Religion is one of the many things that mirrors in the societies of today's diverse world. Over a span of hundreds of years, it has also has become one of society's defining points when it comes to matters such as social, economic and governmental issues. It has also diversified with the diversification of culture, race, heritage and political ideologies in general, and has been responsible for much diversification in the fields of Art and Philosophy.
With such a variety of religions comes a variety of ways to approach what each religion considers its own Ultimate Reality, through prayer, meditation and constant study of religious scripture. In many cases, prayer is an easy task and can be done in the comfort of one's home or workplace; in other cases, certain accommodations must be made. However, to keep the religious bondage in society strong, religious groups erect buildings to rally those of the same faith in unified worship and prayer. In almost every religion, the first functional units for religious preaching and prayer are these houses of worship. They accommodate the faithful with space and an orientation suited to fit what was revealed to the founder/prophet of the religion in the scripture that the said believers follow. Over time, these structures changed, and have attained unique architectural styles with regard to the architectural style or doctrine of the first of the civilizations that followed this particular religion, even to this day.
What's interesting to note is that any two structures of worship (houses of worship) become increasingly similar with an increased similarity of the religions that are attributed to these buildings. For example, Buddhism evolved from Hinduism, yet one can find many similarities between a Buddhist Temple and a Hindu Temple. However, while this trend is quite general on a global scale, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, a Baha'i temple and a Muslim mosque are obviously different than each other, despite the fact that Baha'ism is a splinter religion that formed from Islam; however, there are some teachings in Baha'ism that contradict Islamic belief, thus making the comparison closer to the trend albeit not as close. Houses of worship are thus not only built in many different ways, but are also oriented in a way that has scriptural significance. Pertaining to the topic, we will discuss the similarities and differences between two houses of worship – synagogues and mosques - that are attributed to possibly the two closest Abrahamic faiths: Islam and Judaism.
As a Muslim, I find it astounding and beautiful that there are many similarities between us Muslims and our spiritual cousins, the Jews; we, as spiritual sons of Abraham, are spiritual cousins through Ishmael (Isma'il, who is the spiritual father of the Muslims) and Isaac (Is'haq, who is the spiritual father of the Jews). Both religions mention the same prophets and messengers in their scriptural texts save for Muhammad and the Christian apostles (such as Jesus, or Isa) mentioned in the Bible, and both recall similar accounts of prophetic experience, revelation and preaching of people like Lot (Lut) and Moses (Musa), especially the latter, who is mentioned over 200 times in the Koran and whose prophetic experience is akin to that of Muhammad (peace be upon them all). Islam and Judaism preach that there is only One God – Eloah or Allah (notice the similarity between the names themselves), the God of Abraham – who created the universe and saw to it that the goal of human beings in life is to worship none but Him; that said, both are strict monotheisms. The languages of the scriptures of both religions have Semitic roots; the languages are Hebrew and Arabic, which both have similar alphabets and accent in wording, and are written from right to left across a page. Also, both believe that man is equally capable of doing good and evil, and both share the belief in the presence of metaphysical beings such as angels and demons (called jinn in Islam). However, they differ in that Jews do not believe in Jesus, while Muslims revere him. Among other differences include the religious calendar, with Islam having a lunar calendar, and Judaism a lunar-solar one.
We can see a similar pattern regarding the form of worship and prayer involved in these two religions. The Muslim prayer is referred to as Salah or Salat (prayer), and prayer is done five times a day. In Judaism, prayer is done about three times a day. Both Muslims and Jews observe special congregational prayers, with Islam's holiest weekday is a Friday (Jum'aa, or congregation), and that of Judaism is on a Saturday (Shabbat, which is also a day of rest). Muslims pray five times a day: in the early morning before Sunrise (Fajr), after the sun has reached its zenith (Zuhr), in the late afternoon before sunset (Asr), after sunset (Maghreb), and at night (Isha). Each prayer time is initiated by the call to prayer from the minaret of a mosque, or Azan, at that time, and is of different length and may be accompanied by optional prayer rituals.. On the other hand, Jews pray three times a day: morning prayers (Shacharit), afternoon prayers (Mincha), and the evening prayers (Ma'ariv/Arvit). If we take a look at how each prayer is carried out, we can find several similarities and differences. When a Muslim prays, he/she must first perform ablution (wudu), which is a ritual cleansing of several body parts other than the thorax (chest) with clean water. The believer then faces Mecca (a direction known as the qibla), toward Islam's most sacred shrine: the Kaaba, or the House of God, which is located in the mosque of Al Haram; the believer may use a prayer carpet or sajjadah. Regarding proper attire, men must wear clothing that covers the knee areas and at least half the arm. Women must don a headscarf or hijab, and a long skirt or dress that has no pant legs. He/she then raises his/her arms, says "God is the Greatest", recites several passages from the Koran, starting with Chapter 1: The Opening (Al Fatiha) and then recites any other passage from the Koran, while crossing his/her