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Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque
Prior to becoming a Christian territory, Gibraltar was initially known as
a Muslim-dominated area. Proof of this can be seen in the early settlers
of Gibraltar who were the Muslim Moors. Their reign in Gibraltar was
characterized by the construction of several fortresses and Muslim mosques
that are now considered as integral parts of Gibraltar history. The
fortresses obviously served as the primary defense platform for the Moors
as well as for Gibraltar itself. The mosques, on the other hand, were
established for the practice and cultivation of the Muslim religion.
Muslim Influences
Geographically speaking, Gibraltar can be said to fall under the vast
European continent. It is said that the town holds such a strategic
location that when the Muslims decided to launch an invasion of the
European continent, they did so by commencing the attack at the
Gibraltar Strait.
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History records show that Gibraltar was under the control of the Moors
for about seven centuries. During that long period of time, they
practically shaped the history of the area, even naming the place
after one prominent Muslim who led the Moorish group of invaders. The
leader was Tarik and for a time, Gibraltar was referred to as Gibel
Tarik, literally meaning “the mountain of Tarik”, a name that has been
corrupted over many centuries to finally evolve into the name that the
territory is now being called Gibraltar. |
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Indeed, the Muslims dominated early life in Gibraltar that they are
acknowledged as having played a significant role in the shaping of the
history of the place. Many of their influences though are in the form of
structures that primarily serve to protect themselves and the town from
possible invaders as well as to further spread the Islamic religion.
Nevertheless, they are still influences and presently, Gibraltar is
benefiting a great deal from them.
Withstanding The Test Of Time
A great number of the contributions of the early Muslims to the
development of Gibraltar as a city are also presently some of the major
sites that serve as tourist destinations for the many visitors of the
town. Mostly, these are either castles or mosques built in the ancient
Muslim fashion. Unfortunately, some of these have been destroyed to give
way to other edifices, like in the case of the mosque that used to stand
in the area that is now reserved for the Cathedral of St. Mary the
Crowned. The said mosque was then the chief area of worship for the Moors
who were then ruling over Gibraltar. When Christian forces were driven
away from the town, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain decreed
that Gibraltar should be stripped of everything that will remind it of its
past connections with the Muslims. The chief mosque was one of the primary
casualties of the decree, and when the site was finally torn down, the
Islamic influence on Gibraltar was reduced quite greatly. On the other
hand, the cathedral built in its place served as a major instrument for
Great Britain in spreading the Christian religion.
Nevertheless, Gibraltar was not entirely stripped of its Muslim past. Even
though a great number of Moorish structures were subsequently destroyed
during the famous Gibraltar Great Siege during the 17th century, several
Moorish-inspired structures are still standing up to the present time and
have been known to be visited by a large number of tourists, especially
those coming from foreign shores. Perhaps, the most popular of these
Muslim structures is the Moorish castle, which is actually a castle
complex that is composed of several buildings, walls, gates, and towers.
Although the exact origin of the Moorish castles has been debated upon by
several historians, there is little doubt that the castle was initially
constructed by the Moors, with Gibraltar conqueror Tarik Ibn Ziyad
acknowledged as its main builder. The castle was said to have been
established sometime during the eighth century.
The Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque
Apart from the Moorish Castles, several other major buildings that have
Muslim influences in them can also be seen scattered over several areas of
Gibraltar. These structures are not actually of very ancient origins, but
were in fact established just a few years ago. Nevertheless, they are
excellent representations of the kind of influence that the Muslim culture
has made on the evolution of Gibraltar, notably in the area of
architecture. They also happen to belong to the more popular sites in
Gibraltar that are included in the itinerary of tourists of the top
tourist destinations in the town. A perfect example of such sites is the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque.
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The Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque History
The Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque is one Muslim building having curious
origins. Although the structure itself is only of recent vintage,
having been built around nine years ago, it does have an underground
tank that is believed to have been in existence since the days of the
Moors in Gibraltar land, which could well be between the seventh and
the eighth century.
As for the mosque itself, the building actually goes by two other
names. One, the “Mosque of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” and
two, the “King Fahd bin Abdulaziz al-Saud Mosque”. The last name is
actually in reference to the late King Fahd Al-Saud, erstwhile ruler
of the Saudi Arabian Kingdom, who ordered the construction of the
mosque that he presented as his gift to the people of Gibraltar. King
Fahd died last year due to complications resulting from an extensive
stroke that he suffered sometime in 1995. The other name of the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque could possibly refer as well to King Fahd,
since the former Saudi ruler was said to have assumed the “Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques” title sometime in the early 80’s. The holy
mosques being referred to are Mecca and Medina, considered as two of
three holy cities in the Islamic world, the third one being Jerusalem.
