Faisal Mosque (Islamabad Pakistan)

                                        

FAISAL MOSQUE

Faisal Mosque is the National Mosque of Pakistan It is located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The mosque is the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and one of the largest mosques in the world.  It is claimed to be the fourth largest mosque of the world.

The enormous shah Faisal Mosque situated at the foot of the Margala Hills the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas Range.is, superbly sited.  It is placed at the north end of Faisal Avenue and positioning it at the northernmost end of the city.

Unlike traditional mosque design, Faisal Mosque lacks a dome. It represents an eight faceted desert ‘tent’ supported on four giant concrete girders and surrounded by four concrete minarets which looks like rockets. The minarets are thin and pencil like. The minarets borrow their design from Turkish tradition. The Minarets are the tallest minarets in South Asia.

Faisal Mosque has a covered area of 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft.  The mosque can hold large number of devotees at a time. It can accommodate 10,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall, 24,000 in its porticoes, 40,000 in its courtyard and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds. Faisal Mosque has the third largest capacity of accommodating worshippers in its adjoining grounds.

Faisal Mosque main prayer hall is very large and triangular in shape. The Mosque has four Minarets and are 90 meters (295 ft)) high.and measure 10 x 10 m in circumference.

The interior of main prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy.The mosaic pattern adorns the west wall, and has the kalimah written in early Kufic script, repeated in mirror image pattern. Calligraphy is written by the famous and internationally renowned Pakistani artist Sadequain.

The Shah Faisal Mosque is named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project.  The road leading to mosque is also after his name.In 1966 late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz visited officially to Pakistan. He supported the initiative of the Pakistani Government to build a national mosque in Islamabad .The motivation to build a grand mosque began than.

The Faisal Mosque is the work of famous Turkish architect, Vedat Dalokay who won the Aga Khan Architectural Award with this project.In the year of 1969, an international competition was held in which architects from 17 different countries submitted 43 proposals. Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay's design was selected for the mosque. But the construction of the mosque began in 1976 by National Construction of Pakistan. It was led by Azim Khan and was funded by the government of Saudi Arabia.. The mosque was completed in 1986.

 

Underneath the courtyard, is a building housing the International Islamic University, museum, Press Centre, lecture hall, library, cafeteria and the offices of the Shariat Faculty of the Islamic University.

The Faisal Mosque is of Contemporary Islamic style and one of the most outstanding and modern Islamic architecture of the world. It architecture is unique and diverse from South Asian Islamic architecture. It is symbol of outstanding and stylish architecture. It is marvelous and breathtaking mosque of Pakistan.