Walking in the Mosque

The good weather is already here, with temperatures no higher than 35 degrees and a perennial sun, it is the best moment for exploring Kuwait and visiting its main landmarks. My first remarkable place has been the Grand Mosque, where AWARE association organized one of their guided visits. It was worthy joining to the group, not just because of the monument itself, but also because of the explanations the guide was giving, very useful to know better the Islamic religious rituals.

Built in 1986, the Grand Mosque is the biggest among the 1487 mosques in Kuwait. It covers an area of 20000 square meters, ranking the eighth position in the list of the biggest mosques in the World. As all temples of this type, it consists of a main yard and a prayer hall, in whose central part there is an impressive dome which is decorated with the 99 names of God according to Islam. The interior decoration is fascinating and it has nothing to do with the restrained appearance from outside. Apart of the prayer area, there are other halls such as a library and a reception hall, decorated with andalusian style tiles, very similar to those which can be found in many places of Cordoba, Granada or Sevilla, in the South of Spain.

The main prayer hall can host around 10000 people praying at the same time, all of them men. Women do it in a separated hall hosting approximately 1000 worshippers. According to the guide, this segregation is done in order to avoid possible distractions in terms of furtive glances and sinful thoughts from the men. The most hly and important part in the main hall is the mihrab, a kind of alcove, decorated with verses of Coran, indicating the direction where the worshippers have to pray, towards Mecca.

During the visit, as I said, the guide was telling us some particularities related to Islam, like the prayers a Muslim has to do every day and in which moment. The prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam and it has to be done five times a day, a bit earlier than sunrise, at noon, in the afternoon, around sunset and before going to sleep. These moments are announced by the muezzin from the mosque but, as my Palestine friend told me, there is certain flexibility and, if one can’t pray in that instant, it is possible to leave it for a bit later. About the praying place, it is not necessary for a Muslim to pray inside the mosque but he or she can do it in any place with enough tranquility, as long as the direction towards Mecca is respected.

A very interesting and didactic visit which, by the way, sparked a kind of homesick feeling off, since I perceived some similarities which reminded me the place where I am from. The emotional connection is obvious and it makes me think that I am not so far as it seems. Here one Spanish song from a group from Cordoba, my city, “Paseando por la Mezquita”, walking in the mosque, as this post. I hope you like :)