By Najib Khalifa
The Hassan II mosque is a religious and architectural monument, built on water. It surprises visitors because of its immense size and the fineness of its architecture. It was designed by Morocco's leading architects, traditional and modern.
Its giant minaret can be seen from the Atlantic Ocean about thirty kilometres away, and from any point in Casablanca. It measures 210 metres high on a base of 640 square metres. So, it is the highest minaret in the world. Built in the traditional Islamic Arab-Andalusian style, the minaret is characterized by the use of marble that adorns all sides by the "Jamour" at the top, (a rod bearing 3 copper balls, at the top of the minaret), and the laser beam in the direction of Mecca (Kiblah) with a radius of 30 km, which is also used for guiding vessels at sea.
The decorations on the walls of the mosque were inspired by the Merinid style (a Berber dynasty that has reigned in Morocco from 1258 to 1465). The minaret, with a lift which can take up to 12 people is decorated in its upper part with a mosaic combining green, blue, brown and white colours. The mosque has a ceiling that opens and closes automatically.
It houses a medersa (religious school) in the tradition of teaching fiqh (theology) and its derivatives, grammar, rhetoric and other related sciences. Built in the form of a half circle, it is decorated with Arab-Andalusian motifs orientated toward the kiblah, and has two levels. It uses modern technology in its teachings.
The prayer room is located in the centre and is the most illuminated with ornate chandeliers. It has a capacity of 25 thousand worshipers, with a rectangular shape of 200 m by 100 m, comprising three esplanades, perpendicular to the wall of the Kiblah.
The outdoor plazas consist of a covered area with high quality marble and surrounded by arcades in the Arab-Islamic authentic style. There is also a large library at the national level, linked by satellite to the largest libraries of the world. A number of shops are found on the West side of the mosque.
In the basement are three central fountains, 36 small fountains and 299 taps and basins - enough for a thousand people to do their Wudhu (ablutions before prayer). In front, there is a pavilion with a pool of warm water, spa facilities, parking for 1100 cars and other services.
The mosque has a governor and a police station which oversees the safety and organization of visits and the preservation of the environment. The curator is responsible for the financial and administrative management of the mosque. The government allocates a special budget for the mosque which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
King Hassan II built this prestigious religious monument in 1993, thanks to the collective financial contribution of the Moroccan people, as well as that of some rich Arab-Islamic countries, which reached 5 billion Moroccan dirhams. It took more than seven years to build.
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