arms at a position above the navel. Afterwards, the believer bows, recites "Praise be to the Lord, the Greatest" three times, returns to a standing position while reciting "God has heard those who thank Him, and to Him is our praise and thanks", and then prostrates twice – saying "Praise be to the Lord, the Highest" three times, and finally gets back on his/her feet. This round is called a rak'ah, and is repeated depending on the prayer time and thus length. At the end of each prayer, the believer kneels and recites the Tashahhud, which is a short recitation concerning passing one's blessings to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and bear witnessing that there is no God but The God. Prayer ends with the Taslima, in which the believer turns his head right and then left, reciting "May peace and the Mercy of God be upon you" during each turn. However, Jewish prayer differs in that all three prayers are not as similar as each other, contrary to the very similar patterns seen in Islamic faith; these prayers are also more complex and each sect of Judaism calls for slightly different forms of the same prayers. The morning prayer, Shacharit, is done by firstly donning a prayer shawl known as a tallit, which has fringes called tzitzit; the significance of the tzitzit is to remind one of the mitzvoth, or fulfillment of the commandments at adulthood (hence the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony), that one completes in puberty. Most prayers are done while donning a small box called tefillin strapped to the head and another one in the left arm; the significance of this is akin to that of the tzitzit: to remind the believer of God's Commandments. Usually, these prayers involve recitations of Psalms and passages from the Torah and other religious scripture, and finally a recitation called a Kaddish, which is filled with an overtone of humility and whose theme is the Greatness of God. Like Salat, Jewish prayer, or Berachot, is done facing towards Jerusalem, which contains Judaism's holiest site: Temple Mount. However, each prayer differs in several aspects in that the morning and evening prayers are initiated with calls to prayer, or Barechu; all prayers end with praise to God and a supplication for a good life on earth.
However, certain conditions must be met for each prayer. Muslims pray while segregated in that men pray in one section of a mosque, or pray together in congregation, while women pray together; also, only males can become imams, or clerics, except in all-female congregations. In Judaism, men and women pray separately in synagogues (also called shuls), pretty much like in Islam; however, female rabbis (clerics) and hazzans (cantors) do exist, so that makes the issue of segregation an incomplete one. It is also preferable in both religions to pray at one's house of worship over one's home or workplace. A Muslim congregation, or jama'a, can include as many men/women as possible (segregated, of course), but a Jewish congregation, or minyan, involves 10 adult males. Also, both religions require that the person praying clears his mind of mundane thought and focus on praying to God, and asking for His Mercy and Forgiveness; in short, prayer is done from the heart, not from the mouth.
The comparison between the style of prayer and worship of the two religions sets the stage for the main comparison in this topic: the architectural difference between a Muslim mosque, or masjid, and a Jewish synagogue, or shul, along with the significance in the building plan of each.
A mosque, or a masjid, is a building symbolic to Muslims living in a certain community. It comes in two types: smaller, privately-owned mosques which are distributed evenly across the districts of a Muslim city, and larger, Cathedral mosques, which serve considerably more functions than their smaller counterparts. Mosques can serve many functions, among them being it serving as a house of worship and a rallying point for Muslims in small communities, where Muslims can pray special prayers such as the Friday (jum'a) and funeral (janazah) prayers. A mosque can also serve as a madrassah (school), where Muslim scholars and their pupils study religious scripture and analyze religious teachings in detail. They also serve several social functions. At a mosque, one can pay ritual almsgivings, or Zakat. During Ramadan, community mosques host breakfast meals, or iftar, which are held between the first call to the Maghreb prayer, and the second call to prayer, or iqamah, which precedes the prayer itself. Many mosques can also host social events, like fundraisers, bazaars and community meetings, especially in special holidays like Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha.
The synagogue, or shul in Yiddish, is a symbolic Jewish building. They come in many varieties that are not too different from each other. All of them serve as houses of worship, and have a special space for communal prayer. Like the mosque, it can also serve as a place for studying religious text, except that it is done in a separate room, or beth midrash, inside the synagogue instead of the wide prayer space that is present in mosques. Classes on Hebrew and basic Judaism are also held in synagogues, and this is similar to the sessions held in mosques regarding Muslims learning Arabic, recitation of the Koran, etc. Also, synagogues serve social purposes. During Jewish Holidays and celebrations, special services are held for events like Shabbat, Yom Kippur, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs (same as Bar Mitzvah, but for female adolescents), Purim, special bazaars and banquets hosted by the brotherhood and sisterhood committees of that synagogue, and other Jewish holidays and festivities. Like mosques, events are held there, especially carnivals and parties for celebrations like Purim.
To accommodate for such functions, mosques and synagogues have characteristic structures that accommodate their functions. Also, the architecture of these two buildings contains embedded symbolisms with regard to the orientation of the building, design, floor plan, etc.
