The conversion of non-Islamic places of worship into mosques occurred during the life of Muhammad and continued during subsequent Islamic conquests and invasions and under historical Muslim rule. Hindu temples, Jain Temples, churches, synagogues, and Zoroastrian fire temples have been converted into mosques. Several such mosques in the areas of former Muslim rule have since been reconverted or have become museums, including the Parthenon in Greece and numerous mosques in Spain, such as Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba. Conversion of non-Islamic buildings into mosques influenced distinctive regional styles of Islamic architecture.

Qur'anic holy sites

Jerusalem

Upon the capture of Jerusalem, it is commonly reported that Umar refused to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in spite of a treaty. The architecturally similar Dome of the Rock was built on the Temple Mount, which was a destroyed site of the holiest Jewish temple, destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 and with consistent Jewish presence in Jerusalem has always been a site of religious prayer for Jews. Umar initially built there a small prayer house which laid the foundation for the later construction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Umayyads.

Conversion of church buildings

Europe

Albania

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Fethija Mosque (since 1592) of Bihać was a Catholic church devoted to Saint Anthony of Padua (1266).

Cyprus

Following the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus, a number of churches (especially the Catholic ones) were converted into mosques. A relatively significant surge in church-to-mosque conversion followed the 1974 Turkish Invasion of Cyprus. Many of the Orthodox churches in Northern Cyprus have been converted, and many are still in the process of becoming mosques.

Greece

Numerous orthodox churches were converted to mosques during the Ottoman period in Greece. After the Greek War of Independence, many of them were later reconverted into churches. Among them:

Hungary

Following the Ottoman conquest of the Kingdom of Hungary, a number of churches were converted into mosques. Those that survived the era of Ottoman rule, were later reconverted into churches after the Great Turkish War.

Spain

A Catholic church dedicated to Saint Vincent of Lérins, was built by the Visigoths in Córdoba; during the reign of Abd al-Rahman I, it was converted into a mosque. In the time of the Reconquista, Christian rule was reestablished and the building became a church once again, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption.

Ukraine

After the Ottomans conquered Mangup, the capital of Principality of Theodoro, a prayer for the Sultan recited in one of the churches which converted into a mosque, and according to Turkish authors "the house of the infidel became the house of Islam."

Middle East and North Africa

Iraq

The Islamic State converted a number of churches into mosques after they occupied Mosul in 2014. The churches were restored to their original function after Mosul was liberated in 2017.

Israel and Palestinian territories

The Herodian shrine of the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, the second most holy site in Judaism, was converted into a church during the Crusades before being turned into a mosque in 1266 and henceforth banned to Jews and Christians. Part of it was restored as a synagogue by Israel after 1967. Other sites in Hebron have undergone Islamification. The Tomb of Jesse and Ruth became the Church of the Forty Martyrs, which then became the Tomb of Isai and later Deir Al Arba'een.

Lebanon

Morocco

Syria

Turkey

Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

Following the Ottoman conquest of Anatolia, virtually all of the churches of Istanbul were converted into mosques except the Church of Saint Mary of the Mongols.

Other churches

• The Church of the Holy Apostles became the cathedral church and seat of the patriarchate for three years after the Fall of Constantinople, as Hagia Sophia became the city's Jama masjid. The Justinianic church was already in disrepair and in 1461 it was demolished and the Fatih Mosque was erected in its place. • The Church of the Pantocrator, a church favoured for imperial burials in the latter Byzantine Empire, became the Zeyrek Mosque. • The Church of SS Sergius and Bacchus, a church built by Justinian I, became a mosque dubbed the Little Hagia Sophia. • The Church of Saint Andrew in Krisei, became the Koca Mustafa Pasha Mosque. • The Church of Saint Thekla of the Palace of Blachernae, became the Atik Mustafa Pasha Mosque. • The nunnery of Saint Theodosia, became the Gül Mosque. • The Chora Church became the Kariye Mosque. • The Monastery of Stoudios became the İmrahor Mosque. • The Church of Saint John the Forerunner by-the-Dome became the Hirami Ahmet Pasha Mosque. • The Church of Myrelaion became the Bodrum Mosque. • The Catholic Church of Saint Paul became the Arap Mosque. • The Lips Monastery became the Fenari Isa Mosque. • The Monastery of Christ Pantepoptes became the Eski Imaret Mosque. • The Church of Theotokos Kyriotissa became the Kalenderhane Mosque. • The Church of Hagios Theodoros at Vefa became the Church-Mosque of Vefa. • The Monastery of Manuel became the Kefeli Mosque. • The Monastery of Gastria became the Sancaktar Hayrettin Mosque. • The Church of Saint Mary of Constantinople became the Odalar Mosque. • The Pammakaristos Church became the Fethiye Mosque. • The Toklu Dede Mosque was an Eastern Orthodox church of unknown dedication. • The monastery of the Holy Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora became the Manastır Mosque. • Chora Church in Istanbul (2019)

Rest of Turkey

Elsewhere in Turkey numerous churches were converted into mosques, including:

Orthodox

• Hagia Sophia Church in Nicaea (İznik) • Hagia Sophia Church in Trebizond (Trabzon) • Panagia Chrysokephalos Church, became the Fatih Mosque in Trabzon (Trabzon) • Nakip Mosque was a Byzantine church. (Trabzon) • Hagios Eugenios Church, became the New Friday Mosque (Trabzon) • Saint Paul Cathedral, became the Tarsus Old Mosque (Tarsus) • Church of Virgin Mary, became the Kesik Minare (Antalya) • Church of Christ and Saint Stephen, became the Fatih Mosque in Tirilye (Tirilye) • Hagia Sophia church in Enez

Armenian Apostolic

Hundreds of Armenian Churches were converted into Mosques in Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Conversion of Hindu temples

Conversion of synagogues

North Africa

Algeria

Europe

France

The Netherlands

Influence on Islamic architecture

The conversion of non-Islamic religious buildings into mosques during the first centuries of Islam played a major role in the development of Islamic architectural styles. Distinct regional styles of mosque design, which have come to be known by such names as Arab, Persian, Andalusian, and others, commonly reflected the external and internal stylistic elements of churches and other temples characteristic for that region.