Dikka

Dikka in the Sultan Hasan Mosque in Cairo

Dikka , also Dakka , is an elevated free-standing platform or gallery made of wood or stone in mosques . Depending on the size of the mosque, the dikka is either only about 30 to 40 cm or three meters above the ground. They were built from the 9th century.

The nobles and rulers took their places on the dikka or the muezzin repeated the prayer texts and gave the prescribed movements during common prayer. In Turkish mosques this platform is called Mahfil .

However, the dikka was perceived as annoying over time, as it restricted the view of the mihrab (prayer niche). In most modern mosques that are equipped with loudspeakers, it is therefore only symbolic.