2024
Maintenance and restoration project for the Sahaba Mosque
Location
Derna, Libya
Owner
Libyan Reconstruction and Development Fund
Executing Authority
Eabr Al-Alam for General Contracting and Real Estate Investment
Overview
In September 2023, Libya woke up to the sound of a humanitarian disaster that destroyed lives and burned everything in its path. The deadliest hurricane in Libya's history struck the city of flowers, the pure land that was watered with the blood of the companions of the Messenger of Allah more than 1,300 years ago, when Islam dawned on the lands of North Africa in the 7th century AD. Overnight, the city was reduced to rubble, including its largest place of worship, the ‘mosque of the Sahaba,’ which was built in 1975. A reconstruction convoy was launched to restore the mosque to its former glory, under the direct supervision of Engineer Belqasim Khalifa Haftar, Director General of the Fund for the Reconstruction and Development of Libya. The Khalifa Holding Group undertook the restoration and maintenance of the mosque through its companies: Eabr Al-Alam for General Contracting and Real Estate Investment, Al-Binaa Industries, and Design for Engineering Works. In the process of restoring the mosque, the group harnessed all its capabilities to restore the landmark to its former glory, as we had praised its authentic Islamic style. It was the first project to be implemented in the city and began immediately upon receipt, starting with the removal of obstacles and cleaning, followed by backfilling and tamping in areas where the soil had been eroded.
Following this, floor casting operations began by Eabr Al-Alam , immediately followed by the establishment of a new electricity and sanitation network, and the installation of central cooling and air conditioning systems, sound systems and cameras, in precise and focused steps that took into account and preserved the mosque's previous architectural design, inspired by Mamluk-style designs. Khalifa Holding left no detail untouched in its restoration of the mosque's façade, centred on the dome, which was revived through the installation of compost strips to restore its former splendour, flanked by two minarets on the right and left. It also added a golden touch to the outer courtyards by expanding them and covering all the floors and courtyards with marble. With the aim of creating an Islamic-style masterpiece, the group worked with the Ministry of the Awqaf to standardise the inscriptions and drawings in the mosque in the Mamluk style, specifically what is known as the ‘star plate design’, which was also applied to the newly renovated wooden doors and ceiling carvings, especially in the areas of the hanging lamps, adding an aesthetic and modern touch to the building. , to be applied to the updated wooden doors and ceiling inscriptions, especially in the areas of the hanging lamps, adding an aesthetic and modern touch to the building that harmonises with its original style. After the mosque returned to the heart of the city that contributed to the rise of the true religion, the group completed its work with the furnishing of the mosque and the finishing touches, which were also decorated in the Mamluk style, characterised by its magnificent decorations that reflect the luxury and architectural beauty of that era. The mosque of the Sahaba returned to stand tall in the heart of the city of roses, proclaiming that Derna will always be present, illuminated by the memories of the martyrs and shining with the faces of its great people.