seven years), the Sultan was forbidden to supply them to other customers. Samples for the mosque were supplied regularly, but the work was not paid very well, and, unfortunately, the factory's business gradually fell into disrepair. But that is another story…

The interior of the mosque is irresistible thanks mainly to the famous Iznik ceramics, its handmade tiles, the main colors of which are blue, white and garnet. It is due to the combination of these colors, the predominant of which is blue and its shades, that the impression of heavenly airiness and lightness is created.

The main motif of the drawings is floral ornament. Tulips, hyacinths, pomegranate flowers. Unfortunately, I did not have any photographs with individual images of the tiles of the Blue Mosque, only a general view:

But in the Rustem Pasha Mosque, the interior of which is also tiled from Iznik, I bought a set of postcards with floral motifs. Here are a few as examples:

Numbers

To decorate the interior of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, 21,043 tiles from more than 50 different samples were required.

Mihrab and minbar

Mihrab is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction to Mecca.

In the Sultanahmet Mosque, it is carved from a single piece of white marble, decorated with exquisite carvings.

A piece of Black Stone from the Kaaba is inserted into the frame of the mihrab.

The Kaaba is a Muslim shrine in the form of a cubic structure in the courtyard of the Holy Mosque in Mecca. According to legend, this is the first structure erected by people to serve God.

Note

I repeat that the Blue Mosque is the second name of the Sultanahmet Mosque, as the Turks say, this is the “nickname” given to it by the Europeans. They themselves call her Sultanahmet or Ahmedie!

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Anything to add?

The word "mosque" comes from the Arabic word "masjid", which means "to prostrate". That is, a mosque is a place of worship and prayer. Mosques serve Muslims for general prayers, and also, sometimes, as places for people to gather and teach the basics of Muslim doctrine.

In accordance with this, there is a strict etiquette for behavior in the mosque. Not only followers of Islam, but also representatives of other religions can visit these places of worship, but, of course, only if people behave appropriately. So, what should you never do in a mosque?

1. You must enter the mosque with your right foot.

At the same time, the Muslim is obliged to say: “O Almighty, open the gates of your mercy.” In addition, upon entering the room, a Muslim must greet everyone by saying “As-salamu alaikum.” At the same time, you need to say hello even if there is no one in the mosque, since it is believed that angels are always present in the temple.

2. You cannot enter the mosque wearing shoes. This applies to both men and women, Muslims and people of other faiths. Therefore, when going to a mosque, say, on an excursion, you should make sure that your socks are clean and not full of holes. Shoes are left in special lockers at the entrance, but if you wish, you can take them with you in a bag.

3. You should also think about clothes. It should be clean and beautiful. Both men and women should cover their knees and shoulders, and women should cover their heads with a scarf so that their hair is not visible. Muslim women dress so that only their hands, feet and face are visible (however, in some countries they also hide their faces), and the clothes should not be too bright or tight. This is what representatives of other religions should be guided by if they do not want to cause indignation among Muslims.

4. Under no circumstances should anyone visit the mosque if they have recently eaten garlic and onions. The Prophet Muhammad said this: “Whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not come near our mosque, because the angels are irritated by what irritates the sons of Adam.” In other words, no stench is allowed in the mosque. It is even permissible for men to use incense in moderation. But women, on the contrary, should not use perfume. It is believed that the aroma emanating from a woman can interfere with the prayerful concentration of men. This is probably why women pray in the mosque in special rooms separated from those where men gather.

5. In addition, women are prohibited from visiting the mosque on “special days.”

6. It is forbidden to pass in front of a person performing namaz. The hadith (hadith is the legend about the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, which affects the peculiarities of the life of the Muslim community) says: “If the one passing directly in front of the one praying knew what he was doing, then standing for forty years would be better for him than passing directly in front of him "

7. You can sit on the floor in the mosque, but under no circumstances should you sit with your feet pointing towards the Kaaba. The Kaaba is the main shrine of Islam; the Kaaba temple is located in Saudi Arabia, in the city of Mecca. The direction to Mecca in every mosque is indicated by an empty niche in the wall called the mihrab. It is towards the mihrab that the faces of those praying are turned.

