The Al-Furqan Mosque in Libya draws attention in its facade and inside the Islamic motifs engraved with Quranic verses and floral motifs with high accuracy, and is very similar in shape to the mosques of Morocco.
Tripoli – The Al-Furqan Mosque in the city of Jadu, above the slopes of the Nafusa Mountains, in western Libya, is unique with its Islamic inscriptions in the Moroccan style, and it has acquired great importance among the Berbers of the mountain population.
Attention is drawn to the Islamic decorations on the facade and interior of the mosque inscribed with Quranic verses and a vegetal inscription designed with high accuracy, very similar in shape to mosques in the cities of Morocco.
Looking at the details of the Islamic decoration of the mosque, you see the modern architecture style that is consistent with the originality, beauty, accuracy of design, and the splendor of the stones used in building the mosque.
Al-Furqan Mosque in Jadu is a unique urban edifice and one of the largest mosques in the cities of Nafusa Mountains. Modernly decorated columns were built that do not depend on a single building material in a wonderful Islamic geometric appearance.
Despite its recent establishment and opening in 2006, the residents of the mountain maintain a high position for the mosque as it is an authentic extension of the Amazigh identity that extends in North African countries.
The mosque consists of a large arena for prayers on Fridays and on religious occasions, and contains classes to teach the Holy Quran and lessons in Sharia.
construction details
Ahmed Al-Sahili, one of the organizers of Al-Furqan Mosque, explained that the mosque was built after the removal of the old mosque, so the construction work of the mosque began in 2003 and opened in 2006.
Al-Sahili continued, saying to Al-Jazeera Net, “My father, may God have mercy on him, was related to Andalusian Islamic inscriptions, and therefore this mosque was built in the Andalusian-Moroccan style with accurate specifications.”
Al-Sahili told Al Jazeera Net that a technical team of engineers and specialists in Islamic decoration and architecture came from the State of Morocco to Libya to build the mosque according to the most accurate Islamic designs and inscriptions, and then the building project materials were sent from Morocco to start the construction work.
Al-Sahili confirmed that the Al-Furqan Mosque can accommodate about 1,300 worshipers inside, and its large courtyard can accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers abroad and is followed by the people of the city and the mountain in general.
Among the mosque’s annexes is the largest Islamic library in the western region. According to Al-Sahli, it contains a large collection of Islamic law books in the areas of jurisprudence, hadith, transactions and interpretation.
Al-Sahili stated that the mosque is a copy of the “Lalla Sakina” mosque in Morocco, with the addition of some other important accessories, such as classrooms for teaching the Noble Qur’an and Islamic jurisprudence, apartments and halls for religious occasions.
Berber inscriptions
Sheikh Yahya Al-Aidoudi from the city of Jado confirmed that the mosque is important to the people of the region, as it is inspired by the Moroccan style in its inscriptions, similar to the ancient Andalusian inscriptions of the people of the Nafusa Mountains hundreds of years ago.
He said that the mosque “receives delegations and visitors who come to Jadu, in addition to holding important religious events in it, which are very popular among citizens.”
He added to Al Jazeera Net that the mosque consists of a legitimate secondary school and a large beacon for teaching the Holy Quran, an underground hall for holding events and an open yard for prayer if the mosque is full, as well as apartments to receive guests visiting the city.
Al-Aidoudi pointed out that the people in charge of the Al-Furqan Mosque are interested in everything big and small in the mosque to preserve this wonderful artistic value in the art of Islamic architecture, although it did not receive a follow-up from the competent authorities in the country in terms of considering it an Islamic beacon that spreads the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood among Libyans.
Unique Islamic edifice
In turn, the former mayor of Jadu Municipality, Saeed Al-Badrani, confirmed that Al-Furqan Mosque is of great importance to the residents of Jadu and the cities of the Western Mountains in particular, as a unique Islamic edifice in Libya.
Al-Badrani added, “Everyone who comes to Jadu must visit Al-Furqan Mosque to see the mosque’s outstanding architecture and come here to take pictures that show the mosque’s wonderful Islamic inscriptions.”
Al-Badrany confirmed in his statement to Al-Jazeera Net that the mosque had “been witness, since the events of the Libyan revolution in 2011, to meetings in the context of motivating and encouraging fighters, in addition to being a place to help citizens through the former local council of Jadu.”
Al-Badrani explained that the mosque witnessed reconciliation meetings, including a meeting of various representatives of Libyan cities who came after accusations from Salafism in eastern Libya, which included supporters of the Ibadi sect. .
Al-Badrani pointed out that Al-Furqan Mosque is a destination for everyone in the city because it is in the middle of the city of Jadu, which was an important center since the Ottoman rule when it was the district of Fasato, in addition to the fact that the Al-Furqan Mosque is wide and easy to reach, and some people prefer to meet in the mosque because of the religious value of the mosques for tolerance and forgiveness.