El Hank

Our guide, Mohammad, gave all 15 of us a briefing on the tour. I can mostly understand his English. We loaded on to our big orange bus to visit the Hassan II Mosque. It was magical.

Built by French architects with Moroccan design, it incorporates the shape of a Christian church, balconies for women’s prayer space like Jewish synagogues, and Moorish architecture and carpets for prayer on the floors. What struck me was the deep spirituality and beauty of this active mosque. No images of men, tortured or otherwise, to communicate the holiness of the sight. Quotes from the Koran carved into the pillars show devotion.

Below the grand hall, sits the washing fountains. The women’s and men’s areas are the same and of equal size even though the floor accommodates 20,000 men, and the balconies, 5,000 women. They wash at home usually before going to the mosque to pray. The fountains pour water only during special days to wash one’s hands, face, forearms, and feet. Everyday faucets provide washing stations for people coming from work before prayer on other days.

Built recently it hides its speakers and technology well. And the roof slides open to illuminate the space. As per the Koran, the mosque is built by the water and the portico faces Mecca. To guard against the corrosive sea air, the doors are made of titanium and ceilings of cedar. Lastly, the pillars of the baths are made with a mixture of plaster with egg white to act as a natural dehumidifier.

A must see if you come to Casablanca.Read more