We begin our comparison with the design of the mosque. A mosque has at least one minaret, or tower, which is used to call from when it's time for a certain prayer, and is used as a rally point to call Muslims to worship. This is a structure that is at least seven meters high and may have either a loudspeaker with a microphone input located inside the mosque, or a special room where a muezzin, a person assigned to call a prayer at its time, which is reached from the bottom via a staircase. The Azan (prayer call) is actually an optional duty, since Muslims alone can determine prayer times by the position of the sun in the sky or the time, but the Prophet Muhammad prescribed it. Sometimes, a minaret may have both, and there is no correlating pattern between what a minaret accommodates and how large the mosque that it's a part of is. Most mosques may have one or two minarets, but larger ones usually have more; few mosques lack a minaret. However, the minaret itself is a new structure; it did not appear until the rise of the Umayyad Empire, when cities expanded in size and mosques became scattered. That being said, the minaret became a necessary structure when it came to elevating the voice of the muezzin, in order to summon as much Muslims to prayer. In countries with a Muslim majority or a substantial Muslim minority, Azan is usually called aloud from the minaret, but this is not the case in countries with Muslim minorities, where the Azan is actually called from within the mosque. However, even in such countries, minarets can still be seen on mosques and serve as an accessorial design, which is pretty much like a church spire. Another notable feature of mosques is the presence of one or several domes (qubba), though not all mosques have domes. A dome is usually placed in the center of a roof's horizontal section, and is curved from the inside, thus making domes hollow, not solid. They have been incorporated into Islamic architecture after the 7th Century. Unlike the minaret, a dome has a spiritual symbolism more than a functional symbolism; domes symbolize the universal completeness that is God, and bring one to the attention of the Heavens, where God resides. On the other hand, there is no mention of domes in the Koran or Hadith, but there is no mention of them being forbidden either. Another important feature of mosques is the musalla, or the prayer recess inside the mosque. It is usually covered in lined carpeting, and is divided into rows. The musalla of every mosque, save for the one in Mecca, is oriented in one direction and has linear divides for the different rows. Also, the space between the rows is as long as one man prostrating on the ground. There is enough space to accommodate for prostrating, which is a part of prayer. Another important aspect of the musalla is that, while it may contain arches and ornamented pillars, there are no items of furniture or any depictions of humans and animals (specifically, no depictions of creatures that have a soul, since depiction is akin to idolatry). Items of furniture provide an obstruction to anyone who wants to pray in these halls. Instead, the musalla is lined with verses from the Koran and the words of God (Allah) or Muhammad, usually written in beautiful Arabic calligraphy. This is significant so as to keep the believer focused on God, and prevent distraction by thinking about mundane objects that have such imagery. Imagery is not favorable since it gives the impression of idolatry, since in Islam, God is transcendent, wholly other, and unknowable, especially His appearance. However, Muslims seek to know God through direct prayer to Him, without resorting to mundane concepts to "imagine" God. The pillars that line the musalla are spread far and thin, and are often used as points where Muslim study groups get together when it comes to studying religious scripture, and this is usually done after any of the five main prayers. Another aspect of the musalla is that it is a clean and preserved place, and wearing shoes is thus forbidden; this is to preserve the sanctity and purity of the prayer space and the function of the musalla as an area for prayer. Also, prayer halls usually have a barrier that separates the men's prayer space from the women's prayer space, although Islamic law does not call for such a complete separation. At the head of the musalla is the qibla wall, which is oriented normal (at 90 degrees) to the direction of Mecca, more specifically the Kaaba shrine. The rows of the musalla are arranged parallel to the qibla wall, a reference point for Muslims to pray towards. This is significant because it is aimed towards Mecca, the location for the holiest Islamic shrine: the Kaaba, also called the House of God. At the head of the qibla wall is a mihrab, a small prayer recess reserved for the imam and a spot from where he leads the prayer. It is an enclave situated at the front of a mosque. Like the musalla, a mihrab lacks furniture to provide room for the imam; this also symbolizes equality when it comes to prayer: every single Muslim in a mosque stands to pray, save for those who are handicapped and unable to walk (who sit down on the ground or on plastic chairs). During Friday services and the Eid prayers, the imam takes a position on top of the minbar, or pulpit, from where an imam delivers his sermon. Like the minaret, the minbar is elevated so as to allow for the imam's voice to reach the Muslims attending the congregation. Another point of consideration that one takes into observing a prayer space inside a mosque is the lack of an altar. Islam is one of the few world religions that does not make use of an altar in a house of worship, since no animals are sacrificed, no babies are baptized and so on. The absence of an altar also indicates that Islam discourages a multiple clergy, since the presence of an altar usually indicates that the house of worship has a multi-clerical body; thus, this encourages Muslims to pray directly to God, without any accessorial units to bring into use. A mosque may house several accessory features, such as a fountain and a water reserve, where Muslims can perform ablutions (wudu) before prayer. This is significant in that Muslims preserve their cleanliness before praying to God, and that ritual purification is complete prior to prayer. Other accessories include the presence of libraries and clinical services, usually found in the largest mosques, as well as small shelves that house copies of the Koran, where Muslims can grab a copy and read a chapter or two between prayer times, since recitation of the Koran is a good deed within itself. These are just the general features of a mosque.