8. You cannot make noise in the mosque.

9. Men and women visiting the mosque as part of a tour should not hold hands, hug or kiss, even if they are husband and wife.

10. You cannot visit the mosque while drunk. In addition, a mentally ill person will not be allowed into the mosque. If anyone wishes to take a small child on an excursion, they should be aware that their behavior may disturb other people. If the child is naughty, you need to leave the mosque with him.

11. Usually, guests are allowed to take photographs in the mosque. But it should be remembered that believers should not be photographed during prayer.

12. You need to leave the mosque with your left foot. Muslims say: “Allah, forgive my sins.”

According to hadiths, the best place of prayer for a woman, the mistress of a family hearth, is her home, and not a mosque, unlike men. In certain regions there are customs and traditions (“adabs”, “adats”) when women do not attend mosques, and this has a certain meaning and benefit.

But (!) canonically a woman can pray in a mosque. In addition, today, given the insufficient religious literacy of believers and the great need for spiritual food, visiting mosques for women is desirable, because collective prayers, listening to Friday sermons, the imam’s explanations on various issues, and the atmosphere of spirituality and unity reigning in the mosque have a positive impact on morale and a person’s spiritual mood contributes to the acquisition of new knowledge and positive impressions. But loneliness and daily everyday problems weaken spiritual resistance, increasing the depressive effect on a person, sometimes leading to negligence in observing the religious canons prescribed by the Lord. For example, there is a high probability that it will be difficult to pay due attention to the twenty (or eight) rakyaats of the Tarawih prayer at home and show the necessary patience.

As for the possible ban on visiting the mosque on the part of the spouse, theologians argue that such categorical behavior on the part of the husband does not correspond to the spirit of faith. An exception may be situations when the presence of the spouse in the house is extremely important (the husband’s illness and the need for constant care for him, the presence of small children, the inability to leave them with anyone, etc.). The final messenger of the Lord, Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him), foreseeing the living conditions of Muslims in all subsequent centuries, said:

– “Do not forbid women from visiting the houses of the Lord [mosques]”;

- “Do not forbid women to go to mosques, but their homes are the best for them”;

- “If the spouse [of one of you] wants to go to the mosque, then do not forbid her”;

– “Do not forbid women from visiting the houses of the Lord [mosques]! But let them go out without using incense [that is, without attracting undue attention]" ;

Ibn Mas'ud's wife said: “If any of you women goes to the mosque, then let him not use perfume or incense.”

It is important to remember that Divine religion is not intended to complicate human life, but to facilitate and comprehensively enrich it.

Ritual practice of a woman

and physiology

Women during the menstrual cycle or postpartum period are prohibited from:

1. Performing prayer (namaz), as well as prostration when reading certain verses (sajdah at-tilawa). Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him) said: “If a woman begins her period, then from that moment on she does not pray or fast.”

2. Fasting.

3. Walking around the Kaaba (tawaf) during the hajj (pilgrimage). The Prophet said: “Circleing the Kaaba (tawaf) is prayer (namaz, salat). However, Allah allowed talking during it. If you speak, then speak only what is good”; “Circummulation of the Kaaba (tawaf) is prayer. Therefore [during the rounds] speak less." The hadiths clearly indicate that circumambulation of the Kaaba is similar to prayer (namaz), therefore, presupposing the need for ritual purity.

But you need to know that during the regul a woman can perform all the actions of the Hajj, with the exception of circumambulation of the Kaaba (tawaf), which she will perform after the completion of menstrual bleeding and after purification. A similar situation happened with ‘Aisha, the wife of the Prophet. She was upset, suggesting that due to the regulations that had begun with her, she would not be able to make the pilgrimage (due to a violation of ritual purity). But the Messenger of the Almighty explained to her the incorrectness of such a conclusion and said: “Do all the actions that pilgrims perform (follow all the provisions of pilgrimage as usual), except for tawaf (ritual circumambulation around the Kaaba). You will perform tawaf after you have purified yourself (at the end of menstrual bleeding and after performing the complete ablution necessary to acquire ritual purity).”

