Places of worship handed over to community leaders

Manama, Nov. 6 (BNA): The Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments today announced that a further 13 places of worship cited in the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report have been rebuilt and handed over to the Jaffari Endowments Directorate. The reconstruction of places of worship is in line with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s directives for the Kingdom to continue promoting the principles of coexistence and religious freedom. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Dr. Fareed bin Yaqoob Al-Meftah, today toured the reconstructed sites with members of the Jaffari Endowments’ Board of Directors, including Chairman Shaikh Mohsen bin Al-Sheikh Abdul Hussain Al-Asfoor and Northern Governor Ali bin Al-Sheikh Abdul Hussain Al-Al-Asfoor. During the visits, Dr. Al-Meftah highlighted that a key government priority is to ensure that all places of worship are available to all sections of society, and noted that the mosque reconstruction program has gone beyond the recommendations of the BICI report. Dr. Al-Meftah also highlighted that the reconstruction process was made possible by the concerted efforts of the government, led by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and the follow-up efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. The Jaffari Endowments Director, Shaikh Mohsen Al-Asfoor, also praised the government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the BICI report. Shaikh Al-Asfoor commended the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, and Undersecretary Dr. Fareed Al-Meftah, for ensuring that the projects were completed to the agreed schedule, and said that the Jaafari Endowments Directorate had handed over the places of worship to community leaders and recruited individuals to manage their upkeep. He also praised the efforts of the Ministerial Committee for Urbanisation and Infrastructure, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, for coordinating the wide-ranging efforts between various government entities. The reconstructed places of worship include: Al-Imam Al-Hadi, Al-Imam Al-Jawad, Al-Imam Al-Sajjad, Al-Imam Al-Askari, Al-Baqeea, Abu Taleb, Fadak Al-Zahraa mosques in Hamad Town, the Ain Rastan and Al-Barbaghi mosques in A'ali, Al-Abed mosque in Sitra, Al Duwaira and Moamen mosques in Nuwaidrat, and Al-Kuwaikibat mosque in Tubli. When receiving this batch of reconstructed sites in the Northern Governate, Governor Ali bin Al-Sheikh Al-Asfoor highlighted that places of worship, including mosques and other religious institutions, are the pillars of religious freedom within the Kingdom. He went on to thank the Interior Minister, the Justice Minister, and the Jaffari Endowments Board of Directors for their concerted efforts during the reconstruction process.