A synagogue shares many similarities and differences with mosques in regard to function and architectural design. As mentioned before, synagogues come in many varieties. However, for the sake of discussion, the general design, which is that of the traditional Orthodox sect of Judaism, will be mentioned here. Usually, synagogues vary greatly in their external designs, but have a general internal design. Unlike a mosque, a synagogue does not require of the believers to take off their shoes. This is assuming that the synagogue itself is sanctified. A typical synagogue always houses a main sanctuary, where prayers are held. The main sanctuary, unlike the musalla of a mosque, contains seats where believers sit down while the rabbi hosts the initial stages of the prayer service, particularly the sermon. At the front of the sanctuary is an ark known as an Aron Ha-kodesh (Hebrew for "Holy Ark"), which is where scrolls from the Torah (God's revelation to Moses) are kept, that is situated atop a platform; this is akin to the small bookshelves present in mosques that house copies of the Koran, though they are only scattered around the prayer space, and serve no other function. The ark itself is positioned such that anyone who faces it faces towards Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest city, and is akin to the Ark of the Covenant built by Moses, which contained the Ten Commandments. Contrary to the function of the Koranic bookshelf in mosques, the ark is the holiest object found in a synagogue, and is often covered with an embroidered parokhet (curtain). In front of the platform is another platform that holds a table and the bimah, a stand from which the scrolls are read. The bimah faces the ark, and the space around it can be compared with the mihrab, the imam's prayer recess in a mosque. Facing the congregation of worshippers is a pulpit from where a rabbi leads the service, and another pulpit known as an amud (Hebrew for "post") facing the ark from where a hazzan (cantor) chants hymns during the prayer service; the first pulpit is similar to that used by the imam in a mosque when delivering his sermon and preaching to the faithful, while the latter is more akin to a muezzin's post, though the post itself is located inside the synagogue, not like a minaret that is located at the exterior of a mosque. A constantly-lit lantern known as a ner temid is situated in the main space, which is reminiscent of the Temple's Menorah, which remained miraculously ever-luminous. During prayer services, a menorah (candelabrum) is lit during the prayer services to commemorate the same Menorah that was lit in the Temple. Regarding the sanctuary, there are many similarities and differences between mosques and synagogues. Both refrain from using imagery and three-dimensional sculptures, which are akin to idolatry. However, synagogues incorporate artwork of natural scenes such as stained glass images of the sun and Hebrew passages and prayers from the Torah; the latter feature is similar to the Koranic manuscripts written on the inner walls of a mosque and prayer space. Moreover, the facing of the ark itself towards Jerusalem is similar to the qibla in mosques, or the building's orientation towards the Islamic city of Mecca. However, the symbolic features in a synagogue as well as the floor plan itself differ in many ways. For example, while a mosque may have one musalla and a few other rooms in large mosques, synagogues are always divided into several areas. The beth midrash ("House of Study") is a room where Torah scrolls are read and studied; in mosques, the Koran is studied in the musalla as there is no room for this function. Both houses of worship show segregation of men and women when it comes to prayer services, though men may lead women in Islamic prayer services. While mosques may have one imam or more with increasing size of the mosque, synagogues have a more complex clergy that attends it; the clergy has a dual leadership, for instance. While imams may preach sermons and lead prayers, the role of rabbis and hazzans in synagogues is equally important when it comes to leading a Jewish prayer congregation, or minyan. In addition to all this, there is this tradition of installing twelve windows across the main sanctuary hall as a reminder of the Twelve Tribes of Israel mentioned in the Old and New Testament. Synagogues tend to look more like churches than mosques from an exterior point of view, as synagogues, depending on style and the sect that it serves, may have spires, minaret-like structures (both are non-functional, though), domes and emblems like the Star of David, which is said to be the shape of King David's shield. On the other hand, some synagogues, especially those that Reform Jews adhere to, are based on Moorish (Andalusian) architecture, and may have domes and spires. Also, most mosques have one floor, while synagogues usually have two floors. This is not surprising: the musalla of a mosque is wide open and lacks furniture, while the furniture in synagogues take up space, and thus it is often deemed necessary to build synagogues in two floors. Despite all these differences, one could say that mosques and synagogues are indeed truly magnificent in their own perspective, and share many similarities that make their splendor all the more astounding.
People all over the world profess a variety of faiths, and it is not hard to spot faiths that are not only similar to each other in beliefs, but incorporate similar social structures, as we have seen in Islam and Judaism with regards to synagogues and mosques. As religious people, there is more that unites us than divides us, for while we pray differently and in different places, we all have this common goal: fear God, worship Him, do what is good, and pray for success and a bright future.
