Anaza

'Anaza or anaza (Arabic: عنزة; sometimes also transliterated as 'anza or anza) refers to a short spear or staff that held ritual importance in the early period of Islam. The term gained significance after the Islamic prophet Muhammad planted his spear in the ground to indicate the direction of prayer (qibla). Over time, 'anaza evolved into an architectural term denoting an outdoor mihrab in mosques, particularly in the Maghreb region.