The late king was said to have dreams of highlighting Saudi Arabia as
a country that stands on the very location where Islam is believed to
have been born. |
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Inside The Mosque
Formally inaugurated on the eighth day of August in 1997, the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque is a complex structure said to contain several
rooms that are used for a variety of functions. Among these are a library
room, a lecture hall, and a small school area.
Beside the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque is a flat ground where a huge
underground water tank can be found. The tank or cistern is said to date
to as far back as the Moorish times, or the period when the Muslim Moors
ruled over Gibraltar.
The area has come to be referred to as Nun’s Well although no clear
explanation could be given as to why this was so. A largely accepted
theory is the possibility that early nuns coming from the Shrine of Our
Lady of Europa could have made use of the cistern during early times. In
fact, an old map that was unearthed recently described the underground
water tank as a “bathing place for ye Nuns ot Nostra Senora D: Europa”.
Water is known to enter the underground tank by way of the many limestone
rocks surrounding the area. These rocks are known to be quite porous. The
water that enters the tank originates from a huge geological fault
situated at the face of a nearby cliff.
A Genuine Tourist Attraction
What makes the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque such a top tourist attraction in
Gibraltar can be traced to several factors. One, the building proved to be
quite expensive, costing its main sponsor, the late King Fahd of the Saudi
Arabian Kingdom, a little less than six million pounds in construction
expenses alone. Two, the mosque was completed about two years after the
first stone was placed. Three, it is considered as the largest Muslim area
of worship located in a place that is not predominantly Muslim. It is
estimated that the Muslim population in Gibraltar accounts for only about
seven percent of the total population of the town. Fourth, the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque is located on a Gibraltar area that is rich in
historical sites, making the mosque one of the most famous tourist
attractions in the town. Located at Europa Point, the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim
mosque is considered as the only mosque existing in all of Europe that is
stationed at its southernmost end. Fifth, the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque is
a Muslim building that is open for visits and for viewing by people coming
from different religions, but only during specific times. Finally, one can
hear the melodious call for prayers regularly made during the evenings
from the mosque, especially if one is able to get a place near or around
the vicinity of Europa Point.
Ibrahim And Europa Point
The southern corner of Gibraltar is filled with several places that are
considered as major historical points. These include Parsons Lodge, the
100 Ton Gun, and of course, Europa Point.
Thus far, it is Europa Point that is said to attract the most number
of tourists at least if one is speaking of the southern end of
Gibraltar. This is because of two things: The point is considered as
the southernmost corner of Gibraltar (from here, one can get a clear
and unrestricted view of the African continent, the Gibraltar Strait,
and several Spanish towns standing near the Gibraltar border) and
Europa Point boasts of playing host to several notably distinct places
that are known to be quite popular among Gibraltar tourists like
Europa Point lighthouse, the Catholic church of Our Lady of Europe,
and the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque. The latter is considered a standout
among the three Europa Point landmarks primarily because it is
considered as the newest place to visit in Gibraltar, definitely an
added attraction to the many wonderful sites in that part of the city.
Yet, the place is not entirely new, as it is also partly rich in
historical backgrounds, basically reflecting the crucial role that the
Muslims played in the early history of the town.
The Fahd Connection
It is not exactly known why the late King Fahd decided to present the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque as a gift to the Gibraltar government. It is
widely known, however, that the former Saudi king generously donated money
when he was still alive to different countries for the explicit purpose of
building numerous Muslim mosques all around the world. He was, after all,
a firm believer of Wahabi Islam, a conservative sect of the Islamic
religion, and has even studied this particular religion during his school
age years. Thus, it is most probably for the purpose of spreading the
Islamic religion that he gifted Gibraltarians with the said mosque.
Shortly after he assumed the Saudi throne, following the demise of his
brother, Khalid, King Fahd assumed the “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques”
title, replacing the old title, “His Majesty”. This indicated the desire
of the late King Fahd to focus more on his role as a protector of the
Muslim religion rather than on his role as a secular ruler of the Saudi
Arabian kingdom. Clearly, when Fahd gave monetary donations for the
building of more mosques outside of Saudi, just like what he did in the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque story, it is his own unique way of making sure
that the Islamic religion is alive and well.
There are also various reports that the late king was especially fond of
Marbella, a popular resort located in Spain, which happens to be a country
known to have a long-standing interest in Gibraltar. It is said that after
an initial visit to Marbella sometime during the seventies, the former
Saudi king found the place very attractive, eventually purchasing a
Marbella estate that measures more than 200 acres in length.
Since Gibraltar shares a border with nearby Spain and considering the vast
fortune of the late King Fahd, it was quite possible that the erstwhile
Saudi ruler likewise visited Gibraltar sometime during his reign and
instantly fell in love with the majestic place. Consequently, this could
have moved him to present the town with a most expensive gift – the
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque. This particular theory, however, will now be
forever considered as mere speculations following the recent death of the
man to whom the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque was named after.
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