References
1- Belief comparison between Islam and Judaism: Religion Facts.com
2- Muslim Prayer: Religion Facts.com
3- Jewish Prayer: Religion Facts.com
4- Jewish observances, prayer garments, etc.: Judaism 101 – Frequently Asked Questions on Jewish Traditions
5- Mosque structure, function: Wikipedia.org
6- Synagogue structure, function: Wikipedia.org
With such a variety of religions comes a variety of ways to approach what each religion considers its own Ultimate Reality, through prayer, meditation and constant study of religious scripture. In many cases, prayer is an easy task and can be done in the comfort of one's home or workplace; in other cases, certain accommodations must be made. However, to keep the religious bondage in society strong, religious groups erect buildings to rally those of the same faith in unified worship and prayer. In almost every religion, the first functional units for religious preaching and prayer are these houses of worship. They accommodate the faithful with space and an orientation suited to fit what was revealed to the founder/prophet of the religion in the scripture that the said believers follow. Over time, these structures changed, and have attained unique architectural styles with regard to the architectural style or doctrine of the first of the civilizations that followed this particular religion, even to this day.
What's interesting to note is that any two structures of worship (houses of worship) become increasingly similar with an increased similarity of the religions that are attributed to these buildings. For example, Buddhism evolved from Hinduism, yet one can find many similarities between a Buddhist Temple and a Hindu Temple. However, while this trend is quite general on a global scale, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, a Baha'i temple and a Muslim mosque are obviously different than each other, despite the fact that Baha'ism is a splinter religion that formed from Islam; however, there are some teachings in Baha'ism that contradict Islamic belief, thus making the comparison closer to the trend albeit not as close. Houses of worship are thus not only built in many different ways, but are also oriented in a way that has scriptural significance. Pertaining to the topic, we will discuss the similarities and differences between two houses of worship – synagogues and mosques - that are attributed to possibly the two closest Abrahamic faiths: Islam and Judaism.
As a Muslim, I find it astounding and beautiful that there are many similarities between us Muslims and our spiritual cousins, the Jews; we, as spiritual sons of Abraham, are spiritual cousins through Ishmael (Isma'il, who is the spiritual father of the Muslims) and Isaac (Is'haq, who is the spiritual father of the Jews). Both religions mention the same prophets and messengers in their scriptural texts save for Muhammad and the Christian apostles (such as Jesus, or Isa) mentioned in the Bible, and both recall similar accounts of prophetic experience, revelation and preaching of people like Lot (Lut) and Moses (Musa), especially the latter, who is mentioned over 200 times in the Koran and whose prophetic experience is akin to that of Muhammad (peace be upon them all). Islam and Judaism preach that there is only One God – Eloah or Allah (notice the similarity between the names themselves), the God of Abraham – who created the universe and saw to it that the goal of human beings in life is to worship none but Him; that said, both are strict monotheisms. The languages of the scriptures of both religions have Semitic roots; the languages are Hebrew and Arabic, which both have similar alphabets and accent in wording, and are written from right to left across a page. Also, both believe that man is equally capable of doing good and evil, and both share the belief in the presence of metaphysical beings such as angels and demons (called jinn in Islam). However, they differ in that Jews do not believe in Jesus, while Muslims revere him. Among other differences include the religious calendar, with Islam having a lunar calendar, and Judaism a lunar-solar one.
We can see a similar pattern regarding the form of worship and prayer involved in these two religions. The Muslim prayer is referred to as Salah or Salat (prayer), and prayer is done five times a day. In Judaism, prayer is done about three times a day. Both Muslims and Jews observe special congregational prayers, with Islam's holiest weekday is a Friday (Jum'aa, or congregation), and that of Judaism is on a Saturday (Shabbat, which is also a day of rest). Muslims pray five times a day: in the early morning before Sunrise (Fajr), after the sun has reached its zenith (Zuhr), in the late afternoon before sunset (Asr), after sunset (Maghreb), and at night (Isha). Each prayer time is initiated by the call to prayer from the minaret of a mosque, or Azan, at that time, and is of different length and may be accompanied by optional prayer rituals.. On the other hand, Jews pray three times a day: morning prayers (Shacharit), afternoon prayers (Mincha), and the evening prayers (Ma'ariv/Arvit). If we take a look at how each prayer is carried out, we can find several similarities and differences. When a Muslim prays, he/she must first perform ablution (wudu), which is a ritual cleansing of several body parts other than the thorax (chest) with clean water. The believer then faces Mecca (a direction known as the qibla), toward Islam's most sacred shrine: the Kaaba, or the House of God, which is located in the mosque of Al Haram; the believer may use a prayer carpet or sajjadah. Regarding proper attire, men must wear clothing that covers the knee areas and at least half the arm. Women must don a headscarf or hijab, and a long skirt or dress that has no pant legs. He/she then raises his/her arms, says "God is the Greatest", recites several passages from the Koran, starting with Chapter 1: The Opening (Al Fatiha) and then recites any other passage from the Koran, while crossing his/her arms at a position above the navel. Afterwards, the