Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A new mosque was opened opposite the entrance to a popular community shopping mall to coincide with the beginning of Ramadan and to offer shoppers, workers and nearby residents a place to worship at this holy time.
The majestic mosque is located close to Saar Mall and includes a massive reception hall, a classic manara (lighting fixture) that is 39m high and apartments for the Imam (who leads the prayer) and for the muezzin (who calls for prayer). Also included, are three apartments as well as offices and classrooms that can be used to teach Islam and Quran.
It has been provided to the community by veteran businessman Hassan Bokhowa, chairman of the Bokhowa Group which started as a construction company to grow into a well-diversified corporate group that’s made its mark in civil engineering, property development and business development.
His daughter Esmahan, Saar Mall manager and the group’s financial director, said: “My father wanted to create this mosque because he realised there wasn’t one in our area and this is his way of giving back to the community. He wanted to have a place for shoppers and mall staff to pray, as well as local residents.”
The Hassan Abdulla Bokhowa mosque, which has been skillfully designed with marble features with traditional Islamic geometric patterns mirroring across the floors, windows and walls.
The Bokhowa Construction Company was joined in the project by Gulf House Engineering and Horizon Interiors. The building covers an area of 2,000sqm and attracts up to 1,000 worshipers in the men section and around 130 women in the female section. It was recently formally opened by Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Shaikh Dr Rashid bin Mohammed Al-Hajiri, chairman of the Sunni Council.
The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for Ṣalāh, meaning prayer, as well as a centre for information, education, social welfare and dispute settlement.
There are stringent restrictions on the uses of the area formally demarcated as the mosque, and in the Islamic Sharī‘ah Law, after an area is formally designated as a mosque, it remains so until the ‘Last Day’.
