Today is the start of Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim festival that signals the end of Ramadan - and which is celebrated with feasts and prayer.
To mark this important date in the Muslim calendar, we've taken a whistlestop tour of the world's most beautiful mosques...
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By Lizzie Porter
Image: Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
As we celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan, Agoda , one of the world’s fastest growing online travel agents (OTA), highlights destinations around the world where travelers will find some of the most awe-inspiring mosques ever built.
In the early days of Islam, mosques were modest affairs. The first ones had neither domes nor minarets. The Prophet Muhammad used his courtyard as a prayer hall. But Arab autocrats now see things differently. Many hope to leave a legacy in stone in keeping with their proclaimed grandeur.
If you ever need help remembering the sacred spaces for Muslims, just think of the three Ms: mosques, Mecca, and Medina.
The most common Islamic holy site is their place of worship: the mosque. Muslims are required to pray five times a day, and though Muslims can pray anywhere, dedicated Muslims strive to participate in the prayer time inside the mosque. Every Friday, Muslims meet at the mosque for special prayer and teaching from the imam, the local Islamic leader of the mosque. Most mosques have classes on the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book, for children and new converts to the Islamic faith.
Muslims consider every mosque a holy place. There are two mosques, however, that, due to the history of their geographical locations, are the most significant: the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. Understanding these two mosques and the cities that host them can help Christians gain a better understanding of the Islamic faith and know how to reach out to Muslims with the gospel.
Roughly one-quarter of the world is Muslim. With facades dressed in mosaics, glowing marble, crowning domes, and spiraling towers, mosques are awe-strikingly stunning from the outside. In off-prayer hours, wander inside these magnificent structures and you'll find exquisite prayer halls accentuated by gorgeous Persian carpets or valleys of chandeliers.
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En 2017, l’Inde a accueilli plus de 10 millions de touristes. Ce pays attire autant de visiteurs étrangers grâce notamment à la richesse de sa culture et la beauté de ses nombreux sites touristiques. Mais pour profiter de son séjour en Inde et éviter les mauvaises surprises, il faut prendre le temps de bien préparer son voyage. Vous avez envie de passer vos prochaines vacances en Inde ? Nous vous donnons 5 conseils avisés pour organiser des vacances réussies dans ce pays.
« L'Inde est un véritable festival de couleurs. Partout, vous trouverez des bâtiments magnifiques qui enchantent avec leurs décorations artistiques et vous raconteront l'histoire fascinante du pays. Tout comme la culture impressionnante, les parcs nationaux avec des tigres du Bengale, le calme de l'Himalaya ou les plages de Goa peuvent apporter d'autres accents inoubliables à votre voyage en Inde. »
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