believer bows, recites "Praise be to the Lord, the Greatest" three times, returns to a standing position while reciting "God has heard those who thank Him, and to Him is our praise and thanks", and then prostrates twice – saying "Praise be to the Lord, the Highest" three times, and finally gets back on his/her feet. This round is called a rak'ah, and is repeated depending on the prayer time and thus length. At the end of each prayer, the believer kneels and recites the Tashahhud, which is a short recitation concerning passing one's blessings to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and bear witnessing that there is no God but The God. Prayer ends with the Taslima, in which the believer turns his head right and then left, reciting "May peace and the Mercy of God be upon you" during each turn. However, Jewish prayer differs in that all three prayers are not as similar as each other, contrary to the very similar patterns seen in Islamic faith; these prayers are also more complex and each sect of Judaism calls for slightly different forms of the same prayers. The morning prayer, Shacharit, is done by firstly donning a prayer shawl known as a tallit, which has fringes called tzitzit; the significance of the tzitzit is to remind one of the mitzvoth, or fulfillment of the commandments at adulthood (hence the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony), that one completes in puberty. Most prayers are done while donning a small box called tefillin strapped to the head and another one in the left arm; the significance of this is akin to that of the tzitzit: to remind the believer of God's Commandments. Usually, these prayers involve recitations of Psalms and passages from the Torah and other religious scripture, and finally a recitation called a Kaddish, which is filled with an overtone of humility and whose theme is the Greatness of God. Like Salat, Jewish prayer, or Berachot, is done facing towards Jerusalem, which contains Judaism's holiest site: Temple Mount. However, each prayer differs in several aspects in that the morning and evening prayers are initiated with calls to prayer, or Barechu; all prayers end with praise to God and a supplication for a good life on earth.
However, certain conditions must be met for each prayer. Muslims pray while segregated in that men pray in one section of a mosque, or pray together in congregation, while women pray together; also, only males can become imams, or clerics, except in all-female congregations. In Judaism, men and women pray separately in synagogues (also called shuls), pretty much like in Islam; however, female rabbis (clerics) and hazzans (cantors) do exist, so that makes the issue of segregation an incomplete one. It is also preferable in both religions to pray at one's house of worship over one's home or workplace. A Muslim congregation, or jama'a, can include as many men/women as possible (segregated, of course), but a Jewish congregation, or minyan, involves 10 adult males. Also, both religions require that the person praying clears his mind of mundane thought and focus on praying to God, and asking for His Mercy and Forgiveness; in short, prayer is done from the heart, not from the mouth.
The comparison between the style of prayer and worship of the two religions sets the stage for the main comparison in this topic: the architectural difference between a Muslim mosque, or masjid, and a Jewish synagogue, or shul, along with the significance in the building plan of each.
A mosque, or a masjid, is a building symbolic to Muslims living in a certain community. It comes in two types: smaller, privately-owned mosques which are distributed evenly across the districts of a Muslim city, and larger, Cathedral mosques, which serve considerably more functions than their smaller counterparts. Mosques can serve many functions, among them being it serving as a house of worship and a rallying point for Muslims in small communities, where Muslims can pray special prayers such as the Friday (jum'a) and funeral (janazah) prayers. A mosque can also serve as a madrassah (school), where Muslim scholars and their pupils study religious scripture and analyze religious teachings in detail. They also serve several social functions. At a mosque, one can pay ritual almsgivings, or Zakat. During Ramadan, community mosques host breakfast meals, or iftar, which are held between the first call to the Maghreb prayer, and the second call to prayer, or iqamah, which precedes the prayer itself. Many mosques can also host social events, like fundraisers, bazaars and community meetings, especially in special holidays like Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha.
The synagogue, or shul in Yiddish, is a symbolic Jewish building. They come in many varieties that are not too different from each other. All of them serve as houses of worship, and have a special space for communal prayer. Like the mosque, it can also serve as a place for studying religious text, except that it is done in a separate room, or beth midrash, inside the synagogue instead of the wide prayer space that is present in mosques. Classes on Hebrew and basic Judaism are also held in synagogues, and this is similar to the sessions held in mosques regarding Muslims learning Arabic, recitation of the Koran, etc. Also, synagogues serve social purposes. During Jewish Holidays and celebrations, special services are held for events like Shabbat, Yom Kippur, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs (same as Bar Mitzvah, but for female adolescents), Purim, special bazaars and banquets hosted by the brotherhood and sisterhood committees of that synagogue, and other Jewish holidays and festivities. Like mosques, events are held there, especially carnivals and parties for celebrations like Purim.
To accommodate for such functions, mosques and synagogues have characteristic structures that accommodate their functions. Also, the architecture of these two buildings contains embedded symbolisms with regard to the orientation of the building, design, floor plan, etc.
