A List of Largest Mosque in the World

Islam has a rich history and culture which is interlinked with the different eras and parts of the world like any other religion. Islamic architecture is famous for its dome-shaped sheer beauty and its amazing infrastructure. This architecture may include some splendid and magnificent mosques of the world which are not only the center of Muslim prayers and worship but are also considered to be the epitome of Muslim brotherhood and fraternity.

Therefore, you can not only consider this structure as a mere building but they are the emblem of Islam. These mosques hold great significance to the Muslim world and abolition of any of these mosques is considered a sin and is against the sanctity of the entire Islamic nation.

Ever since the Islamic invasion start all over the world, Muslim rulers and invaders paid great attention toward the construction of mosques within their empire. There are thousands of splendid mosques in the world which include mega structures and they are worth visiting. They could easily take everyone’s breath away.
Here we have shortlisted the world’s biggest and largest mosque. These classifications of, mosques are based on the area they covered within their boundaries.

Baitul Mukarram, Bangladesh


Bangladesh is the world’s most densely populated country with a density of 1252 people per square kilometer. Apart from this Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country then there should be no surprise that Bangladesh’s capital is home to the world’s largest mosque. Situated in the city center of Dhaka, Baitul Mukarram is the national mosque of Bangladesh.
This beautiful mosque is a mixture of modern art and traditional elements of Islam. Constructed in the year 1968, initially with a capacity of 10,000, the then government of Bangladesh decided to extend its capacity to 40,000 due to the overcrowding in the month of Ramzan. Spread in an area of 21,000-meter square, this mosque’s main building is laying on an elevated platform and has eight floors with a total height of 99 feet which makes this mosque as world’s largest mosque.

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Jama Masjid, India


Situated in the capital city of India, the Jama masjid is the symbol of Mughal Dynasty Rule in India. Jama Masjid consists of 3 dome-shaped structure and a courtyard in front of it which have a capacity of 25,000 worshippers. Its long minaret is constructed with red marble and stones. This mosque was originally built by the great emperor of the Mughal dynasty named Shah Jahan on the same ground where the great Badshahi masjid was built.

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Sheikh Zayed, UAE


Located in the city of Abu-Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed mosque is spread over an area of 2200 meter square. The initiation of construction was started by the then president of UAE Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and hence this mosque was named after him. This mosque is a symbol of beauty because of its snow-white domes and minarets which are covered with white marble. The construction of the mosque was started in the year 1996 and it took 11 years to complete the completion. The mosque was open to worshippers in the year 2007. On festival occasions like Ramzan or Friday, there is a huge rush to the mosque and it is so big that it can accommodate 41,000 people, which made this mosque in the list of the biggest mosque in the world.

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Bahria Town Grand Jama Masjid, Pakistan


Situated in the famous city Lahore of Pakistan, this huge mosque has a courtyard that can accommodate as many as 25,000 worshippers on the inner side and 70,000 people in the main hall of mosque which makes this grand mosque the list of the world’s biggest mosque. This mosque has a corridor that led people towards courtyards. This mosque is inspired by the Badshahi Masjid, and that’s why it has the same dome and minarets which make it equally beautiful and also give it the touch of Mughal architecture.

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Faisal Mosque, Pakistan


Islamabad is a city in Pakistan that is famous for its scenic beauty and great sight. Apart from this, this city is blessed with one of the largest and one of the finest examples of Islamic structures, The Faisal Mosque. The sophisticated Islamic architecture of this mosque was designed by a Turkish designer in such a way that it looks like a Westland Bedouin covering which is also a unique style of it. This mosque was constructed in 1986 with the collaboration of the Saudi Government and is spread over an area of 43,295-meter squares. This grand mosque can hold more than 300,000 worshippers at a time.

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Masjid Istiqlal, Indonesia


Masjid Istiqlal is considered one of the world’s biggest mosques which are situated in Jakarta, Indonesia. The area under the mosque has grown over the year due to the extension of its courtyard. Now, this mosque is spread Over an area of 95,000 square meters and it can accommodate 120,000 worshippers at a time. The initiative of construction of this mosque started in the honour of freedom of Indonesia.

Masjid al Nabwi, Saudi Arabia


Situated in the city of Media, which is also the city of Prophet Muhammed where he spent a major part of his life. It is believed that the Ray of Islam shines from this city. Millions of worshippers make a visit to this mosque every year and this masjid is the emblem of Islamic rise in the world. This huge mosque is spread over an area of 400,500-meter squares and can accommodate more than 10,00,000 peoples at a time which make it one of the biggest mosques in the world. This huge place is not just a mosque but it is also a university that serves as a great foundation for Muslims across the globe.

Masjid Al-Haram, Saudi Arabia


Located in the center of the globe, this mosque is the epicenter of the Muslim world. Masjid al-haram is the world’s largest mosque that is spread over an area of 356,800 square meters and it can accommodate millions of worshipers a time who visited this place every year during Hajj especially. This mosque is located in Mecca Saudi Arabia.

Al-Saleh Mosque Yemen


Al-Saleh Mosque is located in Yamen and it is one of the largest mosques in the world. The main attraction of Yemen, this mosque opened in the year 2008. This construction of Al-Saleh was financed by the then President of Yemen who managed the country with a huge amount of $60million. Al- Saleh Mosque has modern architecture and many houses for educational classes and libraries are on the campus of the Mosque. The main hall of this mosque can accommodate 44 thousand at a time.

Imam Reza Mausoleum, Iran


Imam Reza is another biggest mosque on the list which can accommodate more than 1,00,000 lakh worshippers at a time. The beautiful architectural and religious complex of Imam Reza mausoleum is situated in the city of Mashhad of Iran. This mosque includes imam tombs, a mosque, a library, and a museum. This mosque is the main tourist attraction of Iran which attract thousands more than 20 million tourists every year. When in the year 818 AD Imam Reza who was a popular face among Muslims was killed and he was buried near the tomb of Harun al-Rashid. Soon, around the tomb, the City of Mashhad grows. Though the first mosque for the burials of the imam was built in the 11th century AD soon it was destroyed and then later it reconstruction of this mosque started around 13 century AD, during the reign of the Timurid dynasty. This mosque is spread over an area of 331 square meters.

Hassan II Mosque, Morocco


Hassan II is one of the largest mosques of Muslims in the world. Situated in the city of Casablanca, Hassan Mosque strikes the mind of visitors not only because of its huge size but also for its beauty. You can easily get a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean from the huge glass hall of the mosque. This huge mosque can accommodate 1,05,000 people at a time. This mosque is spread over an area of 9 hectares. It is famous for its highest minar which is located in the front of the mosque. The architecture of this mosque was designed by Buoyage and it was inspired by the French structure Michel Pineau. A report state that around 800 million dollars was spent on the building of the mosque and it was voluntarily donated.

Holy Mosque of Jamkaran, Iran


Jamkaran is a small village which is located at a distance of 6 kilometers from the city of Qom in Iran. According to historical resources, this mosque was constructed in the year 984 C.E. by Sheikh Hassan Jamkarani. In the rear of the mosque is the house of well of request where the Twelfth Imam shared his shining moment of loving communication with the creator. This revelation happened every Tuesday and this is why pilgrims from all over the world come here every Tuesday to tie a knot in a hope that their wishes will be received by Imam. Though this mosque saw a lot of changes over the year it remained under the radar until the year 2000s when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to the power, he donated $10 million to the mosque and turn this normal size mosque into the largest mosque in Iran. Today, this mosque can accommodate more than 150,000 pilgrims at a time.

1st November of 1954 Great Mosque, Algeria


This famous mosque of Algeria named 1st November of 1954 Great Mosque was built in the year the 1980s in the city of Batna. This grand mosque was built in the memory of Algerian war of Independence which started on the same date. Today this Great Mosque has been expanded to an area of 42,000 square meters and it can accommodate 30,000 worshippers at a time. This mosque is the second largest mosque in Algeria.

Uganda National Mosque


Even though this is the youngest mosque among all the mosques which are mentioned above but still it is one of the largest mosques in Africa. After its construction got completed in the year 2006, this mosque is named after Moammar El Gaddafi. This was supposed to be a gift to the Muslim population of Uganda from the Colonial side. However, after the death of Gaddafi, this mosque was renamed as Uganda National Mosque because the new Libyan administration was too reluctant to keep investing in the mosque that honored the name of Gaddafi. Nowadays, this mosque is home to the Uganda Muslim Supreme council and It can accommodate 20,000 worshippers at a time. There is a 50-meter-high minaret tower which is accessible via 304 steps that will take you to the top is one of the most prominent features of this mosque.

Hagia Sophia Istanbul


In the list of the world’s largest mosques, Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest mosques in the world, as it has been around even before Islam became a religion. Hagia Sophia was the largest byzantine cathedral when it was constructed in 537AD in Constantinople. Earlier Hagia Sophia was a Christian cathedral (537-1054 AD) then an Orthodox Church (1054 AD – 1204 AD and 1261-1453AD) then a Roman Catholic cathedral (1204-61), a mosque (1453 -1935), and a museum (1935-2020). Recently this museum was turned into a mosque again by the President of Turkey and it can accommodate 30,000 worshippers at a time. Hagia Sophia is an integral part of Turkey’s cultural heritage and it is the most precious gem of Istanbul.

Islamic Centre Mosque Samarinda


Location in the suburb location of Samarinda, this Islamic centre mosque is one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia. This huge mosque is spread over an area of 43,500 square meters and its main tower consists of 15 floors with a height of 6 meters. This mosque has seven minarets; among which one is the main and six are additional minarets which is a reference to the six pillars of Islam. There is also a huge dome whose height is 99 meters which is again a reference to the 99 names of Allah. When it comes to symbolic speaking, there are 33 steps that connect the ground floor from the main floor or 11 steps per floor which is several Islamic prayer beads. This mosque is so big that it can accommodate 40,000 worshipers at a time.

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