Mosque of the Prophet Daniel, Kirkuk
| Mosque of the Prophet Daniel | |
|---|---|
جامع النبي دانيال | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Branch/tradition | Formerly: |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | |
| Location | |
| Location | Kirkuk Citadel, Kirkuk |
| Country | Iraq |
Location of the religious complex in Iraq | |
Interactive map of Mosque of the Prophet Daniel | |
| Coordinates | 35°28′08″N 44°23′44″E / 35.4687559°N 44.3955293°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | c. 150 worshippers |
| Interior area | 400 m2 (4,300 sq ft) |
| Dome | Two |
| Minaret | One |
| Shrines | Four: (Grave of Mishael is unconfirmed) |
| Materials | Bricks; tiles |
The Mosque of Prophet Daniel (Arabic: جامع النبي دانيال; Turkish: Peygamber Daniel Camii) is a mosque and mausoleum that is part of the Kirkuk Citadel territory, located in Kirkuk, Iraq. The mosque contains a shrine, in which local tradition affirms that Daniel and alongside Hananiah and Azariah are buried in.[1] The tomb is visited and revered by all three Abrahamic religions.[2]
The mosque is one of several sites throughout the Middle East where it is claimed Daniel is buried, including the Tomb of Daniel, in Iran.[3]
Historical background
The original structure was originally a synagogue that was converted into a Christian church. Local tradition relates that the church was then converted into a mosque during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz. The present building dates from the start of the Timurid era to the end of the Ilkhanate. The mosque was also renovated by the Ottomans.[2] A cemetery for Ottoman soldiers who died during World War II was added at some point, and locals used the cemetery in subsequent years. It is the first cemetery in Kirkuk.
The mosque was used for worship, but this ceased in 1997 when demolition of the Kirkuk Citadel was proposed to relocate the Turkmen. However, the visits to the mosque and its shrine did not stop.[2] The present government has since neglected the mosque, allowing for part of it to collapse.[1]
Description and architecture
The interior of the mosque is 400 square metres (4,300 sq ft). It has two blue domes and a single minaret. The minaret is made of brick and decorated with Qashani tiles, completed in the Ottoman style.[2]
The shrine
The mosque is also revered by the Christians and Jews of Iraq, who visit it to pay their respects to the alleged graves of the four Prophets within the mosque, who are the Prophet Daniel and his three companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, the latter three who are given the names Hunayn, Misha'il and 'Uzayr[1] which are essentially Arabized versions of their Hebrew names.
However, there are only three graves in the shrine. The location of the grave of Mishael is unknown.[1] The signboard for the grave of Abednego/Azariah misidentifies him with the biblical Ezra, also known as 'Uzayr in Islamic tradition.
Gallery
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The rear of the mosque
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Inside the mosque, with the three tombs
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The tomb of Azariah, spelled here as 'Uzayr
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The tomb of Hananiah
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The temporary residence for the caretaker
See also
References
- ^ a b c d مزار النبي دانيال في كركوك يجذب جميع المكونات بدون فرق وتمييز. العربية [Rojnews.news] (in Arabic). May 11, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c d جامع ومرقد النبي دانيال - موقع قسم الشؤون الدينية - العتبة العلوية المقدسة. tableegh.imamali.net (in Arabic). Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ Rosenmuller, E. F. C. (1836). "Appendix to Chapter VI". The Biblical Geography Of Central Asia. Edinburgh: Thomas Clark. p. 318.
External links
Media related to Shrine of Daniel at the Kirkuk Citadel at Wikimedia Commons