Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center (commonly known simply as Bin Zaid, also known previously as Fanar or Qatar Islamic Culture Center and Spiral Mosque) is a cultural organization in

Doha Doha ( ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population. It ...

, the capital of

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

. It is located close to

Doha Corniche The Doha Corniche () is a waterfront promenade and dual carriageway extending for along the crescent-shaped Doha Bay in Qatar's capital city, Doha. A lush, semi-circular linear public space, the Corniche serves as the central location for nati ...

and is a prominent landmark in the city. The center's most distinguished feature is its mosque which has a unique

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

design impressed by

Great Mosque of Samarra The Great Mosque of Samarra is a mosque from the 9th century CE located in Samarra, Iraq. The mosque was commissioned in 848 and completed in 851 by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil who reigned (in Samarra) from 847 until 861. At the time of con ...

. Prior to 2009, Fanar's

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

was the largest in the country. It has since been overtaken in this category by Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, however, it remains the tallest mosque in Qatar. The mosque was named after the famous Qatari Islamic scholar and the founder of the Qatari judicial system Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud. The name was given by the Emir of Qatar to commemorate his achievements as the supreme judge of Qatar.

History

Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center in Doha

Qatari Prime Minister

Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani (Arabic: ; born 1959), also known informally by his initials HBJ, is a Qatari politician. He was the Prime Minister of Qatar from 3 April 2007 to 26 June 2013, and foreign minister from ...

officially inaugurated the center during a public ceremony held on 12 January 2008.

Activities

Fanar Culture Center is involved in several social, religious and educational activities. In addition to hosting one of the largest mosques in Qatar, the center also publishes religious studies and provides lessons in

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

and

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. The center also houses a library. The mosque is a popular tourist attraction and allows entry for non-Muslims.

Mosque architecture

Traditional Qatari mosques were made of coral rock, mud and wood, as opposed to the mosques from the 21st century built of brick and mortar. These materials now allow the construction of high domes, replacing the flat roofs. Moreover, traditional mosques featured courtyards, which are rarely seen in modern mosques. Finally, the traditional outdoor "mothawaddah" in the form of a pool has been replaced with wash basins and running water.

References

External links

Fanar Islamic Culture Centre & Mosque: Official homepage
Mosques in Doha Cultural organisations based in Qatar Islamic organisations based in Qatar {{Qatar-struct-stub