Housing Ministry Defends Algiers Grand Mosque Project in French Media

Housing and Urbanism Ministry defends the Grand Mosque, which is located in Algiers Mohamadia, in French media, believing that it is civilization project and a religious building, and it will never be as it is promoted by extremists.

Official at the Housing Ministry, Ahmed Madani, cites the spaces that will be provided by the project, and said it will include a library that will contain a million books, and a prayer hall that can accommodate about 120ة000 worshipers, and a minaret that will rise up to 265 meters. In addition, 300 students will receive lessons in a religious school that is attached to the mosque and a museum for the Islamic Arts and History.

AFP quoted Madani, on Friday, as saying that Algeria is currently building one of the largest mosques in the world that includes the longest minaret that is built by Muslims until now, and will be the third mosque in the world in terms of area, and the first in the African continent.

“Algiers Grand Mosque, which works will end by 2017, faced criticism because of the construction of the mosque, on the grounds that it would be a place that will gather extremists, but it is on the contrary, a new project that will be tough blow to extremists, who are one of the opponents of the project. Algeria was considering the establishment of the project since 1962, the year in which it gained independence from France, and the dream becomes true after the election of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.”

“The mosque will not only be a place of worship, but it will be a space for linking faith and culture, thanks to the modern library and a Koranic school that will open its doors to students.”

“It is known that the French media recently launched a campaign against the Grand Mosque, in the press reports that carried the character of criticism and skepticism in the project and wrote that Algerians do not need a mosque, but hospitals and schools in addition to the cost that increases each time after it was one billion dollars during the project’s start and will up to 3 billion dollars, but a question is asked, which is, is Algeria capable of funding the project given the decline in oil prices?