The Al Azhar Mosque gets a makeover

The Al Azhar Mosque, in Fez, played a major role in the genesis of Ibn Arabi's thought and in his spiritual awakening. He met there, indeed, the most important sheikhs of Islam and lived there major experiences in search of divine proximity, during his multiple stays in Fez. The rehabilitation of this famous place of worship, located in Aïn El Khayl street in the Medina of Fez, was at the heart of a round table organised on April 16 at the Batha Museum in the framework of the eighth edition of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture. “Ibn Arabi made reference to this mosque in many of his works, notably the famous "Al Futuhat Al Makkiya", which constitutes irrefutable proof of his attachment to this historical and religious treasure. The safeguarding of this mosque is intimately linked to the preservation of the memory of Ibn Arabi,” specified on this occasion Faouzi Skali, director of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture.

Founded in the 12th century during the Almohad period, the Al Azhar Mosque has suffered in recent years from an advanced state of disrepair. Conscious of the place that this mosque occupies in the religious history and Sufi tradition in Morocco, the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs recently undertook several repair and restoration works of this building. “It concerns notably the demolition of the part of the building that was threatening ruin and its reconstruction and the upgrading of the other parts of the mosque, and this according to the technical, aesthetic, and architectural standards in force for the restoration of historical monuments,” affirmed Jaâfar Kansoussi, anthropologist and advisor to the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs. And to add, “After these rehabilitation works, the ministry acquired the land of 4 houses threatening ruin, neighbouring the Al Azhar Mosque to build a building that will be the headquarters of the Ibn Arabi Foundation. Dedicated to the promotion of the thought and teaching of Ibn Arabi and the preservation of his heritage, this major project is currently under study. A phase during which we want to associate the various interested people (specialists, researchers, public, etc.), receive their proposals, and hear their expectations regarding the form and the concept they imagine for this institution”. Praising this initiative, the participants in this round table specified that the Ibn Arabi Foundation, which will see the light of day soon in Fez, will be a scientific, spiritual, and universal institution that will open its doors to all those who share the thought of Ibn Arabi and advocate his values of peace and tolerance, whatever their religions or beliefs. On the musical side, it is to be noted that the public of Fez had an appointment, during the evening of April 16, with a concert of “samaâ” of the Tariqa Qadiriya of Bosnia-Herzegovina, after having been gratified, during the first days of the Festival of Sufi Culture, with the best musical performances of the national Sufi brotherhoods (Boutchichiya, Siqiliya, Charqawia, etc.).

Provider / Source : Le Matin