A HISTORIC mosque in Manama that was built in 1860 and demolished a few years ago could be rebuilt, if MPs have their way, writes Mohammed Al Aáli.
Parliament yesterday unanimously approved an urgent proposal by five MPs, led by second deputy Speaker Ahmed Qarrata, and referred it to the Cabinet for review.
The Cabinet had ordered the reconstruction of Al Mehzaa Mosque four years after it was demolished in 2014. However, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) announced in March last year that international excavators had found the remains of the original mosque underneath the site, after it was torn down.
Baca said at the time that the mosque would be ‘rebuilt and re-engineered’ while incorporating the historic remains.
MP Mohammed Al Bulooshi yesterday said the mosque was primarily intended for prayers and not for showcasing history.
“There were clear Cabinet orders in 2018 to have it rebuilt and it has been five years, the place is still out of reach for worshippers,” he said.
Meanwhile, MPs unanimously approved an urgent proposal to issue a statement condemning Swedish authorities for allowing extremists to burn a copy of the Quran. They demanded international intervention against the move, saying it contradicted the values of religious respect and tolerance. The statement will be issued by Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam.
The GDN earlier reported that the Foreign Ministry had expressed Bahrain’s strong condemnation of the Swedish authorities for granting permission to an extremist to burn a copy of the Holy Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm last Saturday.
The ministry described the act as a serious provocation to the feelings of millions of Muslims, an incitement to religious hatred, and a violation of international human rights principles and covenants.
It reiterated Bahrain’s call to the international community to assume its responsibilities in criminalising acts that incite extremism as well as religious and racial hatred, including combating Islamophobia, xenophobia and anti-Muslim crimes and preventing offence to all religions, beliefs, sanctities and religious symbols.
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