Mosque in Ivye

The history of the creation of the Mosque in Ivye

The building of the mosque in Ivye is one of the most ancient monuments of Muslim culture that have survived to this day in Belarus. The first Tatars appeared here in the 15th century thanks to the famous prince Vitovt. He gave these lands to the captive Tatars for their conscientious service as a token of gratitude. However, for a long time, local representatives of the clergy did not give permission to build a Muslim temple. After that, they set a prerequisite, the presence of at least 200 male parishioners, for the start of construction, and only a wooden building, without the use of stone. The construction of the mosque was attended by representatives of the nobility of the town, and emigrants who left for the United States. Thus, even in Soviet times, the mosque in Ivye continued to work, despite the religious persecution of that time in Belarus. Throughout its existence, the mosque has never been damaged. So, in July 1944, when Soviet troops liberated Ivye, the temple was not damaged only because of the shortage of an artillery shell.

The architecture of the Mosque in Ivye

The architecture of the building of the mosque stands out for its laconism and simple, the style has the features of Art Nouveau, made in wood. The mosque is a rectangular building with an extension of five sides ‒ mihrab. In the center of the mihrab there is an 8-sided minaret, which is surrounded by a balcony and ends with a high spire. The windows are rectangular, as well as two separate entrances for men and women. The interior of the mosque is also divided into two parts. In the wall separating the female and male halves, there is a wide window covered with green silk - muslin. Thus, women in their half only hear how the service is going. In the upper part of the wall separating the male and female halves of the mosque, there is a gallery-balcony with a central part protruding forward. This is the seat of the muezzin (deputy imam). Young people who come to church services are also located there.

Church Shop in Mosque in Ivye

Divine services (namaz) are held mainly in the daytime, from 12 to 14 o'clock, however, during the fast, evening and night prayers are held. The important divine services are highlighted ‒ guzhel, and less significant ‒ abdest. The muezzin convenes the faithful for divine services. This call to prayer is called adhan. When going to prayer in the mosque, one must not look in the mirror and one must avoid meeting women and pets. When entering the mosque, it is imperative to take off your shoes and cover your head. One should pray while sitting «in Turkish». For the weak and old people in the mosque there are benches along its walls. Prayers are read throughout the service. After reading the traditional suras of the Koran, separate prayers (dhikr) are sung in chorus, which glorifies the ancestors and prophets, including Muhammad and Jesus. The day of worship in the mosque is Friday. All the necessary supplies for prayer can be purchased locally, in the church shop. There are opening hours from 8 am to 7 pm every day.

How to get to the Mosque in Ivye

The distance to Ivye from Mink is 143 km, if you go along the M6 highway. Regular buses and fixed-route taxis run here all the time. The ticket price varies from 7 to 12 rubles one way. For lovers of railway transport, unfortunately, there is no station in the city itself, but the nearest stop is 32 km away in the city of Lida, from where you can get by minibus or regular taxi. The exact GPS coordinates of the temple: 53.5520. 25.4620.