Jordanian Chechens Opened a New Mosque
A new mosque builed and opened in Jordan by Chechens on July 24, 2009.
Shaher Al Shishani reported that a new Chechen mosque which was builded, was opened in Zarka city of Jordan. On July 24, 2009 the new mosque (Hamza Mosque) was opened with Friday prayer.
According to Mr.Shishani, the Hamza Mosque is settled on the road from Zarka to Sweleh, in Beereen Street in Dahyat Al Rawda of Zarka city. A Chechen gave the land (its cost around 50.000 USD) as a benefaction; many Chechens who lives in Jordan (Sheikh Morad Abdelhameed Younes, Sheikh Abdallah Khalil Asender and others) and some Arabians contributed money for building it. The Chechens who lives next to the mosque, they look over the building activities. The construction started at the begining of 2009. The Hamza Mosque is about 400 square meters and it may hold around 300 – 400 people.
The opening ceremony was very simple but many Chechens was attended it as Sheikh Abdulbaki Jammo (a well known religious leader, ex-Minister and ex-General), Mohammed Bashir (ex-Mayor of Amman city, ex-Minister). The first formal prayer was the Friday prayer. Before the prayer, imams read holy Qur’an and gave to Islamic lecture.
At the moment, very few Chechens – 15 families- live around the Hamza mosque. But the area is very clean and nice, also suitable to settling, so Jordanian Chechens have an idea for creating a Chechen town there.
Jordan is an Arabic country next top Israel in the middle east. It has 6 million population, mostly Moslem Arabians. There are around 10 thousand Chechens who arrived to Jordan after 1904. The Jordan government has granted so many advantages for Chechens like 3 chairs in the Jordan Parlament which has 110 members total. Jordan government never bannes any Chechens from any official positions. Many Chechen worked as ministers in government or top level army officer.
Here some photos of the mosque taken by Shaher Bashir: