Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab

Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab
Mezquita de Omar Ibn Al-Jattab
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	Maicao, La Guajira
Country	Colombia
Shown within La Guajira Department
Geographic coordinates	11°22′41″N 72°14′03″W / 11.37807°N 72.23429°W / 11.37807; -72.23429
Architecture
Architect	Ali Namazi
Type	Mosque
Completed	1997
Specifications
Capacity	1,000 worshipers
Dome	1
Minaret	1
Minaret height	37 m (121 ft)
Materials	Marble

The Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (Spanish: Mezquita de Omar Ibn Al-Jattab) is a mosque in Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia. It is the third largest mosque in Latin America. It is locally known as "La Mezquita" ("The Mosque"), simply because it is the only mosque in the region. Along with the Dar Alarkan School, they are the centers for the Islamic faith and culture in the region.^[1]

Overview

The mosque was completed on 17 September 1997,^[2] and named after the second caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab. It was designed by the Iranian architect Ali Namazi and built by the civil engineer Oswaldo Vizcaino Fontalvo who used Italian marble for its construction. It can easily accommodate over 1,000 people.

At the entrance there is a large open hall decorated with framed Arabic incsriptions. Further on, there is another hall, larger than the first, used by men for prayer. This is also where they meet in order to end periods of fasting. The ceiling of this room has decorative engravings. Facing Mecca, there is a place for the women to pray, elevated and overlooking the men's hall. The 37-metre-high (121 ft) minaret dominates the upper parts of the structure.^{[citation needed]}

Below the great stairs exiting the mosque, there is a room for undertaking of the deceased before their remains are taken to the local Muslim cemetery.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Islam portal
• Colombia portal

• Islam in Colombia
• List of mosques in the Americas

References

1. Alexander, Inigo (2 March 2023). "'A Colombian Wild West': Inside Maicao's Arab community". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
2. "La Mezquita Omar Ibn Al Khattab, 10 años ligada a la historia de Maicao" [The Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, 10 years linked to the history of Maicao]. El Informador (in Spanish). 17 September 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2009.

External links

• Media related to Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab at Wikimedia Commons
• "La mezquita de Maicao (Colombia) cumple diez años". WebIslam.com (in Spanish). 16 September 2007.
• "Cumple Diez Años de Fundada la Mezquite de Maicao, Corazón de los Musulmanes Guajiros". colombia.indymedia.org (in Spanish). 19 September 2007. Archived from the original on 8 July 2009.
• "Foto Panoramio". panoramio.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 October 2016.