Short answer
In a mosque, cameras mostly cover the courtyard and entrance doors, the shoe racks, the donation box, the area around the ablution fountain and the parking lot. Cameras are never placed inside the ablution rooms or toilets; in the prayer hall, a placement is chosen that does not disturb the congregation and respects privacy. Adding a burglar alarm to the doors and windows while the mosque is closed at night also protects valuables such as the sound system and carpets.
The most common incidents at mosques
The issues mosque associations complain about most are shoe theft, break-ins at donation and charity boxes, theft of sound system equipment, carpets and rugs, and damage to vehicles parked in the courtyard. In some neighborhoods, people who enter the mosque at night and try to stay inside are also a problem.
Most of these incidents happen either during crowded prayer times or at night when the mosque is closed. In a crowd, camera footage helps find out who did it. At night, cameras and alarms give warning while the incident is happening.
Before installing cameras, the best starting point for the plan is to talk with the association’s management, the imam and the muezzin about where these incidents happen.
During Friday and Eid prayers, the mosque courtyard and its surroundings get very crowded. On these days, footage from the shoe rack and parking lot cameras is requested more often. When setting the recording period, choosing one that covers at least the days until the next Friday ensures the footage is still there even if an incident is noticed late.
Where do the cameras go?
Cameras are placed at the entrances and common areas. For each point, what the camera needs to see is decided from the start; the camera facing the shoe racks must see the face of the person taking the shoes, while the camera facing the courtyard watches general movement. Once the number and position of cameras are set, how each camera will see at night is checked separately; if courtyard lighting is weak, models with a longer infrared range are chosen.
- Main entrance and the women’s section entrance
- Shoe area and shoe racks
- The wall with the donation and charity boxes
- Courtyard, area around the ablution fountain and the outer door of the ablution room
- Minaret door and roof access points
- Parking lot and the back facade of the mosque
Expert note: Place the shoe rack camera near the door, not directly opposite the rack, at an angle that sees the face of the person who picks up shoes and heads for the door. A camera looking down on the racks from above only records bowed heads.
Where do cameras not go, and what should you watch out for?
Cameras are never placed inside areas such as the ablution rooms, toilets and the room for washing the deceased. The outside of these doors can be monitored, but the angle is set so the camera does not see inside when the door opens.
The decision for the prayer hall rests with the association’s management. Some mosques place one or two cameras inside to protect valuable carpets and sound equipment. In that case, it is important that the camera is not seen as an eye watching each worshipper; the camera is mounted high, set for a general view, in an unobtrusive housing. A placement that would see inside the women’s section is avoided.
A sign stating that cameras are in use is posted at the entrance doors. Who can access the recordings is also clearly defined: usually the association president and one board member. Recordings are not shared on social media; if an incident occurs, they are handed over to the police.
- Faces are visible at the shoe racks
- Donation box is on camera and has a vibration detector
- No cameras inside the ablution area
- Notice signs at the entrance doors
- Alarm on doors and windows at night
- Recorder is in a locked cabinet
- The people who can access recordings are defined
- Permission was requested for the registered building
Alarm for a mosque that is closed at night
In a mosque that stays closed from the night (isha) prayer until the dawn (fajr) prayer, camera recording alone does not stop an incident. A burglar alarm with magnetic contacts on doors and windows, motion sensors inside and a siren outside gives an immediate warning when someone breaks in. The warning goes to the phones of the association manager and the imam.
The alarm does not have to be armed and disarmed by hand at every prayer time. The panel can be programmed to arm automatically during the hours the mosque is closed. Because call to prayer and prayer times change through the year, the schedule needs to be updated with the seasons; to make this easier, arming and disarming can also be done from a phone.
Placing a vibration detector on the wall where the donation box stands, or inside the box, triggers the alarm when someone forces the box. This is useful during closed hours as well as during quiet daytime hours.
Installation in historic and registered mosques
In Şanlıurfa, many mosques are registered as historic buildings. In these buildings, drilling into the facade, running cable ducts or fixing devices to stone walls may require permission under heritage protection regulations. Before installation, this should be checked through the foundation or the mufti's office the mosque is affiliated with.
In registered buildings, cables are run along the existing electrical route or under the courtyard floor as much as possible. Cameras are mounted not on the stone but on existing wooden or metal elements, or on poles in the courtyard. Wireless alarm sensors are preferred in these buildings because they leave no marks on the walls. Choosing a camera housing color close to the stone or wood also reduces how much the device spoils the building's appearance.
Recorder, power and sound system together
The recorder is kept in a locked cabinet in the imam's room or next to the muezzin's gallery. If the device itself is stolen, the recordings go with it; a locked cabinet and an out-of-sight location for the device are important. It is connected to the mosque's internet line so the recordings can also be viewed remotely.
In mosques, the sound system, cameras and alarm are often fed from the same electrical panel. To keep the call to prayer and the cameras running during a power outage, a UPS can be used. You can get a rough idea of the UPS capacity you need with the UPS calculator on the tools page.
In summer in Şanlıurfa, minaret and courtyard cameras sit in direct sunlight. These cameras need to be heat-resistant, dust-protected outdoor models, and their lenses need to be cleaned at regular intervals.
Planning with the association's budget
Mosque associations usually rely on donations for their budget, and the system may not be installable all at once. In that case, priorities are set: first the entrance, shoe rack and donation box cameras together with the recorder, then the alarm, then the courtyard and parking lot. Setting up the recorder and cabling in the first phase with room for later cameras lowers the cost of adding them.
When comparing quotes, do not look only at the number of cameras. The recorder's channel count, disk capacity, whether the cameras are suitable for outdoor use and after-installation support are also part of the quote. If donations will be collected from the congregation, an itemized written quote also makes it easier to share the spending transparently.
Desa Bilişim carries out installations for mosques in Şanlıurfa that plan the sound system, cameras and alarm together. We can walk through your mosque with your association board and draw up a phased plan.
Frequently asked
Is permission needed to install cameras in a mosque?
A decision by the association or foundation that runs the mosque and, if necessary, a talk with the mufti’s office may be enough. In historic and registered mosques, work such as mounting on the facade may require separate permission. Remember that recordings count as personal data and that an information sign is required.
Do cameras prevent shoe theft?
A visible camera and a camera warning sign are a deterrent, but they do not prevent it completely. Their main benefit is showing the face of the person who took the shoes in the recording after the incident. For this, make sure the camera faces the shoe racks at the right angle.
Should the mosque sound system and cameras be done by the same company?
It is not required, but having the same company plan both systems together makes the cable routes, the electrical panel and the choice of UPS easier. If you work with separate companies, the location of the recorder and the sound amplifier should be decided together from the start.
A phased security plan for your mosque
Let's walk through your mosque with your association board and prepare a written quote based on your priorities.
