[Dec. 2025] The tour of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, has begun.
The young man who guided us in English was very capable and interesting.
Hassan II was the father of the current King Mohammed VI, and reigned from 1961 to 1999.
He is highly regarded for laying the foundation of modern Morocco.
This massive mosque was reportedly the third largest mosque in the world, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, when it was completed in 1993.
It can accommodate 105,000 people including the area outside the building, but during Ramadan, it is said to exceed its capacity, with over 200,000 people gathering.
We walked through the main hall where men gather; women gather in a separate area beyond a partition, accessed through a different entrance.
They didn’t show us the women’s part.
The mosque was mostly built with local resources, but the hanging chandeliers are from Murano, Italy.
It’s a modern building, and part of the ceiling can be opened and closed.
The area where prayers are offered five times a day is partitioned off, and we weren’t allowed inside.
On the wall of that area there is the mihrab, and during the explanation, the guide called out to everyone, “Please say ‘—mihrab’ (I forgot the part marked with ‘—‘) three times.”
After we tourists finished, he said, “Okay, now you’re all Muslims.”
Seeing everyone’s surprised faces, he grinned and said, “Just kidding!”
There were several moments like this that made us laugh.
The adhan (call to prayer) is not a recording; an attendant recites it each time.
In the past, it was called from atop the minaret, but nowadays it’s said into a microphone in a separate room.
The 210-meter-tall minaret has an elevator, but apparently there are also over 1000 steps.
Then, we put on our shoes and went down to the washing area below.
The vast space at the bottom of the stairs reminded me of Ceaușescu’s palace in Romania.
Perhaps all massive buildings are somewhat similar.
The washing area not only had many circular fountains, but also rows of faucets all around.
Muslims purify themselves in this washing area by washing their hands, mouth, face, head, and feet three times each before praying.
They are not allowed to dry themselves with a towel; they are allowed to air dry before praying.
If you cannot dry yourself in time for the prayer, you have to wait for the next prayer session.
Men are supposed that while they can pray five times a day at home, praying at a mosque is considered many times more valuable, whereas for women praying both home and the mosque are equally important.
It’s a religion where gender differences are evident in everything.
The mosque visit was interesting; I think it was worth the 140 dirhams (about 13 euros).
