Bab al-Islam Mosque
The Bāb al-Islām Mosque (Spanish: Mezquita Bab ul Islam, Arabic: مسجد باب الإسلام) is situated in southern Peru, at the southern entrance to the city of Tacna. Although there are other mosques in Peru, this is the only one that is an example of Islamic architecture in Peru. Combined with the adjoining Shah Wali-Ullah School of Sciences, it is the largest mosque in the region. Prayers are offered bilingually in both Spanish and Arabic.[1]
Bab al-Islam Mosque | |
---|---|
Mezquita Bab ul Islam | |
Religion | |
Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
Leadership | Asociación Musulmana Pakistaní (Pakistani Muslim Association) |
Location | |
Location | Tacna, Peru |
Shown within Peru | |
Geographic coordinates | 18°1′11.5″S 70°15′24.5″W |
Architecture | |
Completed | 2000 |
History
The mosque was built by a group of Pakistani merchants who had arrived to Peru in the 1990s and were importing used cars from Japan and the United States with the permission of President Alberto Fujimori. The Pakistani community in Tacna grew to 95 people by 1995, increasing to 500 by the end of the 20th century. The complex was founded in 2000, and its construction was completed by 2008. Mohammad Usman served as imam in 2015.[2]
Gallery
- In construction
- Night
- Dark
References
- Islamic Bulletin, Trip to Peru, Issue 14
- "La vida musulmana en la ciudad heroica" [Muslim life in the heroic city] (in Spanish). 22 February 2015.