The Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation (KAHF) has signed an agreement with the Albanian Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation to build a mosque and an Islamic social and cultural centre in Ashkavanah in Albania.
The agreement was signed by Sultan Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, KAHF, and Dr. Ramiz Zekaj, General Director of the Albanian Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization on Tuesday, Mar 11th 2014 in the presence of the members of KAHF Board of Trustees, Dr. Rafia Ghubash, Mohammad Abdallah Zarouni, Abdul Salam Al Marzooqi, Secretary General and Director of the Foundation, and May Bouflasa, Head of the Charitable Department.
The KAHF has agreed to fund the building of mosque and centre in Ashkavanah in the municipality of Aichmi The Foundation will construct a 1,500 square metre compound that will consist of a mosque capable of accommodating 200 worshipers at one time. It will also include an Islamic social and cultural centre. The village, which is home to some 3,000 people, currently has no mosque.
Sultan Al Habtoor said, "The Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation will provide the funds for this project under the supervision of the Albanian Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation."
"The Foundation has taken upon itself to carry out charitable work within the Emirates and abroad, thus achieving a quantum leap in several areas in the charity domain. There is no doubt that funding the building of mosques is one of the greatest and most rewarding acts of worship."
Dr. Ramiz Zekaj said: "We thank The Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation for its generous sponsorship of this charitable project and its noble feelings towards fellow Muslims in Europe."
Abdul Salam Al Marzooqi added, “The project will take 12 months to complete and the architecture will be in keeping with the surroundings, taking into account Albanian culture.”
The Foundation gave Dr. Zekaj a copy of the Encyclopaedia of Mosques in the United Arab Emirates that was published by Al Bayan newspaper, and sponsored by the KAHF. The 263 page Encyclopaedia, a first of its kind, features from of the country’s most beautiful mosques.