Masjid al-Jinah (Nizwa)

Nizwa, Oman

The Mosque of Jinah is located in the historic Sa'al quarter in Nizwa, on the east side of the Wadi, across from the main part of the town. An inscription on its mihrab dates the construction of that feature to 1529/925 AH, providing a terminus ante quem for the monument. The mosque was repaired in 1979.

The mosque stands on a platform several feet above street level. A double-sided staircase provides access to an arched gateway that leads onto an irregularly shaped courtyard. On the east side of the courtyard, doorways lead to storage and ablution areas. The prayer hall of the mosque occupies the northwestern corner of the complex, and has two doors facing onto the courtyard on its eastern facade and two windows overlooking the southwestern corner of the courtyard on its south facade. A staircase along the northern wall of the courtyard leads to the roof of the prayer hall.

The prayer hall is divided into two aisles parallel with the qibla wall (west wall), Two broad pointed arches springing from a freestanding pillar and two engaged columns in the side walls divide the aisles. 

The mihrab is an ornate work made of carved stucco. The niche itself takes the form of a recess covered by a pointed arch with muqarnas vault. Above the recess is an arch-shaped field with three inset blue-on-white porcelain bowls serving as decoration. Surmounting this field is a two-line inscription. Two bands of geometric carved stucco ornament frame this central field. The outer band contains a row of roundels filled with geometric decoration. Surmounting the mihrab is a monumental kufic inscription with the text of the shahada.

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