Date : 04/06/2004
KUN0083 4 GEN 0303 KUWAIT /KUNA-JBE9
REL-LEBANON-MOSQUE-INAUGURATION
Grand Mosque in Beirut reopened after restoration
By: Belal Shuaib
BEIRUT, June 4 (KUNA) -- The ancient and famous Grand Omari Mosque, which
was destroyed during Lebanon's civil war, was reopened on Friday after being
restored and enlarged on the expense of a Kuwaiti woman, Suad Mohammad
Al-Humaidhi, in honor of her parents.
The inauguration ceremony was attended, beside Humaidhi, by Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, Kuwaiti Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr.
Abdallah Al-Maatooq, Lebanese Mufti Sheikh Mohamad Rashid Qabbani, Lebanese
ministers and MPs in addition to Kuwait's ambassador to Lebanon Ali Suleyman
Al-Saeed.
In a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Humaidhi said, all people were
pleased for this achievement, hoping to be able to go on with such charitable
projects that are useful for both Lebanese and Kuwaiti people and the whole
Arab World.
For his part, Sheikh Qabbani expressed his gratitude for Humaidhi for
having the old mosque, whose restoration works lasted more than three years,
restored and enlarged on her own expense.
Qabbani also thanked Kuwaiti Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr.
Abdallah Al-Maatooq, who headed to Lebanon especially for participating in the
inauguration ceremony of the mosque.
Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri said, he is optimistic for the assistance
given to Lebanon by Arab governments, establishments and individuals. "We, in
Lebanon, quite know charitable Humaidhis and other generous families in Kuwait
and we admit their good assistance to our country," he added.
For his part, Matuq said that the generous donation of Humaidhi to restore
the mosque mirrors the distinctive relations between Kuwaiti and Lebanese
peoples at both official and popular levels. (end)
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