Let’s explore Education City Mosque and Quranic Botanic Gardens
They say when your mind is calm, you attract all the goodness the world has to offer. Qatar has places that make you feel extremely relaxed and soothes your mind as well as your soul. One such place is the Education city mosque situated in the Minaretein center, designed by an Iraqi architect and calligrapher, ‘Taha Al-Hiti.
How to get there?
- If you travel from the Red line, get off at Msheireb station and take the Green line. At Qatar National Library, hop off.
- If you travel from the Gold line, get off at Msheireb station and take the Green line. At Qatar National Library, hop off.
- If you travel from the Green line, hop off at Qatar National Library (QNL).
From QNL station, it is a short walk of about 12 minutes. You won’t realize how fast those 12 minutes will pass off as the green views are a sight for sore eyes.
The minute you enter the center, you are welcomed with exceptional bliss floating around the area. The courtyard has lush green views that capture the essence of your mind and leaves you drifting away into tranquility.
The Minaretein center, in which the Education city mosque is situated in stands on five structural columns signifying the five pillars of Islam. Designed by the Iranian architect and calligrapher Taha al-Hiti, the architectural elements strongly are reminiscent of Islamic mosaic designs and calligraphy across its minarets.
The fountains that flow below these columns are fed from four major streams flowing from the adjacent gardens. The four streams symbolize the four rivers of Heaven: water, milk, honey, and wine. The mosque is built to house 1800 people indoors and about 500 more in its courtyard.
It’s so wonderful to see the magnitude of elegance that architecture can portray!
At the entrance of the center, appropriate building maps are available on the walls beside the escalators. The mosque has two sections: one for the men and the latter for the women. The women’s prayer area is on the second floor. While heading to the women’s pray section, you encounter a marvelous spiral staircase and a mesmerizing ceiling while you climb the stairs.
The women’s prayer area is divided into two areas: one to pray and the other that has chairs and tables along with the holy Quran and other Islamic texts to read through. Even the inner ceiling of the mosque features Arabic calligraphy and employs lighting through soft lights and mosaic cuts in the ceiling that facilitate natural light during the day.
Within the Minaretein complex, there is a well-equipped library for the students of Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
Apart from the Education City mosque, the Minaretein center houses a part of the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies. The Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) is part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), one of Qatar’s prime educational universities. It comprises co-educational spaces that provide equality and non-hierarchical learning, enabling greater focus on knowledge and community.
From outside the complex, climb the flight of sweeping stairs to reach the inner courtyard. This area features the verses of Surah Al Hujurat, the chapter of the Quran that prescribes the ethical code of conduct for Muslims, calligraphed across the inner wall. With the sound of birds and trickling water fountains, find a moment of peace here as you read the Surah and reflect on its beauty. Towards your left from the building, the two minarets featuring calligraphy, stand tall intending to lift your gaze heavenward with faith.
This fascinating architectural mural was built on the idea of showcasing the compatibility between Islam and modernity. The place intends to invite individuals across all backgrounds to visit and admire and soak in the profound bliss this place has to offer.
Quranic Botanic Garden
Right adjacent to the Minaratein complex and Education City Mosque is the Qur’anic Botanic Garden. The unique concept of the QBG makes it the first-of-its-kind in the world of themed botanical gardens. The Quranic Botanic Garden displays several plant species that have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as well as the Hadith of the Prophet, alongside the local flora native to Qatari soil.
QBG is committed to it's vision of promoting plant cultivation and conservation of diversity and also keeps conducting various programs and workshops in this aspect from time to time
A Qatar Foundation initiative, the QBG aims to inculcate knowledge dissemination on plant biodiversity, plant heritage, cultivation, and conservation (in-situ and ex-situ) among the locals as well as the younger generations. Walk through the beautifully curated gardens and read the signage that accompanies each Quranic plant along with genus, species, and classification along with a mention of the relevant Quranic verse or Hadith it has been mentioned in.
More than 60 plant species have been planted here since the garden was launched and there are plans to add more. Plants like the Sidra, olive, lemon eucalyptus, camphor, ginger, toothbrush tree (miswak), hibiscus are a few of these 60 species you will find here.
Other features of the garden include the Vine Arbour Garden, which is a shaded, dark canopy. And the central fountain where you can watch the sun go down amidst the sound of the trickling waters. There's also a play area for children.
The Quranic Botanical Museum is another small complex that houses a limited, but very informative center that displays local sand, flora and photograph samples. Plants and traditional tools made from such plants are also on display to exhibit Arab and Islamic heritage.
From the garden, there's the Doha tram facility that you can avail. It is free of cost and takes you directly to the metro station.
What is your favourite place to go to when you're in need of some calm?
Let us know in the comments below!
--
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
Twitter - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
