Completed in 1989 as a memorial by the late King Hussein (r. 1952-1999) to his grandfather, Abdullah I bin al-Hussein, Emir of Transjordan between 1921 and 1946, and king of Jordan since 1946 until 1951, this unmistakable blue-domed mosque can house up to 7000 worshippers inside, and another 3000 in the courtyard area. This is the only mosque in Amman that openly welcomes non-Muslim visitors. The cavernous, octagonal prayer hall doesn’t have any pillars, yet it’s capped by a massive dome, 35m in diameter. The inscriptions quote verses from the Quran.
The blue colour of the underside of the dome is said to represent the sky, while the golden lines running down to the base of the dome depict rays of light illuminating the 99 names of Allah. The huge three-ringed chandelier contains more Quranic inscriptions. There is also a small women’s section for 500 worshippers, and a much smaller royal enclosure. Inside the mosque is a small Islamic Museum, which has some pottery pieces, as well as photographs and personal effects of King Abdullah I. There are also a number of pieces of Muslim art, coins and stone engravings. The admission fee to the mosque includes access to the museum. Women are required to cover their hair – headscarves are available at the entrance to the mosque. Additionally, everyone must remove their shoes before entering the prayer hall.
About the stamp
Both stamps are part of a large series of definitive stamps, Triumphal Architecture, Jerash, about which I wrote here.
References
King Abdullah I Mosque - Lonely Planet
Sender: Marius Vasilescu
Sent from Aqaba (Aqaba Governorate / Jordan), on 19.03.2014
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