Turin -
A few steps from Porta Nuova, the main train station in central Turin, witness to the wave of Syrian refugees in 2015, there is near a crossroads, between 5 Islamic butcher shops selling halal meat, the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque, or the Mosque of Refugees and Travelers, is located. In the lobby of Building No. 18, in the alley "Via Saluzzo".
There are no prominent features of Islamic architecture in this place of worship, except for the green background of a sign bearing the name: Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque, whose first nucleus began about 37 years ago.
This is because the establishment of a mosque in Italy is still being opposed by some right-wing voices, let alone highlighting its features.
Secondary students listen from the imam to explanations about Islam inside the Omar Mosque (Al-Jazeera)
Foundation and construction
In 1984, the Muslim Students' Union founded the first mosque in Turin, northern Italy, in house No. 24 (two rooms and a kitchen) in Bertolet Alley, in the San Salvario neighborhood, which later became the nucleus of the Omar Mosque.
In 1996, an address in "Salutso" alley No. 18 was chosen as the seat of a larger mosque under the name of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab.
It has an area of 700 square meters and consists of two floors: the first is for rent, and the second is owned by the association that runs the mosque and bears its name.
The expenses of building the mosque and its employees amount to about 5,000 euros per month, from the donations of immigrants.
And 50 meters from the Omar Mosque in the Alley of Saluzzo, there is the Church of San Pietro Paolo.
And 100 meters from the mosque there is the synagogue "Senecoca".
Entrance to Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque (Al-Jazeera)
The interior construction of the mosque is simple, without decoration, except for the red carpet, on which arched doors of Islamic architecture and architecture are painted, as well as the mihrab, but it is not decorated with the exception of a mosaic of white and gray squares, which are the colors of the contemporary design of Italian ceramics.
The minbar consists of two steps, then a chair. Its shape is traditional as in Islamic countries, but it is simple in its decoration, with the exception of the two poles of the entrance to the minbar, which are topped by two balls painted with gold paint, on which the imam leans from time to time when delivering the Friday sermon.
The collective iftar that was established by the Omar Mosque in Turin to become a habit in several Italian cities (Al-Jazeera)
Home of refugees and passers-by
The "Omar Mosque", as it is called by immigrants for short, has become a destination for refugees and passers-by, because of its strategic location in the center of Turin, near a series of transportation stations: the train, the metro, the tram, and a number of international and local bus stations.
The density of available transportation made it easier for refugees to reach it, so it became a stop for every immigrant passerby who desires provisions and some rest, in order to continue the journey towards the northern European countries, which are better off than Italy.
Ali Al-Shobaki, one of the founders and managers of the mosque, told Al Jazeera Net, "The mosque often takes care - after hosting refugees and passersby - to buy a train ticket for them, if they choose to go to another European country, we try to meet their needs as much as possible."
Omar Mosque has an area of 700 square meters and consists of two floors (Al-Jazeera)
Muhammad Shaheen, imam of the Omar Mosque, explains to Al Jazeera Net that, like the rest of the 19 mosques in Turin, "we are committed to the law, on the issue of receiving and housing refugees, but because we are near the city's main train station and where refugees come to us in abundance at certain times and occasions, we are obliged to host every refugee." knocking on our door."
The Omar Mosque remained open in 2015, in the face of refugees from Syria, during the height of the exodus of displaced people from there.
A number of them have completely resided in the mosque for a period of time, as Shaheen asserts, and he clarified that "this is a legal right for every wayfarer... until he manages his affairs, as it is necessary to take care of his food and drink, which is what the mosque does."
Nabil (Moroccan), one of the residents near the mosque, says that "it has become a home for refugees, passers-by and everyone who finds himself homeless, where he shelters and protects him from the harsh cold, especially in winter."
Nabil, one of the visitors of the Omar Mosque and its neighbors (Al-Jazeera)
The Qibla of Muslims, Christians, Jews and others.
The imam (of Egyptian origin) defines the role of the Omar Mosque and its activities on two levels: the first is for Muslims (about 50,000 people in Turin) who live their issues and lives, reminding them of their religion and embracing them on a religious and spiritual level, through the five daily prayers and Friday prayers, sermons and seminars and learning to read and recite the Qur’an.
During the holy month of Ramadan, iftar tables are organized, providing about 250 daily meals, and 4 seminars between short and long each day.
