Each week we take a look at some of the beautiful treasures and monuments Egypt has to offer the world, trying as we do so to reflect on what those monuments might teach us today. As the New Year begins we take a look at one of the splendours of Alexandria, the Mosque of Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi. This great mosque of Alexandria speaks to the world of the beauty of Islam. Its four intricately carved white domes, gleaming in the sunshine of the Mediterranean, stand out on the city's skyline in praise of Allah and as a reminder to the people of Alexandria that Allah is great and that he alone is worthy of worship. This beautiful mosque was rebuilt with great skill and great care in 1943. It had originally been built by Algerians in 1769, to honour the resting place of the thirteenth century holy man, Ahmed Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi, from Andalusia. The arabesque style of the mosque even today, with its eight monolithic granite columns and its colonnade of elongated arches reminds us of the glory of Al-Andalus. It takes us back to a time when Islam was so fresh and so exciting to the world that millions were drawn to become Muslim. For hundreds of years the Muslims in southern Spain showed to the world a civilisation of great refinement and great learning, with paved streets and street lighting, seven hundred years before they would appear in northern Europe. When Paris and London were no more than a collection of timbre and mud dwellings, the city of Cordoba could boast of public parks and libraries. Knowledge was cherished and people of all faiths held positions of honour at Court. The Muslims of that so-called Golden Age of Islam showed that Islam can be both strong and sweet. The extent of the Islamic nation at this time was at its peak. Muslims were zealous in their faith and outstanding in their example. Any visit to the mosque, then, is a great reminder of the rich history of Islam. Faith, though, is not a journey into the past. It teaches us about our lives today. Another visit to the mosque of Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi might teach us something altogether different. Take, for example, one early morning visit in Spring. On this occasion the mosque was bathed in light from the first rays of the sun. A cool breeze was blowing across the Corniche from the Mediterranean. The great doors of the mosque were locked shut and, lying on the floor, fast asleep, was a young boy. He couldn't have been more than twelve years old. His face and clothes were dirty and his arms were covered in bruises. The stone steps of the mosque had been his bed for the night. His eyes had not yet opened to the harsh realities of the day ahead. If we call ourselves men and women of faith, we cannot ignore the reality of those who suffer in our midst. Indeed, as people of faith we can sometimes get a little bit carried away in our building projects, forgetting what they are about. In the words of the Welsh Anglican priest, R.S.Thomas, We have over-furnished our faith. Our churches are as limousines in the procession towards heaven. In building mosques and schools we sometimes forget why we are building them at all. We don't build them just to look nice. Surely they are a reflection in stone of our belief in a Creator, and His call to us to care for His Creation. Islam has many treasures. The world can only marvel at the rich legacy of art and architecture which Islam has bequeathed it. The greatest treasures of all, though, are not made of brick or stone. The greatest treasures which belong to Islam are individual Muslims, created by Allah to work out His plan. We read in the Holy Qur'an: We have indeed created man in the best of moulds. Holy Qur'an 95:4 Talk is certainly very cheap. Surely this verse teaches us of what great care we should take in looking after our brothers and sisters. Our little boy asleep on the floor outside the mosque teaches us a lesson. Monuments in stone are very beautiful. How much more beautiful, though, are the boys and girls, the men and women, who we pass by on the street every day without a thought. How much more glorious than the splendours of Al-Andalus are the ordinary Muslims who devote their lives in obedience to Allah's will. Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say that even a smile to your brother is a charity. What would the world think if it could see today how Muslims are one brotherhood and that they treat their fellow Muslims with infinite care? How the mighty powers of the West would look differently at Islam. How the world could be changed and millions could be drawn to the sweet and gentle message of Islam if all of us could live as good Muslim. British Muslim writer, Idris Tawfiq, is a lecturer at Al-Azhar University. The author of eight books about Islam, he divides his time between Egypt and the UK as a speaker, writer and broadcaster. You can visit his website at www.idristawfiq.com
