Goodwill gesture

The Jaafari Endowments Directorate has received 11 mosques from the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry in preparation for their official inauguration. The move is in line with the royal directives to promote the noble Islamic values and within framework of following up on the recommendations of Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).

In a statement, the directorate's Board Chairman Sheikh Mohsin Al-Asfoor said the 11 mosques will inaugurated in a few days. The move reflects the leadership's interest in building houses of worship across Bahrain to promote values of cooperation, solidarity, unity and tolerance, he added.

He added the step would help maintain Bahrain's status as a model of peaceful co-existence as well as inter-religious and doctrinal tolerance. He pointed out the construction of the mosques was completed a long back but inauguration was postponed to provide them with electricity, water and sewerage services.

He noted that the Jaafari Endowments Directorate, along with relevant bodies, has gone a long way in rebuilding mosques in line with the royal directives. He commended the efforts of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa in following up on the implementation of the projects.

He also lauded the role of the Ministerial Committee for Services and Infrastructure, headed by Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, in coordinating efforts between concerned parties.

Shaikh Al-Asfoor pointed out the government had earmarked an overall budget of over BD 3,400,000 to tackle the issue, adding that the budget is independent and will not affect the projects of building mosques nationwide.

The ministry had recently completed and approved 27 mosques, leaving three locations still under study to finalise the legal and administrative procedures before the issue is fully settled.