Saleh Mosque
| al-Saleh Mosque جامع الصالح |
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 Shown within Sanaa
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| Basic information | |
| Location |
 YEM
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| Geographic coordinates | 15°19′33″N 44°12′28″E / 15.3258°N 44.2077°ECoordinates: 15°19′33″N 44°12′28″E / 15.3258°N 44.2077°E |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Municipality | Sana'a |
| District | Sana'a |
| Prefecture | Sana'a |
| State | Yemen |
| Region | Yemen |
| Year consecrated | November 2008 |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | In use |
| Status | Active |
| Leadership | Ali Abdullah Saleh |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
| Architectural style | Yemeni architectural style or Himyarite architecture |
| Construction cost | 60 million US dollars |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 44,000 |
| Dome(s) | Five |
| Dome height (outer) | Four of 20.35 metres (66.8 ft) |
| Dome height (inner) | One central of 39.6 metres (130 ft) |
| Dome dia. (outer) | 13.6 metres (45 ft) |
| Dome dia. (inner) | 27.4 metres (90 ft) |
| Minaret(s) | 6 |
| Minaret height | 100 metres (330 ft) |
| Materials | Reinforced Cement Concrete with local materials |
The Saleh Mosque or Al Saleh Mosque (Arabic: جامع الرئيس الصالح) is the largest and most modern mosque in Sana'a, Yemen. It lies in the southern outskirts of the city, south of the Al Sabeen Maternal Hospital. Inaugurated in November 2008 by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, it is named in his honor. The mosque, 27,300 square metres (294,000 sq ft) in size, has a central hall which is 13,596 square metres (146,350 sq ft) with an occupancy capacity of 44,000. The building cost nearly US$60 million to construct. Open to non-Muslims, the mosque is frequented by tourists, and promotes moderate Islam. Security measures include police and bomb-sniffing dogs.
The President of Yemen was criticized in 2008 for undertaking such a grand project when the country was suffering with socio-economic problems. Several accidents occurred during its construction. The minarets collapsed multiple times, resulting in some deaths. After these occurrences, the site was used to build the Islamic college and the garden next to the mosque. It is also mentioned that Hayel Said, a local businessman, was threatened with reprisals and annulment of his business licenses if he did not pay for the building of the mosque. It is also reported that because of the fluid political situation in Yemen where the Zaidi tribal elites are influential, the Saleh's palace mosque was bombed in June 2011 with the president badly injured; the bombing took place at the instigation of tribal elites who supported the youth movement which sought a national leadership change.
The Saleh Mosque appears on Yemeni currency. It is depicted on the face of the 2007 issue 250 rial note.
The mosque was constructed using different types of stone, including black basalt stones as well as limestone in red, white and black. The building is compared in its beauty and architectural elegance with the Masjid al-Haram, in Mecca. It was built in a fusion of "Yemeni architecture and Islamic styles", with many Quranic verses inscribed on the walls. The layout is referred to as "Himyarite architecture".
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Wikipedia