His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, said that building and maintaining mosques is a great honour, and that Bahraini families have always been among the first to earn this honour, known as they are for their love of giving in acts of goodness and charity whose reward never ends, in a way that strengthens the values of solidarity and social responsibility in our community.
He was speaking at the opening of Mahfoudha Saeed Al Zayani Mosque in the Janabiya area, one of the projects of the Rashid Abdulrahman Al Zayani Charity Foundation.
On this occasion, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla affirmed the care and attention given to houses of God in the Kingdom of Bahrain in the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and by his government headed by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister — out of belief in the central role of places of worship in weaving the identity of this country and establishing the civilisation of its people, and in the broad space of faith that these mosques create, uniting people and bringing them together.
He also praised the enduring role that His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, has played and continues to play in supporting religious activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to the point that he has become one of the leading figures of charitable and Islamic work in the region, particularly as he had patronised the laying of the foundation stone of Mahfoudha Saeed Al Zayani Mosque in early September 2016.
He further expressed his thanks and appreciation for the significant contributions the Rashid Abdulrahman Al Zayani Charity Foundation makes to Bahraini society in building mosques, social function halls, educational and cultural institutions and service projects, in supporting students and families, and in other valuable contributions.
Mahfoudha Saeed Al Zayani Mosque stands on a plot of more than 1,850 square metres and includes prayer halls for men and women with a capacity of more than 800 worshippers. It consists of two floors: a ground floor for the men's prayer hall, the function hall and the ablution facilities, and an upper floor for the women's prayer hall.
For his part, Mr Khalid Rashid Al Zayani, Chairman of the Board of the Rashid Abdulrahman Al Zayani Charity Foundation, extended his thanks and appreciation, on his own behalf and on behalf of the board members, the Foundation's staff and the Al Zayani family, to Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa for opening Mahfoudha Saeed Al Zayani Mosque.
Al Zayani said that this gracious patronage reflects the great care and attention the wise leadership and the government give to houses of God, and the encouragement that benefactors and donors receive to establish such charitable projects.
The Chairman of the Board of the Rashid Al Zayani Charity Foundation said: "This mosque is one of the most important charitable projects the Mabara has carried out since it was established in 2009. It meets one of the needs of the people of the Janabiya area by providing them with a mosque complete with facilities and services, making it easier for them to fulfil their religious duty, and serving as a spiritual gathering place and a centre for the community to come together."
