Si Kaddour Benghabrit

Si Kaddour Benghabrit (سي قدور بن غبريط in Arabic) or Abdelqader Ben Ghabrit, born in Sidi Bel Abbes in Algeria in 1868, and died in Paris in 1954, was an official and founder of the Great Mosque of Paris.

Si Kaddour Benghabrit came from a prominent Andalusian family of Tlemcen. After his secondary education at the Madrasa of Algiers (Thaalibiya) and the University of al-Karaouine of Fez He started his career in Algeria, in the field of judiciary.

In 1892, he became assistant interpreter at the Legation of France to Tangier; he served as a liaison between North African officials and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1916, he was sent to Hijaz and to facilitate the Hajj and ensure the well-being of his fellow citizens during their time in the holy places of Islam. In 1917, Si Kaddour founded the Mahkma of Algiers (civil court or qadi), the Society of Habous and the Holy Places of Islam, in order to facilitate the pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims from French North Africa. The Society acquired two hotels in Medina and Mecca for use by pilgrims.

In 1920, the Society of Habous and Holy Places of Islam established the Algiers prefecture. It intended to apply for authorization to construct an Institute and a Mosque in Paris, to have a structure to symbolize the eternal friendship of France and Islam, and memorialize the sacrifice of the tens of thousands of Muslim soldiers who died fighting in support of France during World War I, including at the Battle of Verdun. The Great Mosque of Paris was built in the 5th arrondissement, completed in 1926.

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