Hamad Bin Khalifa Civilisation Center

History

In September 2013, as the mosque was still under construction, critics rose about the plan to broadcast the official Hamas-run television channel Al-Aqsa TV in the media center of the mosque, Hamas being blacklisted as a terrorist organization in the European Union (of which Denmark is a member).

In June 2014, the Danish Islamic Council opened the Grand Mosque of Copenhagen (officially Hamad Bin Khalifa Civilisation Center, after the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani), the country's largest mosque, and the first one with a minaret. Qatar provided $27 million to finance the construction, which led the Danish People's Party to express their concerns about potential Qatari interference in Danish domestic affairs. The Danish royal family and government ministers were invited to attend the opening but declined the invitation, with only Copenhagen's deputy mayor for social issues Jesper Christensen attending.

It was agreed with the municipality of Copenhagen that the minaret would not be used to broadcast a call to prayer. However, there are a number of small speakers mounted above the doors on either side of the courtyard so the call to prayer can be heard by worshippers outside the main prayer hall.

The group Stop Islamisation of Denmark had planned to protest in front of the building the day of its opening, but was banned by the police.

In 2020, Berlingske newspaper reported that the mosque had received million (more than €23 million) from investors in Qatar.

Description

The mosque was designed by the Danish architects Jan Wenzel & Lars Tuxen and is the property of the Danish Islamic Council. It has the capacity to host 3,000 worshipers indoors, and an extra 1,500 in an inner sahn. The mosque's exterior is made of titanium, glass and polished concrete. Many architectural elements symbolize the link of the building with Mecca.

References

References

1. (April 26, 2007). "The Grand Mosque of Copenhagen". The Copenhagen Post.
2. (16 June 2020). "Politicians and royals steering clear of grand mosque's opening". The Copenhagen Post.
3. Levitt, Joshua. (8 September 2013). "New Copenhagen Mosque May Break Anti-Terror Rules by Rebroadcasting Hamas-Controlled Al-Aqsa TV".
4. (19 June 2014). "Denmark's first 'real' mosque opens, bankrolled by Qatar".
5. (2014). "After Integration: Islam, Conviviality and Contentious Politics in Europe". Springer.
6. (2014). "Denmark 2014 international religious freedom report".
7. Birk, Christian. (2020-02-20). "Kontroversiel stormoské har fået markant større millionstøtte fra Qatar end hidtil kendt: »Jeg synes, det er totalt langt ude«".
8. "Grand Mosque Project Concept and Design: Jan Wenzel and Lars Tuxen".