Moscow Central Mosque opens today: Report

Moscow, (IINA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin opend officially Today Moscow’s Central Mosque on the eve of Eid Al-Adha, after a decade of construction works, the largest Islamic worshipping Mosque in Russia and Europe, media agencies reported.
Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Palestine’s leader Mahmoud Abbas and Arabs and Muslims Officials attended the opening ceremony upon an invitation by Russian President Vladimir Putin. 
Moscow’s Central Mosque was a historic mosque in Russia. It was built in 1904, then renovated in 2005. Later it was demolished in 2011, during which it was one of four mosques in Moscow, The Moscow Times reported. 
The decision to demolish the mosque came through Russian authorities who said that a total reconstruction was necessary because the old building had partially caved due to heavy rains and was no longer safe.

 
(Image from TASS)
 

Another reason, the authorities gave, was that the mosque was deviated by several degrees from the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah.
Despite the authority’s justification, the demolishing of the historical mosque was widely denounced by several organizations and Muslim leaders. It was also met with a huge backlash from the Muslim community, the backlash was in response to the date Russia set for the demolishing works, which was on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Interfax reported.
Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Council of Muftis Rushan Abbyasov said that the mosque now has six floors that cover a space of 19,000 square meters, and that it is expected to accommodate more than 10,000 worshippers. The mosque is currently the largest in Russia.
The reconstruction of the mosque cost $170 million, Russian businessman and senator Suleyman Kerimov had donated around $100 million to the project in memory of his father. The list of donors also include Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas who donated $26,000 and Turkey which donated a minbar (pulpit from which the imam delivers Friday’s speech) and a mihrab (a semicircular niche that points to Makkah, and the place where the imam prays at).
The walls and ceilings of the mosque have traditional Russian ornamental inscriptions, which were carved by Turkish artisans, and the dome and pavilions are covered with 12 kg of gold leaf.
 

(Image from TASS)
 

Russia plans to build several new mosque to keep up with the significant growth of the Muslim population. Russia is the home to 23 million Muslims and Islam is the second largest religion there, Muslims account to 17 percent of the total population second to Christianity’s 46.8 percent.
 

 
(Andalou Agency image)

AG/IINA

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