Khalwa (structure)

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A khalwa (also "bayt al-khalwa", literally "place of seclusion"), [1] is an Islamic solitary space or cell ( zawiya ) set aside as a place for retreat and spiritual exercise. [1] [2]

A considerable number of small khalwa structures were built on the esplanade of Al-Aqsa from 956 onwards, many founded by local Ottoman dignitaries and echoing a similar vaulted form supporting one or two domed chambers. [2]

The underground prayer chambers in the traditional mosques of central Arabia (Najd) are also called khalwa. [3] Druze prayer houses are also known as khalwas, Khalwat al-Bayada being the most prominent one. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Khalwa". Encyclopedia of Islam (2 ed.). Brill.
  2. 1 2 Burgoyne, Michael Hamilton (2012). "The Development of al-Haram ai-Sharif during Ottoman Rule" (PDF). Proceedings of the International Congress on al-Quds during the Ottoman Era, Damascus, 22-25 June 2009. Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-05-25.
  3. ↑ Alnaim, M. M. (2023). "The Architecture of Mosque Integration of Decoration, Functionality, and Spirituality: An Overview of Najd Region Mosque Architecture". Journal of Engineering Research. doi:10.36909/jer.ICMA.20217 (inactive 12 July 2025). ISSN   2307-1877.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
  4. ↑ Samy S. Swayd (2009). The A to Z of the Druzes. Rowman & Littlefield. p. xxxix. ISBN   978-0-8108-6836-6.
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