Shaykh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi,
Patron of the Mosque of Granada.

During an extensive period of more than 20 years, beginning in 1981 with the purchase of a piece of land destined to be the site of mosque of Granada, various institutions, countries and personalities have given moral and economic support to the mosque project. Some have preferred to remain anonymous and others have been unable to be so although they would have wished it.

Amongst other world famous personalities we acknowledge the late King of Morocco, Mouley Hasan II, to whom thanks is owed for the excavation, setting of foundations and erection of the basic structure. However the final merit for the completion of the construction is undoubtedly that of the Ruler of Sharjah, Shaykh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, one of the seven United Arab Emirates.

Shaykh Sultan made a visit to Granada in the summer of 2001 to attend the inauguration of the Centre of Islamic Studies of Az Zagra on the edge of the village, Puebla de Don Fadrique. It was during this visit that he became interested in the situation of the Mosque of Granada, which at that time saw construction paralysed. and made an unplanned and unexpected visit to the site. In that very moment, moved by the meaning of the project and the beauty of the place he promised his support until the building was completed. He kept his promise and steadily pushed the project forward without delay or hindrance until the building of the mosque was complete.

With this personal gesture Shaykh Sultan has gained the sympathy and thanks of all the muslims of Spain as well as the people and authorities of the city of Granada, who the Shaykh has equally supported by rebuilding the famous walls of the Ziri period, which encircle the old original city, then known as Albaicin.

Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates is an example of harmonious co-existence and respect between distinct nationalities and religions. Sharjah is also the Arab capital of culture, one of the cities with the largest number of universities, museums, and institutions dedicated to art and heritage of the Arab world. Shaykh Sultan is a Doctor in History, having studied in the University of Cambridge. The Amir of Sharjah is one of the principal authorities on history of the Gulf region and author of numerous works in english and arabic. Amongst his many works can be found a theatrical piece based on the fall of Granada and the end of Boabdil, the last muslim sovereign of Spain.

His collaboration with the Mosque of Granada and the spanish muslims has founded a mutual agreement built around the basic points; to favor a correct and traditional teaching of the deen of Islam, free from fanaticism and malignant resentment, and a constructive commitment from the Muslims in the Occident to continue a positive and beneficial role in working to dissipate the traumatic and unjust accusations against Islam, which we have witnessed during the recent years.