Faisal Mosque Attracts Tourists

News Desk

Islamabad: Due to its architectural grandeur in the heart of the picturesque Margalla Hills, Shah Faisal Mosque, one of the country’s biggest mosques, is drawing both domestic and foreign dignitaries.

Zulfiqar Ali, a resident of Sector G-9, said that he and his family visited and performed prayers in the Shah Faisal Mosque and were astounded by its exquisite architecture and distinctive design.

“Visitors find inspiration in the mosque’s cleanliness and its location nestled at the foot of the Margalla Hills, and they like praying there to fulfil their religious obligations,” stated Ali.

“The lovely winter season and the peaceful atmosphere are also key factors in our trip,” Ali said, adding that the local visitor praised the safety precautions, the book and food shops.

Zulfiqar further stated that despite the chilly weather, the people are visiting, and felt glad after hearing Azaan and praying there because the ritual made them feel spiritual and renewed.

Sajid Ali, a tourist from Karachi, said, “Visits to the mosque exemplify the religious enthusiasm of women, children, young adults, students of various universities, and elders.”

He stressed the significance of allowing women access to the mosque’s main hall.

Sajid Aliopined that there is a dire need to further improve and modernise the cleanliness system, security arrangements, and availability of hot water for ablution during the winter season.

Named after its benefactor, Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the mosque is not only one of the country’s largest mosques but one of the largest in the world.

Saudi King Faisal allotted a colossal grant of $120 million for the construction of a mosque in Pakistan when he paid a historic visit to the country in 1966.

Architectural Design

A competition for the design of the mosque was held, and among 43 authentic proposals from 17 countries, Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay’s design for the mosque was deemed worthy of winning the contest.

Completed in 1986, the mosque’s unusual design is a departure from the long history of South Asian Islamic architecture, fusing contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouin’s tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. However, unlike traditional mosque designs, it lacks a dome. The minarets borrow their design from Turkish tradition and are thin and pencil-like.

The shape of the Faisal Mosque is an eight-sided concrete shell inspired by a desert Bedouin’s tent and the cubic Kaaba in Mecca, flanked by four unusual minarets inspired by Turkish architecture. The architect later explained his thinking to design school students:

Vedat stated, “I tried to capture the spirit, proportion and geometry of the Kaaba in a purely abstract manner. Imagine the apex of each of the four minarets as a scaled explosion of the four highest corners of the Kaaba; thus, an unseen Kaaba form is bounded by the minarets at the four corners in a proportion of height to base. Hence, Shah Faisal Mosque is akin to the Kaaba.”