Colored ceramic mosaic exteriors from the Masjid of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, a qiblah sketched with elegant power radiated off simple inscriptions as in the Grand Masjid of Bursa in Turkey: these are just some of the features of Katara Mosque’s appeal. Borrowing key elements of mosques in Turkey, Syria, Turkmenistan and Northern Persia, the Katara Mosque creates a tapestry highlighting the architectural wonders in the Islamic world through its domes, minaret and interior design. Conceptualized by the Turkish mosque architect Zainab Fadli Oglu, the main mosque building is shaped as a simple oblong. The true wonder lies in its mosaic tile external walls, hypnotizing its onlookers with its pleasing symmetry that is seemingly never ending, featuring complicated patterns and fractals from the simplest geometrical features. Arced, shallow recesses against the wall frame small windows providing light and ventilation into the central praying room. The bright colors of pink, blue and yellow tinged with reds adds vibrancy to the sandstone landscape surrounding the mosque in all four directions.

The mosque itself has earned acclaim within the Islamic community for its thought provoking lectures and carefully designed Paradise religious program. These regular educational sessions held by the mosque serve precisely to raise understanding and awareness of the principles of Islam amongst Muslims themselves as they embark on a soul search through the religion. The mosque’s minaret even serves as a beacon and call to Muslims all over the world who visit the mosque during Ramadan to take part in the Taraweeh prayers lead by the greatest imams of the decade. A sacred religious space that has always striven to build compromise and compassion, the Katara mosque is a modern installation that still has its roots dug deep into the foundations of Islam.