Top 5 Biggest Mosques in the World

There are approximately 3.6 million mosques in the world. Some of them are very small, located in
different streets of different villages and some are even built in open skies with a stone bordering. But
then, there are also mosques in the world that have a capacity of 4,000,000. Today we are going to talk
about these mosques. Here are the top 5 biggest mosques in the world. (2022)

1. Masjid al-Haram
The Holy Mosque, “Masjid al-haram” is a mosque that surrounds the Holy Kaaba of the Muslims in the
Mecca city of Saudi Arabia. It is a site where millions of Muslims from around the world come to
perform pilgrimage (Hajj). “Hajj” is one of the fundamentals of Islam which must be performed by every
Muslim once in their lives (if possible). People also perform the “Umrah” here, which can be performed
as many times as you want in a year.

There has been continuous work in progress on Masjid al-Haram ever since it was built and has been
getting bigger and bigger with passing time. The area covered by the beautiful and huge mosque is
about 356,000 square meters. This mosque can hold up to 4,000,000 worshippers.

2. Al-Masjid an- Nabavi

The beautiful mosque, “Al-Masjid an-Nabavi” is the second most holy place in Islam and is located in the
“Madinah” city of Saudi Arabia. The foundations of the most important mosque in the world after
Masjid al-haram were laid down on 18 Rabi al-Awal, 1 AH (Hijri). After moving to Madinah, Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) immediately ordered to begin construction on Masjid an-Nabavi and also shared in
the construction himself (PBWH). The walls of the mosque were built from stones and bricks while the
roof was built with wood. Although, there has been continuous work on the mosque ever since
construction started and now this mosque is one the most beautiful mosques in history.

It holds the final resting place of the last prophet, Muhammad (SAW) and his dear companions, the first
two caliphs Hazrat Abu Bakar (PBWH) and Hazrat Umar (PBWH). Many people who go to Mecca to
perform Hajj also visit this mosque for the Green Dome which is the tomb of the Prophet (SAW). The
area covered by this mosque is 384,000 square meters and it has the capacity of holding up to 1,500,000
people.

3. Grand Jamia Mosque, Karachi

The Grand Jamia Mosque is the largest mosque in Pakistan and the 3 rd largest mosque in the world. The
construction of this mosque has been completed recently. Although, there is still work going on in some
sects. It has been built on higher grounds so that it can be seen from far distances.

It is a fusion of Muslim and Islamic Architecture. It’s not only a mosque. It also has a museum, library,
university, and an auditorium. The construction of this mosque was completed at a very fast pace and
with a very good group of laborers. The total area covered by the biggest mosque in Pakistan, The Grand
Jamia Mosque is about 200,000 square meters. It has the capacity of holding around 800,000 to 900,000
worshippers.

4. Imam Reza Shrine

Built-in 818 in the Mashhad city of Iran, the Imam Reza Shrine is a complex in which the mausoleum of
Imam Reza (the eighth imam of the twelve Shia imams) is located. In this complex, there is not only a
mosque but also a museum, a cemetery, a library, the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, vast prayer
halls, a dining hall for pilgrims, and some other buildings.

It is the largest shrine in the world. Each year about 25 million Iranian and non-Iranian Shias visit this
shrine and it has been described as “the heart of the Shia Iran”. In terms of area, the Imam Reza Shrine
is the largest mosque in the world covering an area of about 598,657 square meters. It can hold crowds
of people up to 700,000 in numbers.

5. Faisal Mosque
Once the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia is now the 5 th largest mosque in the world and the
second-largest mosque in Pakistan just after the Grand Jamia Mosque. It is located in the foothills of the
Margala Hills in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. The design of this mosque resembles that of a typical
Bedouin tent. It is a very beautiful mosque and it has been the center of attention for tourists not even
in Pakistan but across the whole world.

A member of the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, King Faisal granted 28 million dollars for the construction
of this mosque which was named as “Faisal Mosque” after him. It was also the largest mosque in the
world from 1986 until 1993 when it lost the title of the world’s largest mosque to the mosques in Saudi
Arabia. This structure covers an area of 130,000 square meters. The Faisal Mosque, also known as the
Shah Faisal Mosque, has a capacity of holding up to 300,000 people.

Written and Scripted by: Anees Imran