Photo by Emily O'Dell
The inner consciousness of the saint
is the true mosque where all should worship–
God lives there.
— Rumi
My favorite feature of Islamic architecture in Syria has to be the black and white stripes used to decorate the arches of mosques, palaces, and Sufi lodges. The term in Arabic used for the architectural style of alternating rows of light and dark stone is ablaq. On the facade of this particular mosque in Damascus (above), you can see two other patterns which use these same colors: the snowflake design above the florescent light, and the reflected wavy band above the door that rests in between two registers of Arabic text…
- Photo by Emily O’Dell
My only reason for entering
a Mosque or a Tavern
is seeking your union.
— Hafiz
The moment I came across this second arch in Damascus, I thought that it resembled a medieval keyhole. The shape of the door itself reminded me of a hamsa (evil eye hand) placed upside down. Though there wasn’t much light for a photograph, I was hoping to capture the red and black stripes (originally black and white?) around the arch, and that beautiful blue color emanating from the interior of the mosque. If you look closely at the step beneath the door, you will find the black and white striped pattern there as well…