4. Touching the Holy Quran (Arabic edition). About the prohibition on touching the Scripture for those who do not have ritual purity, the verse says this: “They do not touch it except the purest” (see Holy Quran, 56:79).

5. Reading the Holy Quran. The prohibition does not include cases when Quranic verses are used as a prayer (du'a), praise and remembrance of the Lord (dhikr), at the beginning of some business, in the process of learning, in the involuntary reading of the Holy Quran.

6. Visiting the mosque is prohibited. However, when women use modern forms of hygiene (pads, for example), they are allowed to visit mosques on menstrual days, if necessary.

Haid and istihadah

It is also important to distinguish between the concepts of “haid” and “istihad”.

Istihad– bleeding in women that goes beyond normal menstrual cycles and is also not related to the postpartum period.

In both of these cases, the woman’s state of ritual purity is violated, the presence of which is necessary, for example, to perform the next obligatory prayer.

From a practical point of view, Muslim theology outlines certain boundaries separating haid from istihadah.

Hyde (that is, ordinary regulations) has the following differences.

Firstly, between two menstrual cycles there must be at least fifteen days of a clean period.

Secondly, for ordinary regulations a minimum period was designated: according to Hanafi theologians - three days, according to Shafi theologians - one day.

Third, the Haida have a maximum period of ten days (according to Hanafi theologians) or fifteen days (according to Shafi'i scholars).

What is not included in the mentioned framework is no longer haid, but istihadah. For example, bleeding that lasted for several hours and then stopped completely, or extraordinary bleeding that began in less than fifteen days. If bleeding continues for more than ten days (more than fifteen), then from the beginning of the eleventh (sixteenth) day - this is also istihadah.

I note that by stipulating the minimum and maximum periods, the scientists outlined the approximate boundaries of the difference between Haida and Istihadah. They are only approximate, since they do not have a direct and unambiguous mention in the Sunnah of the Prophet. They were derived largely on the basis of statistical data.

Each religiously practicing woman, taking into account the above and the cyclical nature of menstrual periods, independently determines for herself the framework of Haida and Istihadah.

What is the real benefit for a woman to be able to distinguish between haid and istihadah?

It is during the Haida period that a woman does not perform the obligatory prayers and prayers and does not make up for them in the future. That is, during the menstrual period, a woman (girl) is completely relieved of the obligation to perform five daily prayers. As for the obligatory fast in the month of Ramadan, during menstruation (haid) a woman (girl) is prohibited from observing it. Subsequently, she makes up for it one to one.

In cases of istihadah, taking into account the mentioned conditions, aspects of the performance of religious practice by such a woman are similar to the actions of the person being justified (ma'zur).

At the end of the topic, it is useful to quote a hadith from the words of ‘Aisha: “One day my niece came to see me. Seeing her, the Prophet turned away. I said, “This is my niece!” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) replied: “If a girl reaches adulthood and menstruates, it is not permissible for her to expose any part of her body except her face and this (here he wrapped his hand around his other hand so that between the grip and the wrist is one grip away).”

The Myth of Menstruation

We live in a new, post-industrial age of exact sciences, high technologies and widespread education, we call ourselves Muslims, that is, a certain society of people with a huge historical, cultural and spiritual heritage, but stereotypes are still rooted in us and the shackles of dogmatism are strong. One example of this is the mythical ban on cooking by women during the regulative period.

It is not clear where this tradition came from in some Muslim regions?! There are no canonical arguments in favor of this. On the contrary, there are hadiths that clearly say that a woman during her period does not become something “unclean.”

