What is a mihrab?

A mihrab is the niche or arched recess in a mosque wall that shows which way to pray. It sits in the wall facing the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah, and the imam usually stands in front of it to lead the prayer. It is a marker, not an object of worship, and a mosque is still valid without one.

What a mihrab does

Muslims everywhere face the Kaaba in prayer. Allah told the Prophet ﷺ:

فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ "So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque [in Mecca]—wherever you are, turn your faces towards it." Quran 2:144

In a large hall with no visible markings, it can be hard to know which way that is. The mihrab solves the problem: walk in, see the niche, and you know where the qibla is. People don't pray to the mihrab itself. They pray toward the Kaaba, and the mihrab simply points the way.

What it looks like

Usually a half-circle or pointed arch cut into the wall.
Often decorated with tiles, calligraphy or carved stone, though many Western mosques use a plain painted arch or even a simple marker.
Sometimes a flat panel or a line on the carpet is used instead of a niche.

The imam normally leads from the area in front of it, which is why you will often see the first row lined up close to the niche. Some mosques also use the Arabic word in other places, for instance for the arched design on prayer rugs. Where it fits in a mosque's layout is covered in a general article. See What are the parts of a mosque?

Where does the word come from?

The Quran uses the word mihrab for a place of worship or a private chamber, such as the one where Zachariah visited Mary (Quran 3:37). The niche-shaped mihrab we know today was a later architectural development. The Prophet's mosque in Madinah originally had no such niche, and the direction was simply known. Historians link the arched niche to the early Umayyad period.

Mihrab versus minbar

The two are often confused, but they have different jobs:

Mihrab: a niche in the qibla wall that marks the direction of prayer.
Minbar: a raised pulpit with steps, usually standing beside the mihrab, from which the khutbah is given on Fridays.

The Prophet ﷺ had a wooden pulpit made so that he could sit and address the people (Sahih al-Bukhari 917). See What is a khutbah?

Do I have to pray near it?

No. You can stand in any row. The prayer rows are formed behind the imam, so the closest spots fill first, but you can pray anywhere in the hall and your prayer is just as valid. If you pray at home, you don't need a mihrab at all; a qibla app or a compass is enough. See Can I use a qibla app to find the prayer direction?

Key points

A mihrab is a niche that shows the qibla (Quran 2:144).
It is a direction marker, not something to worship.
The minbar is the separate pulpit used for the Friday khutbah (Sahih al-Bukhari 917).
You don't need a mihrab to pray, at home or anywhere else.

Tip: If you walk into a mosque and aren't sure which way to face, look for the mihrab, then check which direction the rows are lined up. All of them point the same way.