By Tika Faith
The breathtaking Lusail Marine Al Mana Mosque, located on the picturesque coast of Doha, stands as a testament to the splendor of Islamic architecture.
This magnificent structure, with its awe-inspiring design, can accommodate up to 3,000 worshippers.
Guiding the prayer sessions at this super-imposing mosque is Sheikh Abdirashid Ali Sufi, a renowned Somali reciter and Imam known for his exceptional recitation skills and enlightening international travel talks.
From a young age, Sheikh Sufi has demonstrated a deep devotion to his faith and a passion for sharing its teachings. His knowledge and insights have earned him recognition as a scholar and he has traveled extensively around the world, enlightening international audiences with his lectures on Islamic history, culture and spirituality. His participation in Quran recitation contests in numerous countries saw him win grand prizes. His friendly traits and warm continue to nurture and inspire the youth to be steadfast in deen and be highly competent.
Besides the brilliance of Sheikh Abdirashid Ali Sufi, this mosque has a lot to tell. At Lusail Marine, a clear and a dark blue sky is lifted above the tranquil site. The mosque includes two enormous doors for entry and exits for easy access during prayer times and a discrete ablution facility for men on the ground level. It also has a semi-open courtyard to allow additional attendees.
The magnificent mosque is surrounded by visibly enormous, and striking crescent towers. Tall pillars surrounded by plate-like shapes fill the east and west sides of the mosque. The structure has a typical average-sized square exterior with a little rectangular shaped window at each corner.
The tiny golden sparkling lights that could be seen through the little, narrow apertures, provide a serene environment.
The mosque’s interior is accessible through the enormous gold finished- wooden door. Angelic sounds of Children playing, fill the room through the door as they playfully admire the exquisite decor. The scenery is enhanced by white graceful pillars with red embroidered golden carpets and the stunning golden branching ornamental fixture hung on the ceiling. The courtyard also constitutes an elevator at the corner of the corridor that leads to the female prayer room.
Masjid also has a modern library with several multilingual Islamic books arranged in alphabetical order. To assist Mothers and worshippers who are doing i’tikaf, the mosque has a built-in kitchen that permits worshippers to bring all different kinds of cuisine from different cultures and share among themselves. The capacious washroom and ablution area make it simple to avoid traffic and congestion.
With the spiritual ambiance of the holy month, people pause their worldly affairs and compete towards the mosque.
Everyone scramble to wrap up their meals as iftar time approached and hurried like a swarm of bees to go to the congregational prayer. Finding parking spots is difficult due to the number of vehicles on the streets.
Each cling to their position in the prayer space due to worry that it will be replaced by another and miss out on the solidarity.
From every nook and cranny of the prayer room, children’s cries could be heard as their moms sought to comfort them by playing and occupying them. A sense of relation and comfort can be anticipated within that chaos.
Young, old, men and women, and even pregnant women don’t miss any night in these few days. Between the isha prayer and Taraweeh, all kinds of acts of worship are conducted. Some do Tasbeeh while others read Quran and some pray their sunnah prayers. Everyone is careful in their acts and words. Kindness and brotherhood are spread in the mosque with nothing but care to spare. Praise be to Allah is the only thing that comes to mind while witnessing the scenery. The helpers in the mosque are keen to ensure the cleanliness of the house of Allah. As they pick up every little waste and distribute water and dates to the attendees, whilst giving and receiving salam, the harmony in the mosque can be truly felt.
The semi-open area in the courtyard has a designated area for children to gather and simply listen to the beautiful recitation.
As the Taraweeh prayer is adjoining the entrance and exit doors are sealed with the mosque jam-packed as people from far and wide attend the prayer. To get inside so they may hear the amazing recitations clearly, various groups of individuals can be heard ranting and debating with the guards. The passionate acts reveal the love and passion felt for Allah and the individuals he has brought near to him via the Quran, his sacred book.
Suhoor and prayer is a unique and memorable experience that brings people together in a spirit of generosity and compassion. This is also a time for reflection and contemplation, allowing people to deepen their connection to their faith and to each other. By doing so, guests are able to leave the outside world behind and immerse themselves in Ramadan.
When reciting the Taraweeh prayers, the Sheikh divides the one juz (i.e., 30 pages) into multiple 23 rakaat, whereas the Tahajjud is made up of three juz with numerous 8 rakaat and three witr rakaat.
The devotees’ tears were uncontrolled due to his amazing interpretation and reciting of the verses, which caused emotional breakdowns. By the grace of Allah, the Sheikh is extremely fit, which explains his prodigious stamina when standing for extended periods of time during prayer. It results in the people being inspired by his acts and stepping up to the plate. While some become weary and pray while seated on chairs or the floor, they make sure to attempt standing for the subsequent salah.
For rest and reflection, a sermon is delivered every two to two rakats. As individuals ponder the counsel offered and contemplate methods to implement it in their life, speeches concerning Quran, deen, Dunya, and akhira are spoken. Laughter-inducing jokes are also said to brighten the atmosphere. The mosque’s atmosphere encourages unity and cohesion within the ummah.
As they all left the mosque behind on a serene night after finishing their last- minute preparations. Hope and excitement for the next day, when they would all reunite to work toward a brighter tomorrow, impacted the night. Everyone was motivated and encouraged to pursue their path toward personal progress as they sped away. All of them eagerly anticipated the possibilities that the following day would provide.
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