For example, in the collection of hadiths of Imam al-Bukhari, the words of ‘Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad, are quoted: “I combed the hair of the Messenger of God during menstruation.” There are also the words of the Prophet’s companion, ‘Urwa ibn Zubeir, who was asked: “Can a woman do housework and look after [cook, wash, clean] her husband during menstruation? Is it okay to touch a woman when she’s on her period?” He replied: “It’s all natural! There is nothing wrong with this [that is, this is the nature of the female body, and to invent restrictions for the fairer sex because of this physiological process is absolute ignorance]. The wife of the Prophet Muhammad ‘Aisha told me that [as usual] she combed the Prophet’s hair when she had her period.” Also, ‘Aisha reported that “the Messenger of the Almighty leaned on her knees (hem) and read the Koran, while at that time she was having her period.”

For a long time, Muslim theologians, based on the mentioned hadiths, have unequivocally said that the physical purity of a woman is not impaired in any way during menstruation. Adhering to normal hygiene standards, a woman can fully engage in household and other chores.

Menstrual bleeding only affects the presence of ritual purity necessary to perform, for example, the next obligatory prayer. Therefore, during menstrual cycles, women are exempt from performing prayers and fasting.

Assumptions about the emergence of such a perception of female physiology (that a woman supposedly cannot cook during her period) are different. Firstly, it is possible that this was a form of ignorant display of piety and excessive caution in maintaining ritual purity. Secondly, which is very likely, this is the result of the influence of the biblical Old Testament tradition. After all, Muslims lived side by side with Christians and Jews for many centuries. The Bible says: “If a woman has an issue of blood flowing from her body, then she must sit for seven days during her purification, and whoever touches her will be unclean until the evening; And everything on which she lies to continue her purification is unclean; and whatever he sits on is unclean...” (Lev. 15:19-25, 28).

This biblical position was not confirmed in the Heritage of God's final messenger and was not continued in Muslim culture or theology.

By the way, the Arabs also sometimes have such an unreasonable custom that complicates life. To which, for example, the Arab theologian Ramadan al-Buti responds: “This speculation-error (that a woman is allegedly unclean during menstruation) has nothing to do with religious canons.”

Resistant – having good resistance, resistance to anything.

Hadith from Ibn ‘Umar; St. X. Muslim and Ahmad. See, for example: As-Suyuty J. Al-jami‘ as-sagyr [Small collection]. Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, 1990. P. 583, hadith No. 9869, “sahih”.

St. x. Ahmad and Ibn Majah. See, for example: Al-Shavkyani M. Neil al-avtar [Achieving goals]. In 8 volumes. Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, 1995. Vol. 3. P. 138, Hadith No. 1036.

Hadith from Ibn ‘Umar; St. X. al-Bukhari, Muslim, an-Nasai and Ahmad. See, for example: As-Suyuty J. Al-jami' as-sagyr. P. 32, Hadith No. 423, “sahih.”

Hadith from Abu Hurayrah; St. X. Ahmad and Abu Dawud. See, for example: Al-Shavkyani M. Neil al-avtar. T. 3. P. 138, Hadith No. 1037.

St. x. Muslima. See, for example: Al-Shavkyani M. Neil al-avtar. T. 3. P. 138.

See, for example: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-Bukhari [Revelation by the Creator (for a person to understand something new) through comments on the set of hadiths of al-Bukhari]. In 18 volumes. Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, 2000. Vol. 2. P. 534, hadith No. 304.

Hadith from Ibn ‘Abbas; St. X. at-Tabarani, Abu Na'im, al-Hakim and al-Baykhaki. See, for example: As-Suyuty J. Al-jami' as-sagyr. P. 330, Hadith No. 5346, “Hasan”.

Hadith from Ibn ‘Abbas; St. X. at-Tabarani and others. See: As-Suyuty J. Al-jami' as-sagyr. P. 330, Hadith No. 5347, “Hasan”.

See, for example: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 2. pp. 536, 537, hadith No. 305.

See also the chapter of this book “On Ritual Purity.”

See, for example: Az-Zuhayli V. Al-fiqh al-Islami wa adillatuh. In 8 volumes. T. 1. P. 386.

Menstruation [lat. menstruus – monthly] – monthly uterine bleeding in a woman of childbearing age or a girl who has reached puberty. See: Large explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. St. Petersburg: Norint, 2000. P. 533.

