Mosque layout in breadth derives directly from prayer-row practice

Evidence

In the public prayer, held every Friday, the worshippers stand side by side, in long rows, facing the qibla wall which shows the direction of Mecca. They are led by the Imam, whom they must follow exactly, and there is special merit in being in the front row, preferably to the right of the Imam. Unlike the church, the mosque is therefore usually planned in breadth, with naves parallel to the qibla wall. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 124

Categorization

Category: Causal Relationships