The first mosque built on the earth is the Sacred Mosque, the Ka’bah built at Makkah also called Bakkah (v. 1); and all mosques should therefore face towards the Sacred Mosque (v. 2: h. 3). The Prophet’s Mosque at Madīnah was a simple structure made of rough material; and though in rebuilding it finer material was used by ‘Uthmān, the third Caliph, it still retained its simplicity (b. 4). A mosque should be a simple structure . it should not be decorated (b. 5), and should have no pictures or statues in it (b. 8). It should be kept clean (hh. 9,10) and even perfumed (h. 9). Its only furniture consists of a pulpit, wherefrom the Imām delivers a sermon on Fridays or addresses people on other important occasions. and of mats on which prayers are said (hh. 11, 12), though prayers may be said even on bare ground (h. 13).