Menstruation usually occurs every 21–30 days and lasts 3–6 days, during which 50 to 150 ml of blood is lost. Menstruation is absent during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as during various diseases. See: The latest dictionary of foreign words and expressions. M.–Minsk: Ast-Harvest, 2002. P. 516.

Regula [lat. regula – rule] – menstruation. See: Large explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. P. 1111.

Mu'jamu lugati al-fuqaha' [Dictionary of theological terms]. Beirut: an-Nafais, 1988. P. 189.

Heavy and prolonged discharge (menorrhagia - increased and prolonged menstrual bleeding - a sign of a number of diseases of the uterus), as well as uterine bleeding not associated with the menstrual cycle, are symptoms of a number of gynecological diseases. See: Encyclopedia of Traditional Medicine. M.: Ans, 1996. T. 3. P.71.

Mu'jamu lugati al-fuqaha'. P. 59.

The maximum number of days of the clean period is not limited. See: Majduddin A. Al-ikhtiyar li ta'lil al-mukhtar [Choice to explain the chosen one]. In 2 volumes, 4 hours. Cairo: al-Fikr al-‘arabi, [b. G.]. T. 1. Part 1. P. 29; al-Khatib ash-Shirbiniy Sh. Mughni al-mukhtaj [Enriching the needy]. In 6 vols. Egypt: al-Maktaba at-tawfiqiya, [b. G.]. T. 1. P. 227.

For more details, see: Majduddin A. Al-ikhtiyar li ta'lil al-mukhtar. T. 1. Part 1. pp. 26-30; al-Khatib ash-Shirbiniy Sh. Mughni al-mukhtaj. T. 1. P. 225–230; Amin M. (known as Ibn ‘Abidin). Radd al-mukhtar. In 8 volumes. Beirut: al-Fikr, 1966. Vol. 1, pp. 282–287.

See: Az-Zuhayli V. Al-fiqh al-Islami wa adillatuh [Islamic law and its arguments]. In 8 volumes. Damascus: al-Fikr, 1990. T. 1. pp. 459–461.

For more information on this, see the material in this book, “The Prayer of the Justified One.”

See, for example: Al-Kurtubi M. Al-jami' li ahkamil-kur'an [Collection of provisions of the Koran]. Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, 1988. Vol. 12. P. 152.

See: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 2. P. 528, Hadith No. 295; al-‘Aini B. ‘Umda al-qari sharh sahih al-bukhari [Support of the reader. Commentary on the collection of hadiths by al-Bukhari]: In 20 volumes. Egypt: Mustafa al-Babi, 1972. T. 3. P. 156.

See: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 2. P. 528, Hadith No. 296; al-‘Aini B. ‘Umda al-qari sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 3. P. 157.

See: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 2. P. 529, Hadith No. 297; al-‘Aini B. ‘Umda al-qari sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 3. P. 161.

See: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 2. P. 528-530; al-‘Aini B. ‘Umda al-qari sharh sahih al-bukhari. T. 3. P. 158.

See: Al-Buty R. Ma'a an-nas. Mashurat wa fatava [With people. Advice and fatwas]. Damascus: al-Fikr, 1999. pp. 24, 25.

According to the Hanafis and Malikis, performing all fard prayers, except the Juma prayer, is the sunnat of muakkad for every physically healthy and sane man. Based on this rule, we can conclude that it is not necessary for women, children, the mentally ill, the sick, prisoners, the elderly and the disabled to visit the mosque to perform Friday prayers. The order to perform namaz in society comes from the hadith “ Congregational prayer is superior to prayer (performed in the market or at home) by more than twenty degrees.”

According to the Shafiites, performing prayers in a collective form is fard kifayah for every clothed (having clothes to cover their nakedness), free person who permanently resides in a certain area. Thus, the performance of prayers by the entire community has become a symbol of Islam. Consequently, if in any locality all the inhabitants do not attend common prayer, the Muslim state can take the most severe measures against them, including armed struggle. Muhammad (PBUH) said: “ “If any three (people living) in a village or in the desert do not perform (common) prayer, Satan will certainly prevail over them, and therefore you must not move away from society, for the wolf devours only the sheep that moves away (from the rest) "

This same verse is supported by another:

“And bow your heads along with those who bowed before Me.”

