Gulf Times

Qatar’s largest mosque is an architectu­ral marvel

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The Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque is a cultural and Islamic edifice with a design inspired by the historic Qatari architectu­re.

As the largest mosque in Qatar, it will be one of the prominent landmarks of Doha. It serves as a beacon of religion and culture and a community destinatio­n for worship and learning, and hosts regular events and activities to introduce the Islamic religion and spread its true values and teachings.

Located in the Jubailat area to the north of downtown Doha, the mosque represents an easy destinatio­n due to its distinctiv­e geographic­al location and easy access from all directions, making it one of the most important religious tourism attraction­s for visitors during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Constructi­on of the mosque began in late 2006. It was inaugurate­d by His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani on Dec 16.

The design of the mosque is inspired by Al Qubaib Mosque, which was establishe­d by Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, the founder of the State of Qatar, 130 years ago. The total area of the mosque covers about 175,000sq m.

The air-conditione­d hall inside can accommodat­e about 11,000 male worshipper­s, while the airconditi­oned hall designated for women can accommodat­e about 1,200 worshipper­s. It is also possible to pray in the courtyard of the mosque and in its front yard where they can accommodat­e 30,000 worshipper­s together. The total built area is 19,565sq m. The external facilities are linked with the mosque through steps and ramps dedicated for people with special needs on three sides.

The Imam Muhammad bin

Abdul Wahhab Mosque is lit and adorned with 28 multi-layered circular copper chandelier­s hanged at a height of 14m. The sound systems are highly developed and self-controlled, to reduce and treat echoes to a minimum. The mosque also includes a fixed network of cameras that provide excellent direct television transmissi­on.

In addition to the mosque’s building, the area includes gardens, open and covered parking lots that can accommodat­e about 3,000 cars, and a service building. The mosque is also surrounded by a green strip that wraps around outdoor parking lots and buildings on an area of 47,362sq m, covered by various seasonal plants, flowers and shrubs, in addition to 1,642 trees, most of which are the local Sidr trees. The green spaces are irrigated by an internal water network for the mosque.

The Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque preserves the art of Qatar’s authentic architectu­re, embodying the Qatari heritage in its simplicity in line with the lines of Islamic architectu­re, which has placed the State of Qatar at the forefront of Islamic countries interested in Islamic heritage and civilisati­on.

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