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The donated tiles are destined for use in a “mihrab,” a semicircular niche indicating the direction of prayer towards the Kaaba in Mecca.

The mihrab is oriented towards the Kaaba in Mecca, Mr. Nahidian said, and its design is arched to reflect the universality of God’s law.

Standing in a room that held a 13th-century ceramic mihrab, or prayer niche, from Iran, she was counting how many human figures were on the Persian lusterware tiles that lined the doorway.

The most stunning part of the Mezquita is the mihrab, a prayer niche in the wall, which you enter through a horseshoe arch.

Kassas found a University of Dubuque student to write out the calligraphy for the verse, and he worked with Slade to get it shaped around the mihrab.