We begin our comparison with the design of the mosque. A mosque has at least one minaret, or tower, which is used to call from when it's time for a certain prayer, and is used as a rally point to call Muslims to worship. This is a structure that is at least seven meters high and may have either a loudspeaker with a microphone input located inside the mosque, or a special room where a muezzin, a person assigned to call a prayer at its time, which is reached from the bottom via a staircase. The Azan (prayer call) is actually an optional duty, since Muslims alone can determine prayer times by the position of the sun in the sky or the time, but the Prophet Muhammad prescribed it. Sometimes, a minaret may have both, and there is no correlating pattern between what a minaret accommodates and how large the mosque that it's a part of is. Most mosques may have one or two minarets, but larger ones usually have more; few mosques lack a minaret. However, the minaret itself is a new structure; it did not appear until the rise of the Umayyad Empire, when cities expanded in size and mosques became scattered. That being said, the minaret became a necessary structure when it came to elevating the voice of the muezzin, in order to summon as much Muslims to prayer. In countries with a Muslim majority or a substantial Muslim minority, Azan is usually called aloud from the minaret, but this is not the case in countries with Muslim minorities, where the Azan is actually called from within the mosque. However, even in such countries, minarets can still be seen on mosques and serve as an accessorial design, which is pretty much like a church spire. Another notable feature of mosques is the presence of one or several domes (qubba), though not all mosques have domes. A dome is usually placed in the center of a roof's horizontal section, and is curved from the inside, thus making domes hollow, not solid. They have been incorporated into Islamic architecture after the 7th Century. Unlike the minaret, a dome has a spiritual symbolism more than a functional symbolism; domes symbolize the universal completeness that is God, and bring one to the attention of the Heavens, where God resides. On the other hand, there is no mention of domes in the Koran or Hadith, but there is no mention of them being forbidden either. Another important feature of mosques is the musalla, or the prayer recess inside the mosque. It is usually covered in lined carpeting, and is divided into rows. The musalla of every mosque, save for the one in Mecca, is oriented in one direction and has linear divides for the different rows. Also, the space between the rows is as long as one man prostrating on the ground. There is enough space to accommodate for prostrating, which is a part of prayer. Another important aspect of the musalla is that, while it may contain arches and ornamented pillars, there are no items of furniture or any depictions of humans and animals (specifically, no depictions of creatures that have a soul, since depiction is akin to idolatry). Items of furniture provide an obstruction to anyone who wants to pray in these halls. Instead, the musalla is lined with verses from the Koran and the words of God (Allah) or Muhammad, usually written in beautiful Arabic calligraphy. This is significant so as to keep the believer focused on God, and prevent distraction by thinking about mundane objects that have such imagery. Imagery is not favorable since it gives the impression of idolatry, since in Islam, God is transcendent, wholly other, and unknowable, especially His appearance. However, Muslims seek to know God through direct prayer to Him, without resorting to mundane concepts to "imagine" God. The pillars that line the musalla are spread far and thin, and are often used as points where Muslim study groups get together when it comes to studying religious scripture, and this is usually done after any of the five main prayers. Another aspect of the musalla is that it is a clean and preserved place, and wearing shoes is thus forbidden; this is to preserve the sanctity and purity of the prayer space and the function of the musalla as an area for prayer. Also, prayer halls usually have a barrier that separates the men's prayer space from the women's prayer space, although Islamic law does not call for such a complete separation. At the head of the musalla is the qibla wall, which is oriented normal (at 90 degrees) to the direction of Mecca, more specifically the Kaaba shrine. The rows of the musalla are arranged parallel to the qibla wall, a reference point for Muslims to pray towards. This is significant because it is aimed towards Mecca, the location for the holiest Islamic shrine: the Kaaba, also called the House of God. At the head of the qibla wall is a mihrab, a small prayer recess reserved for the imam and a spot from where he leads the prayer. It is an enclave situated at the front of a mosque. Like the musalla, a mihrab lacks furniture to provide room for the imam; this also symbolizes equality when it comes to prayer: every single Muslim in a mosque stands to pray, save for those who are handicapped and unable to walk (who sit down on the ground or on plastic chairs). During Friday services and the Eid prayers, the imam takes a position on top of the minbar, or pulpit, from where an imam delivers his sermon. Like the minaret, the minbar is elevated so as to allow for the imam's voice to reach the Muslims attending the congregation. Another point of consideration that one takes into observing a prayer space inside a mosque is the lack of an altar. Islam is one of the few world religions that does not make use of an altar in a house of worship, since no animals are sacrificed, no babies are baptized and so on. The absence of an altar also indicates that Islam discourages a multiple clergy, since the presence of an altar usually indicates that the house of worship has a multi-clerical body; thus, this encourages Muslims to pray directly to God, without any accessorial units to bring into use. A mosque may house several accessory features, such as a fountain and a water reserve, where Muslims can perform ablutions (wudu) before prayer. This is significant in that Muslims preserve their cleanliness before praying to God, and that ritual purification is complete prior to prayer. Other accessories include the presence of libraries and clinical services, usually found in the largest mosques, as well as small shelves that house copies of the Koran, where Muslims can grab a copy and read a chapter or two between prayer times, since recitation of the Koran is a good deed within itself. These are just the general features of a mosque.