In addition to these verses, the Hanbalis rely on other hadiths. Here is one of them: " I swear by the One in whose hand my soul is, I would like to order to collect wood, then order to call (people) to prayer, then order someone to be an imam, and then appear to those people (who did not come to prayer) and burn them the house is completely gone!

According to the Hanafis and Shafi'is, for the congregational prayer to be valid, there must be three people together with the imam. Even a sleeping baby can be included in this number, since the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), performing tahajjud prayer, was the imam for little Ibn Abbas (radiyallahu anhu). Another time, Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Two or more people are a jamaat.”

Women visiting mosques

It is advisable to perform fard prayers in the mosque, and nafil - at home. Addressing the faithful, the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “ O people, pray in your homes, for truly, apart from the obligatory prayers, the best prayer is that which a person performs in his own home.” The preference for mosques for performing namaz is explained by the fact that mosques are always distinguished by their purity and holiness, as well as by the fact that they symbolize the unity and strength of Muslims and testify to the multitude of believers.

However, from the point of view of visiting mosques, completely different rules have been developed for women, unlike men.

Elderly women are allowed to visit mosques to perform prayers in a group. As for young women, their walking (on the streets) can cause various rumors and conversations, so visiting mosques is makrooh for them.

According to Abu Hanifa, there is nothing reprehensible in elderly women attending Fajr prayer, Maghrib prayer and Iisha prayer. But when attending daytime prayers, such as Zuhr and Asr, they can arouse interest in the opposite sex and cause trouble. Usually in the morning, hypocrites and spoiled people sleep soundly, and in the evening, during Maghrib prayers, they are busy eating. Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad believed that older women could easily visit mosques to perform all prayers and even issued a special fatwa on this issue.

Shafi'is and Hanbalis believe that visiting men's jamaats by women (both young and old, both beautiful and unattractive) is makrooh. The Malikis also include here even those women of advanced age who cannot in any way arouse the interest of men.

Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) informed his companions that women could attend mosques, but at the same time he made a note that the prayer performed at home is better for them. Here are some hadiths: “Don't ban women from visiting mosques. But (staying) at home is preferable for them.” The following hadith says: “If your spouse asks you for permission to go to the mosque in the evening, do not refuse them.” Another hadith said that women should not attend jamaats after using incense.

As reported by the Ummah Sallama (radiyallahu anha), the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) once said: “The best woman is the one who has a mosque at home.”

Valid reasons for not going to the mosque

Unless there are any special circumstances, it is best to perform prayers regularly with the community. But in the following cases, non-attendance to the mosque is permitted:

1. If a person is so seriously ill or unable to move that he cannot even do tayammum or he is blind. A slight headache, a slight increase in temperature, or paralysis of some limbs in which one can move cannot be considered a valid reason.

The basis for this position is the following verse of the Quran, where Allah commanded: “He does not place any burdens on you.” It is also known that Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not attend the mosque when he was ill and told his loved ones the following: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer!”

Therefore, patients; weak and helpless people; disabled people without limbs; very old and elderly people; and blind people may not attend mosques.

2. If there is fear for your life, for your property or for your honor, or there is a possibility that the illness will worsen after visiting the mosque. Once the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever, having heard the sounds of the adhan, does not answer (does not go to the mosque) without a good reason, his prayer is invalid.” Then the companions asked: “O Rasulullah! What constitutes “uzr” (good reason)?” He replied as follows: "Fear or illness."

3. You don’t have to go to the mosque for Friday prayers in rainy weather, when there is mud in the yard, in severe cold and in the heat at lunchtime. And also if there is a strong wind or dense darkness outside at night. The following words are narrated by Abdullah b. Umara (radiyallahu anhu): “When we were with Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and it was very dark outside or there was impassable mud, the herald would announce: “Perform prayer near your animals!”

