Juma Mosque

The mosque’s layout is meticulously oriented towards the cardinal points, with its main façade directed towards Mecca, acknowledging the ancient belief that prayers must be precisely oriented to be received by Allah. Within its cubic interior lies the mihrab and the Imam’s place, surrounded by arched galleries and cells that encircle a lengthy courtyard. Here, the takhoratkhona, a space for ritual ablutions, underscores the mosque’s dedication to spiritual cleanliness and focus.

The interior design of the mosque is deliberately understated, eschewing opulent decoration to prevent any distraction from prayer. This philosophy of simplicity extended to the exclusion of women from the mosque, who were traditionally only permitted to visit cemeteries and seek counsel from a sheikh rather than an imam.

The Friday prayer, or Juma, is a pivotal aspect of Muslim worship, and its observance was strictly enforced in medieval Tashkent. Mukhtasibs, or religious officials, were empowered to punish any Muslim who failed to attend the Friday prayer at the appointed time. The ritual begins with the muezzin’s call from the minaret, signaling the faithful to perform ablutions and align themselves shoulder to shoulder, facing Mecca. The mihrab, adorned with Quranic inscriptions, guides the direction of prayer led by the Imam, who recites surahs as the congregation follows with rakats, a series of prostrations in various postures. For comfort during prayer, worshippers often bring small prayer rugs known as joy-namaz.

The Friday prayer is concise, typically lasting about 20 minutes, and concludes with a collective turn to the right and then to the left, symbolizing a greeting to Allah. A critical element of the prayer is the khutbah, a sermon addressed to the ruler of the land, which is essential for the prayer’s validity.

To facilitate the observance of the five daily prayers, mosques are equipped with clocks that display the times for prayer, adjusted twice daily. As the day is divided into five equal parts, these clocks ensure that the faithful can adhere to their prayer schedule with precision.

The mosque has endured challenges, including significant damage from earthquakes. After the 1868 earthquake, it lay in ruins until Tsar Alexander III allocated funds for its restoration in 1888, leading to its moniker, the «Tsarist Mosque.» In the Soviet era, the mosque was repurposed for secular use, serving as an administrative building.

The last major restoration in the 1990s saw the mosque reconstructed by contemporary architects. The original cubic structure was replaced, and the mosque now boasts three domes instead of one. Although the surrounding architectural ensemble has not survived to the present day, the Khoja Akhrar Vali Juma Mosque remains a focal point of faith and history in Tashkent. Its legacy, preserved in photographs and the collective memory of the community, continues to be an integral part of the city’s cultural and religious identity.