e–Islamabad against the backdrop of Margala Hills, King Faisal Mosque is an icon of the friendship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. This beautiful white marble mosque, which can be seen during day and night from miles around, has a unique structure. Designed by Turkish architect Vadat Dalokay, the middle of the mosque is like a Bedouin's tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets, unusually without any dome. In front of the main entrance on the east side of the mosque is the mausoleum of the late president of Pakistan, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, whose 1988 funeral at the site was the largest in the history of Pakistan. The prayer hall is fronted by a courtyard with veranda. The International Islamic University was housed under the main courtyard until recently, but has now relocated to a new campus. The mosque still houses a library, lecture hall, museum and cafe. From the entrance, you can see the capacity of the mosque: there is a big prayer hall for men and an upper level for women which is located on a side of the hall, from where women can listen to the Friday sermon and appreciate the inner beauty of the mosque. The hall of the mosque is covered with white marble and is beautifully decorated with mosaics and Islamic calligraphy. The calligraphy is done in the early kufic script by a famous Pakistani artist, Sadeqain Ahmed Naqvi. A big Turkish-style chandelier also brings a touch of Turkish Islamic architecture to the mosque. The Faisal Mosque is visited by tourists from various parts of the world, who are often seen in the huge park surrounding the mosque. The idea of building this mosque was suggested by late King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz during his visit to Pakistan in 1966. 17 international architects submitted 43 proposals for the building of the mosque in a competition held in 1969, from which the Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay's design was chosen . The construction of the mosque was started in 1976 and completed in 1986, the construction work was implemented by the national construction company of Pakistan led by Azim Borujerdi and funded by the Saudi government as a gift to Pakistan and in the memory of King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz. The Faisal Mosque has an area of 5,000 square meters and can accommodate almost 300, 000 worshippers -- the main hall can accommodate almost 10,000 worshippers, 24,000 in the verandas and 40,000 in the courtyard. Almost 130 million Saudi riyals (approx. $120 million) was spent on its construction.
