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Casablanca is the heart of Morocco, and "Hassan Sani Mosque" is its heartbeat.
Hassan II Mosque is one of the largest and most beautiful mosques in the world that is situated above the Atlantic Ocean. It is built partly on the sea.The Mosque, at completion in 1993, became Morocco’s largest, and the 7th largest in the whole world. Though it was designed by French architect Michel Pinseau but it has been done with intention by the architect to recall a verse of the Qur’an stating that :
“The throne of Allah was built on water.”
“I wish Casablanca to be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time … I want to build this mosque on the water, because God’s throne is on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the creator on firm soil, can contemplate God’s sky and ocean.” – King Hassan II
At 210 meters, its minaret is also the world’s tallest, topped by a laser whose light is directed towards Mecca. Hassan II claims the title of having the largest minaret in the world.
On nine hectares, it includes a prayer room, ablution room, baths, a religious school (madrasa), a library and a museum. The size and elaborate decoration of the prayer hall is simply tremendous and well capacious as the main hall can welcome around 25,000 worshipers while over 80,000 people can gather on the outside grounds. Starting work in 1986, some 6,000 of the Kingdom’s most prestigious craftsmen, using the finest materials from across Morocco.
It was also built with modern concerns in mind. In fact, the above said mosque, no doubt, is a beautiful blend of traditional and contemporary elements. The mosque is a spectacular landmark in the Muslim world of architecture and is a reflection of the very best Moroccan artisan-ship: hand-carved stone and wood, intricate marble flooring and inlay, gilded cedar ceilings and exquisite zellige (geometric mosaic tile work) abound.
Uthman ibn Affan reported: The Messenger of Allah, (peace and blessings be upon him), said, “Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a house like it in Paradise.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 439, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 533