Snow and hail are also considered valid reasons not to go to the mosque.

4. If a person feels a strong urge to fulfill a small or large need, since such states interfere with the peaceful and soulful performance of prayer. It is also considered a valid reason if your favorite dish is ready and you feel hungry or thirsty.

5. After eating food whose smell is difficult to get rid of. For example, a person who has eaten onions or garlic should not go out into society until the smell passes, for Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered: “If one of you has eaten onions or garlic, let him not come near us, let him not come to our mosque, and let him sit at home!”

6. Being in custody or being deprived of liberty because Allah has commanded: “And God will not lay a load on a soul that is greater than it can lift.”

7. Engage in the study and teaching of religion, as well as solving religious issues and interpreting theological texts. For example, study or teach fiqh. But it is extremely wrong to constantly neglect the jamaat as a result of such activities. A person who, due to laziness or not attaching much importance, does not attend mosques, is subject to a special penalty in the form of caning. In addition, the evidence of such a person is not taken into account during trials. But if someone does not attend mosques only because the imam is not distinguished by virtuous behavior, his actions are not subject to punishment.

Whoever sincerely wishes to perform namaz in a group, but due to various circumstances cannot attend the jamaat, will definitely be awarded sawab for his intentions.

Summarizing the above, the Hanafis have developed 18 points according to which people, for a good reason, may not go to the mosque. These are rain, cold, fear, darkness, being in custody, blindness, paralysis, lack of arms and legs, illness, scabies, dirt, weakness, old age, practicing fiqh, the readiness of the desired dish, going on a journey, caring for the sick, strong wind . As for the wind during the day, this is not considered a valid reason, since the ability to have a wide vision makes it possible to protect against all sorts of unpleasant incidents.

Repeated performance of namaz by the jamaat in the mosque

Repeated reading of the azan and iqama, performing namaz in a group in one of the neighborhood mosques is considered makrooh. A quarterly mosque is a mosque that has a specific imam and an established community. But repeating congregational prayers in a mosque under the following circumstances is not makrooh:

1. If prayer is performed in a neighborhood mosque by a group of people who do not live in the area.

2. If the residents of this quarter perform namaz, after reading the azan quietly.

3. Performing prayer without reading azan and iqama.

4. If the mosque is located along the road.

5. If there is no permanent imam and muezzin in this mosque, as a result of which people perform namaz separately.

The undesirability of repeating the same prayer goes back to the following episode that happened at the dawn of Islam: One day the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went to one area to reconcile people between whom differences arose. When he returned, he learned that Muslims had performed prayers in a group. He immediately went to his home, and, having gathered his household, performed prayer with them. If it would be possible to perform the jamaat prayer again in the mosque, Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would prefer to perform the prayer in the mosque.

Muslims are required to visit the mosque in a state of complete ritual purification (in a state of major and minor ablution)

Shoes are left at the entrance. In large mosques, special employees accept shoes and issue a token

While in the mosque, you should take a free seat, trying not to disturb the peace of other believers

It is important to maintain the purity of your intention while in the mosque and therefore not engage in idle talk, backbiting, etc.

Women usually pray on the second floor or in a partitioned off part of the first floor. Entrance to the mosque for men and women can be either common or separate.

In the mosque, visitors behave quite relaxed: they sit or lie on the floor, read the Koran or concentrate on thoughts about the Almighty, communicate with each other, sleep, eat. At the same time, someone can perform namaz at any time, so one should not speak loudly, laugh, and especially curse

When the time for prayer comes, believers perform ablution (wudu) and line up behind the imam. For men, the most honorable and valuable is the first row, and for women, on the contrary, the last. Those who for some reason do not take part in collective prayer are not required to leave the mosque

Prohibited:

Visiting a mosque without performing ablution

Women are prohibited from visiting the mosque during menstruation. However, when using modern forms of hygiene (pads, for example), women are allowed to visit mosques on critical days, if necessary