The Al-Fateh Mosque (also known as Al-Fateh Islamic Center & Al Fateh Grand Mosque) (Arabic: مسجد الفاتح; transliterated: Masjid al-Fatih) was one of the largest mosques in the world, encompassing 6,500 square meters and having the capacity to accommodate over 7,000 worshippers at a time.[2] The mosque was built by the late Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa in 1987 and was named after Ahmed Al Fateh. In 2006, Al-Fateh became the site of the National Library of Bahrain.
| Al-Fateh Grand Mosque | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam[1] |
| District | Manama |
| Rite | Sunni |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque |
| Leadership | ▪︎Current Imam:
Sheikh Ali Salah Omar ▪︎Current Khateeb: Sheikh Adnan bin Abdullah al Qattan |
| Location | |
| Location | Manama, Bahrain |
| Geographic coordinates | 26°13′08″N 50°35′53″E / 26.21889°N 50.59806°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Islamic |
| Completed | 1988 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | Southeast |
| Capacity | 7,000 |
| Length | 100 m (330 ft) |
| Width | 75 m (246 ft) |
| Dome(s) | 4 |
| Dome dia. (outer) | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Minaret(s) | 2 |
| Materials | Concrete, Fiberglass |
About
editThe mosque was the largest place of worship in Bahrain. It is located next to the Al Fateh Highway in Juffair, which is a suburban neighborhood of Manama. The huge dome built on top of the Al-Fateh Mosque was constructed entirely of fibreglass. Weighing over 60 Tons, the dome was the world's largest fiberglass dome. The marble used in the floors is Italian and the chandelier was from Austria. The doors were made of teak wood from India.[3] Throughout the mosque is Kufic calligraphy.
Library
editThe library of Ahmed Al-Fateh Islamic Center has around 7,000 books, some as old as 100 years or more. These include copies of the books of the teachings of Muhammad or what is referred to as the books of Hadith, the Global Arabic Encyclopedia, the Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence, Al-Azhar journals which have been printed more than a hundred years ago, as well as numerous periodicals and magazines.[4]
Tourism
editBesides being a place of worship, the mosque is one of the premier tourist attractions in Bahrain. It is open from 9am to 4pm and tours are conducted in a variety of languages including English, French, Filipino, Russian and many other languages, special arrangements are encouraged for smooth sailing. The mosque is open to visitors and tourists on all Fridays.
Gallery
edit-
Main Prayer Hall from a decent height -
Main Prayer Hall -
Entering thru Main Gate, Open Area of the mosque -
Main Gate to enter the Mosque -
Main Prayer Hall standing at the Mehrab Side -
Interior of the mosque
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Ahmed Al Fateh Mosque Archived 2010-10-18 at the Wayback Machine, Bahrain Tourism Archived 2008-10-24 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "The Mosque - Ahmed Al Fateh Islamic Center". Archived from the original on 2012-11-27. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ "Ahmed Al Fateh Islamic Center". Archived from the original on 22 April 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
External links
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