Optimal planning of areas surrounding mosques and the factors affecting them The mosque is considered the symbol of the Islamic city, and the Grand Mosque is its geographical center. With the planning of new Islamic cities at the beginning of Islamic civilization, the mosque and the government administration offices were located in the center of the city. This was also evident in the plans of cities such as Baghdad and Samarra in Iraq, Kairouan in Tunisia, and others. All the city's neighborhoods surround the Grand Mosque. The mosque has many functions. In addition to its religious role, it has an educational role, as in the universities of Al-Azhar and Kairouan. As well as a political role, especially in crises and hardships, such as Al-Azhar Mosque, A social role has recently emerged in a hall for events, social, and health care next to the mosque. Also, the area surrounding the mosques plays a role in the prosperity of commercial activities and economic movement after prayers, especially Friday prayers. Most mosques in Islamic cities are surrounded by a flourishing movement of buying and selling after praying, whether in the shops surrounding the mosque, from street vendors and carts, or in the mosque courtyard. God Almighty says " O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business. That would be better for you if you only knew. (9) So when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah much that you may succeed." (10) (Surat Al-Jumu’ah). God Almighty commands His servants to leave worldly concerns and hasten to pray. So when you have performed your prayer and finished your worship, then seek God’s bounty and seek the means of livelihood. Therefore, the commercial area stop its activity during prayer, and commercial activity flourishes after it. The mosque has an impact on the surrounding uses as well as the social and educational activities, which may cause traffic congestion in those areas. The problem with the research is the lack of studying the actual impact of mosques on the surrounding area through measurable variables, which makes it difficult to take them into account when designing mosques, which may affect the capacity and land uses in the area surrounding the mosque. The study aims to identify the variables affected by mosques in the surrounding area and to determine the most important planning requirements and considerations that must be taken into account when planning these areas.

The mosque is the land that is allocated for prayer, and it doesn't need to be built. Mosques were based on utilitarian values at the beginning of the spread and stability of Islam. The aesthetic aspects of mosque construction flourished with the beginning of the Umayyad state, Where mosques have developed significantly by adding some elements such as minarets, mihrabs, domes, inner courtyards, arcades, etc. Aesthetic values of decorations, engravings, and Arabic calligraphy began to appear, especially during the Fatimid period. Mosque architecture developed significantly during the Abbasid, Ottoman, and Mamluk eras, up until the modern era. Mosque architecture developed significantly during the Abbasid, Ottoman, and Mamluk eras, up until the modern era. The emergence of cement and modern construction technology has contributed to a boom in the shape, height, and area of mosques and their components, such as minarets and domes. Modernist and post-modernist architectural theories were also reflected in various buildings, including mosques. Although there are opinions for and against some designs and works of mosques that were influenced by modern architectural theories, preserving the identity of mosques and affirming the meaning associated with Islamic values and principles remains the important axis on which we can base this modernization. A characteristic of all architectural and artistic works is development and modernization with time but on the condition of preserving identity to achieve success and sustainability, especially for mosques. The study problem is that some modern designs tend to rely on modern theories and technologies that keep pace with global changes, which may cause the proposed designs for mosques to lose their identity and meaning. However, if mosques do not rely on these modern technologies and concepts, they will not keep pace with global developments and changes. So how do we preserve identity and achieve renewal? The study aims to identify the elements through which contemporary theories and modern construction techniques can be utilized without compromising identity and preserving meaning.

In the past few years, several countries have focused on building the Grand Mosque, which is a symbol of the state, expressing the status of Islam in it and expressing the prestige of the state. This was evident in the Hassan II Mosque in Morocco, the Grand Mosque in Algeria, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, and the Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque in Egypt. As it happened throughout history, such as the Mosque of Ahmed Ibn Tulun, the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, the Mosque of Al-Rifai, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the Mosque of Al-Hussein, the Mosque of Sayyida Zeinab, and others. The locations of these mosques differed, such as the Hassan II Mosque in a distinguished location on the sea in Morocco, the Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque in a new city, the Great Mosque of Algiers inside the city of Algiers, and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. The reasons for construction varied, but they focused on expressing the Islamic identity and the country's symbol. In Egypt, the Al-Fattah Al-Alimi Mosque was intended to support the urban development of the new city. The Great Mosque of Algiers represents a new phase in the country after the revolution in Algeria. The construction of these mosques has impacted several axes, including urban dimension and population growth in the region, and the impact on surrounding uses, traffic, and others. The problem of the study is that these grand mosques were built for specific goals. Did the mosques achieve the goals, and what are the reasons for not achieving them? Also, these grand mosques have a great impact on the city and the surrounding area and no study clearly defines this impact. The study aims to determine the extent to which these mosques have achieved their goals. The study also aims to determine the impact of these mosques on the various dimensions of urban development at the city level and the level of the area surrounding the mosque.