Centre Raises Over 1.5bn for 10,000-Capacity Mosque Project in Abuja
The International Center for Islamic Culture and Education (ICICE) has raised over 1.5 billion naira for the Al-Noor Masjid extension project in Abuja.
The foundation stone laying for the project which will cost 3.15 billion was performed on Saturday by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh. Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe, Sheikh Ismail Ibn Musa Menk.
Emir of Keffi, Alh. Shehu Usman Chindo Yamusa III, stood in for the Sultan at the occasion.
At an appeal fund launching held earlier inside the existing mosque, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, who gave 350 million and Oando Group of Oils who pledged 300 million, made the highest donations for the gigantic project.
The Al-Noor annex masjid complex will accommodate more than 10,000 worshippers at a time, while also having a Conference Hall, Bookshop, Printing Press and Tahfeez Classes.
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Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ICICE, Dr. Kabir Kabo Usman, noted that the extension project was long overdue as the existing mosque sometimes hosts up to 7,000 worshippers at a time, far beyond its 1,000 capacity.
He disclosed that the project is expected to be completed in 24 months.
The Chairman, Committee of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Imams, Dr. Tajuddeen Muhammad Bello, in a remark, said Al-Noor Masjid could be more than a mosque, and a multi-purpose centre with numerous services being provided to the nation, and the world as well.
The ICICE established in 2012 focuses on inter-faith dialogue, training in order to diffuse misconceptions in Islamic Finance industry, Science of Qur’an and Arabic language courses, Islamic cultural heritage and historical exhibition, art and craft skills development to the less privileged youth, poverty eradication, children summer schools, scholarship programs and many other cultural promotion drivers for the betterment of the society.
By PRNigeria
