Doha, November 09 (QNA) – Al Qubaib Mosque stands in the center of Doha as a witness to a unique Islamic architecture in shape and design, and to the State’s founding era, as it was established by Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, the founder of the State of Qatar.
Dating back more than a century and a half, Al Qubaib Mosque has remained as an outstanding Islamic cultural landmark and a beacon of Islamic dawah over years, and will be one of the most prominent religious heritage sites for visitors to the State of Qatar during the 2022 World Cup. Al Qubaib mosque is similar in floor plan to the Prophet’s mosque, with a prayer house built on 3 rows of thick square columns, consisting of 4 porticoes in the direction of the Qibla, in addition to two porticoes, one to the north and the other to the south. The total of the domes that formed the roof of Al Qubaib Mosque is 44, in addition to two smaller domes covering the roof of the mihrab.
On the east side there is the minaret and a long room located in its center, and on the west side there was the mihrab, which is also called “Kholwa” (sanctum) and can be accessed from inside the mosque annex, to gain symbolism from the rest of the other mosques.
The minaret of Al Qubaib mosque, the oldest known model of minarets in Qatar, is a minaret with a cylindrical body that shows the architectural influence of minaret architecture in Turkey and the Arabian Peninsula, followed by the emergence of new models of minarets that can be distinguished depending on the historical sequence of the development of Islamic architecture in the region.
The prayer house is an important part of Al Qubaib Mosque, surrounded by a wall on 3 north, west and south sides. On the north side there are 4 windows for ventilation and lighting, and on the west side there are 6 windows with a mihrab, while the south side is identical to the north, and the east side was open with 11 arches on the courtyard of the mosque, and the roof was built with a dome design.
This mosque, founded in 1878 by the popular architect Al Hamili, has remained standing, resisting the harsh factors of nature for more than 100 years without the need for major renovations, and it contains many stories that confirm its uniqueness in Qatar and even in the entire Gulf region.
Details of the construction of the mosque reveal the use of popular architectural techniques that have reached a great degree of science and knowledge, both in terms of economy in materials and effort, or endurance and adaptation to nature. Narrators mention that Al Qubaib Mosque was their only shelter when their mud houses collapsed due to heavy rain.
The mosque was renovated 10 years ago by the Private Engineering Office (PEO) of the Amiri Diwan in a way that preserved its original architectural design to maintain its memory in the hearts of the Qatari people who are pride of its domes-shaped design that tells stories of strength and glory. (QNA)
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