Sheikh Muhammad Shaheen, imam of the Omar Mosque in Turin (Al Jazeera)
As for the second level of the activities of the Omar Mosque, according to Shaheen, it is reflected in "communication with Italian society and its residents for the purpose of introducing Islam and deepening the avenues of dialogue, so to speak."
The imam notes that the administration of the mosque, of various nationalities and languages, "had a good impact on the level of good communication with Italian citizens and officials and others such as the US Consul in Milan who visited the mosque."
The mosque contributed to many social and cultural activities in Italy, and according to the imam, the mosque worked to “establish a tradition related to the organization of the collective Ramadan Iftar on the street, about 5 years ago, an idea of the Tunisian immigrant Ibrahim Abu Ismail, one of the mosque’s pioneers, who brought it into existence to become a habit. Cultural events in many Italian cities, which makes our mosque the owner of a local and national initiative.”
The Omar Mosque, as a religious institution representing Islam in Turin, hosts many activities related to dialogue with other religions represented in the neighborhood: Christianity and Judaism. Islam, in addition to a number of Italians who come to declare their Islam, and there is cooperation with Italian civil societies to organize exploratory visits to the mosque.”
Secondary students from the town of Chery visit Omar Mosque (Al-Jazeera)
Ramona Pollack, Christian by religion, cultural mediator at the Imigrant Tour Foundation, we met her during a visit to the mosque, and she accompanies two classrooms from the town of Cherie, near Turin, “in order to establish a dialogue with Muslims through those responsible for the management of the mosque, who are familiar with Islam and its privacy for the visitors, students, young people , who are curious to know this religion, and the meeting points with it," she tells Al Jazeera Net.
As for her colleague Anna, she said, "The mosque provides a great service for Muslim youth and non-Muslims to learn about the Islamic religion."
The two cultural mediators Ramona (right) and Anna during their visit to the Omar Mosque (Al-Jazeera)
From the memory of the mosque.. Marriages and marriages
The Omar Mosque has become a collective memory for Muslims and others in Turin, in view of the human commonality in which the city’s residents gather. “The collective iftar that is accompanied by non-Muslims remains one of the most prominent memories, as the mosque remains open during the month of Ramadan to learn about Islam,” as Suad Omar tells Al Jazeera Net.
The speaker is a frequent visitor to the mosque. She lives nearby and has family memories there. "Among the beautiful memories in this place of worship is the marriage of my two daughters. They got married here. It is a social mosque serving people whenever they need it."
Suad Omar (center) accompanied by Christian and Jewish guests at Omar Mosque (Al-Jazeera)
Felix, an Italian and South Korean Muslim, took refuge in Omar's mosque in a moment of spiritual need and soul-searching. "It is the first mosque I have entered into my life. Here I saw for the first time people perform ablution, pray and read the Holy Qur'an. Here I met many brothers and I managed to deepen my faith."
He adds, "The best memories of Omar Mosque were with my beautiful bride, covered in a golden robe, and the warmth of all the Muslim, Italian and non-Muslim guests, offering me the best congratulations."
Felix and his wife during their marriage contract at the Omar Mosque, which was attended by Muslims and others, including Reverend Luca (Al Jazeera)
The Omar Mosque has a social role and a space to announce the marriage contract, as Felix believes that it "has become a place for gathering and cultural exchange. It is the most multicultural mosque in the city, where there is no ethnic majority among the attendees."
The mosque organizes acquaintance meetings between Muslim youths "according to the legal regulations, through scientific events between the children of immigrants, and this has resulted in marriages, including a Pakistani and an Italian brother, and an Italian and a Somali youth," says Imam Shaheen.
Helping arguing spouses and needy Palestinians
And because married life is not without obstacles, "Omar Mosque plays its role in solving the problems presented to it between spouses, and this applies to all nationalities that frequent the mosque, which is run by immigrants from Somalia, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Palestine," as Ali Al-Shobaki confirms to Al-Jazeera Net.
Ali Al-Shobaki, one of the founders of the Omar Mosque (Al-Jazeera)
Near the pulpit of the Omar Mosque, a large picture of Al-Aqsa and an olive branch attracts attention. Al-Shobaki says that this is an expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people, “through sponsoring orphans, feeding the poor, Eid clothes, school books. This is for purely humanitarian reasons, as is the case with Migrants in Italy during the Corona period, and other vulnerable people around the world.