Abdelhamid Ben Badis Mosque

Abdelhamid Ben Badis Mosque
مسجد عبد الحميد بن باديس
The mosque in 2018
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusMosque
StatusActive
Location
LocationOran
CountryAlgeria
Location of the mosque in northern Algeria
Interactive map of Abdelhamid Ben Badis Mosque
Coordinates35°41′49″N 0°37′59″W / 35.69694°N 0.63306°W / 35.69694; -0.63306
Architecture
TypeIslamic architecture
Completed2015
Construction cost8.5 billion dinars
Specifications
Capacity25,000 worshipers
Dome1
Minaret1

The Abdelhamid Ben Badis Mosque (Arabic: مسجد عبد الحميد بن باديس) is a Sunni mosque located in Oran, Algeria. The mosque was completed in 2015[1] and named in honor of Abdelhamid Ben Badis, a revered figure among Algerian Muslims. In 1931, Ben Badis helped found the Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema, an Islamic reformist organization that helped combat assimilation into colonial French culture.[2]

History

Plans for construction of the mosque began in 1975. However, over 25 years, the site for the planned mosque moved four times. Construction began in 2000. The construction process was marred with allegations of corruption, with construction stopping twice due to budget overruns. Three different companies were responsible for the construction during that time; an Algerian company, a Chinese company and later a Turkish company would complete the project. At its completion, the project cost an estimated 8.5 billion Algerian dinars, well over the allocated budget of 5 billion dinars.[3]

Since its opening, the mosque has become a meeting place for high-level figures. The Minister of Religious Affairs and Waqf, Mohammed Aissa, spoke at the mosque in 2018 about promoting peace and tolerance within Islam.[4] When Papal envoy Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu visited Algeria for the beatification of the Martyrs of Algeria and the reopening of the Chapel at Fort Santa Cruz, he met with Minister Aissa and Sheikh Mohamed Bendjaber, the Imam of the mosque.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ryad. "Inauguration de la Grande Mosquée Abdelhamid Ben Badis". www.letempsdz.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  2. ^ Tachau, Frank (1994). Political parties of the Middle East and North Africa. Greenwood Press. pp. 4–5.
  3. ^ Nour, Elyas (April 18, 2015). "Oran : La grande mosquée voit le jour après...40 ans et 850 milliards :Algerie Focus France". Algerie Focus (in French). Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  4. ^ "Mohamed Aissa : promouvoir le véritable Islam pour éradiquer les idées extrémistes". Radio Algérienne (in French). Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  5. ^ "Oran: le cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu visite la mosquée-pôle Abdelhamid Benbadis". www.aps.dz. Algerie Presse-Service. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.

Media related to Abdelhamid Ben Badis Mosque (Oran) at Wikimedia Commons