A synagogue shares many similarities and differences with mosques in regard to function and architectural design. As mentioned before, synagogues come in many varieties. However, for the sake of discussion, the general design, which is that of the traditional Orthodox sect of Judaism, will be mentioned here. Usually, synagogues vary greatly in their external designs, but have a general internal design. Unlike a mosque, a synagogue does not require of the believers to take off their shoes. This is assuming that the synagogue itself is sanctified. A typical synagogue always houses a main sanctuary, where prayers are held. The main sanctuary, unlike the musalla of a mosque, contains seats where believers sit down while the rabbi hosts the initial stages of the prayer service, particularly the sermon. At the front of the sanctuary is an ark known as an Aron Ha-kodesh (Hebrew for "Holy Ark"), which is where scrolls from the Torah (God's revelation to Moses) are kept, that is situated atop a platform; this is akin to the small bookshelves present in mosques that house copies of the Koran, though they are only scattered around the prayer space, and serve no other function. The ark itself is positioned such that anyone who faces it faces towards Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest city, and is akin to the Ark of the Covenant built by Moses, which contained the Ten Commandments. Contrary to the function of the Koranic bookshelf in mosques, the ark is the holiest object found in a synagogue, and is often covered with an embroidered parokhet (curtain). In front of the platform is another platform that holds a table and the bimah, a stand from which the scrolls are read. The bimah faces the ark, and the space around it can be compared with the mihrab, the imam's prayer recess in a mosque. Facing the congregation of worshippers is a pulpit from where a rabbi leads the service, and another pulpit known as an amud (Hebrew for "post") facing the ark from where a hazzan (cantor) chants hymns during the prayer service; the first pulpit is similar to that used by the imam in a mosque when delivering his sermon and preaching to the faithful, while the latter is more akin to a muezzin's post, though the post itself is located inside the synagogue, not like a minaret that is located at the exterior of a mosque. A constantly-lit lantern known as a ner temid is situated in the main space, which is reminiscent of the Temple's Menorah, which remained miraculously ever-luminous. During prayer services, a menorah (candelabrum) is lit during the prayer services to commemorate the same Menorah that was lit in the Temple. Regarding the sanctuary, there are many similarities and differences between mosques and synagogues. Both refrain from using imagery and three-dimensional sculptures, which are akin to idolatry. However, synagogues incorporate artwork of natural scenes such as stained glass images of the sun and Hebrew passages and prayers from the Torah; the latter feature is similar to the Koranic manuscripts written on the inner walls of a mosque and prayer space. Moreover, the facing of the ark itself towards Jerusalem is similar to the qibla in mosques, or the building's orientation towards the Islamic city of Mecca. However, the symbolic features in a synagogue as well as the floor plan itself differ in many ways. For example, while a mosque may have one musalla and a few other rooms in large mosques, synagogues are always divided into several areas. The beth midrash ("House of Study") is a room where Torah scrolls are read and studied; in mosques, the Koran is studied in the musalla as there is no room for this function. Both houses of worship show segregation of men and women when it comes to prayer services, though men may lead women in Islamic prayer services. While mosques may have one imam or more with increasing size of the mosque, synagogues have a more complex clergy that attends it; the clergy has a dual leadership, for instance. While imams may preach sermons and lead prayers, the role of rabbis and hazzans in synagogues is equally important when it comes to leading a Jewish prayer congregation, or minyan. In addition to all this, there is this tradition of installing twelve windows across the main sanctuary hall as a reminder of the Twelve Tribes of Israel mentioned in the Old and New Testament. Synagogues tend to look more like churches than mosques from an exterior point of view, as synagogues, depending on style and the sect that it serves, may have spires, minaret-like structures (both are non-functional, though), domes and emblems like the Star of David, which is said to be the shape of King David's shield. On the other hand, some synagogues, especially those that Reform Jews adhere to, are based on Moorish (Andalusian) architecture, and may have domes and spires. Also, most mosques have one floor, while synagogues usually have two floors. This is not surprising: the musalla of a mosque is wide open and lacks furniture, while the furniture in synagogues take up space, and thus it is often deemed necessary to build synagogues in two floors. Despite all these differences, one could say that mosques and synagogues are indeed truly magnificent in their own perspective, and share many similarities that make their splendor all the more astounding.
People all over the world profess a variety of faiths, and it is not hard to spot faiths that are not only similar to each other in beliefs, but incorporate similar social structures, as we have seen in Islam and Judaism with regards to synagogues and mosques. As religious people, there is more that unites us than divides us, for while we pray differently and in different places, we all have this common goal: fear God, worship Him, do what is good, and pray for success and a bright future.
References
1- Belief comparison between Islam and Judaism: Religion Facts.com
2- Muslim Prayer: Religion Facts.com
3- Jewish Prayer: Religion Facts.com
4- Jewish observances, prayer garments, etc.: Judaism 101 – Frequently Asked Questions on Jewish Traditions
5- Mosque structure, function: Wikipedia.org
6- Synagogue structure, function: Wikipedia.org
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