Umm al-Qura Mosque

mosque
Year dem found am	2001
Found by	Saddam Hussein
Country	Iraq
Edey de administrative territorial entity insyd	Baghdad
Coordinate location	33°20′16″N 44°17′46″E

De Umm al-Qura Mosque (Arabic: جامع أم القرى, lit. 'Mother of All Cities'), dem sanso know as de Umm al-Ma'arik Mosque (lit. 'Mother of All Battles'), be a Sunni mosque wey locate insyd Baghdad, insyd de Baghdad Governorate of Iraq. Na e be de city ein largest place of worship give Sunnis,^[1] buh e sanso cam be de location of a Shi'a hawza den a place of refuge give chaw wey dey flee de terrorists dema depredations insyd de Anbar Province. Dem design am to commemorate former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ein self-proclaimed victory insyd de Gulf War (1990–1991)^[2] wey na dem intend am to serve as a personal tribute to Saddam einself. E dey locate insyd de Sunni-populated al-Adel area of western Baghdad.^[3]

Although dem never confirm by de regime anaa einself during ein lifetime, der be speculation say dem intend am to be Saddam ein final resting place.

History

De mosque cost US$7.5 million to build,^[4] dem lay de mosque ein cornerstone on Saddam Hussein ein 61st birthday on 28 April 1998. Dem formally plete am on 28 April 2001 in time for de ten-year anniversary of de Gulf War.^[3] De mosque be a part of de Faith Campaign wich bring back Islamic elements into Iraqi society as de regime dey build oda mosques at de time sanso be part of de campaign such as al-Rahman Mosque den de Grand Saddam Mosque.^[5]

On 28 April 2023, a fire break out insyd de mosque after de burning of three caravans wey be surrounded by weed den plants. De fire department fight de fire.^[6]

Architecture

Dem build de mosque of white limestone plus blue mosaic decorations. Chaw architectural features of de mosque den de surrounding complex allude to Saddam Hussein anaa to de Gulf War (1990–1991).

Western observers describe de mosque ein eight minarets as dem dey resemble weapons, buh de Iraqi government reject dat interpretation.^[5] De mosque get four minarets wey dey surround de dome, den four more at de outer corners of de complex. De inner minarets be said to resemble Kalashnikov rifle barrels, while those on de perimeter be described as looking like Scud ballistic missiles.^[7]

References

↑ Steele, Jonathan; McCarthy, Rory (10 April 2004). "Sunni and Shia unite against common enemy". The Guardian.
↑ Gregory, Derek (2004). The colonial present: Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 196. ISBN 978-1-57718-090-6.
1 2 Al Husaini, Mudhafer (28 November 2008). "Today Was a Good Day… At War: Notes from the Front Lines". New York Times.
↑ Hashim, Ahmed (2006). Insurgency and counter-insurgency in Iraq. Cornell University Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-8014-4452-4.
1 2 MacAskill, Ewan (17 May 2002). "Mosque that thinks it's a missile site". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 Feb 2019.
↑ براثا, وكالة انباء (2023-04-28). "اندلاع حريق داخل جامع ام القرى ببغداد". وكالة أنباء براثا (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-08-21.
↑ Chan, Sue (January 17, 2003). "Saddam's Mosque Of War". CBS News.

External links

Umm Al-Qura Calendar (insyd Arabic)

[Steele2-1] Steele, Jonathan; McCarthy, Rory (10 April 2004). "Sunni and Shia unite against common enemy". The Guardian.

[2] Gregory, Derek (2004). The colonial present: Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 196. ISBN 978-1-57718-090-6.

[Al_Husaini2-3] 1 2 Al Husaini, Mudhafer (28 November 2008). "Today Was a Good Day… At War: Notes from the Front Lines". New York Times.

[4] Hashim, Ahmed (2006). Insurgency and counter-insurgency in Iraq. Cornell University Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-8014-4452-4.

[missilesite2-5] 1 2 MacAskill, Ewan (17 May 2002). "Mosque that thinks it's a missile site". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 Feb 2019.

[6] براثا, وكالة انباء (2023-04-28). "اندلاع حريق داخل جامع ام القرى ببغداد". وكالة أنباء براثا (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-08-21.

[warmosque2-7] Chan, Sue (January 17, 2003). "Saddam's Mosque Of War". CBS News.

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