MEMO in conversation with Ibrahim Hernandez

Seville, the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia, was the centre of Islamic civilisation in Spain.

Approximately two years ago, director of the Seville Mosque Foundation, Ibrahim Hernandez, and his team started preparing a mosque and Islamic centre project in Seville on the role of light in Islamic civilisation and art. Their plan aims to bring Muslims and other religious groups to gather at the mosque.

“Now, we are getting more and more support from all around the world for this mosque to be built in the multi-cultural and historic city, Seville. This mosque in the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia will be a reminder of Islam’s contribution to world peace, charity, culture and science, at a time when the conflicts and not democratic situations in the Arab world dominate the news media.”

MEMO interviewed Hernandez on the new mosque project, which is supported by former football star Fred Oumar Kanoute, on building the first purpose-built mosque and cultural centre in Seville.

The project hopes to provide nearly 30,000 Muslims living in the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region with their first place of worship for over 700 years.

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“My dear friend, former football star Fred Oumar Kanoute, a French-born Muslim with a Malian background who previously played for Sevilla FC, started the campaign a year ago on LaunchGood, a crowdfunding platform focused on the global Muslim community.”

“Currently, he raised $1 million in an online crowdfunding campaign to build the first purpose-built mosque and cultural centre in Seville, Spain, in over 700 years.”

Hernandez indicated that this project received positive feedback from the Spanish government.

“We’ve had a very cordial relationship with the government. Spain is a secular government and we have exactly the same rights in this country,” he noted.

Hernandez also conveyed that a mosque for youth and first, second and third-generation Muslims is essential to their sense of identity, and the understanding of their religion: “Therefore, we invite everyone to cherish the donation for the mosque and cultural centre in the multi-cultural city of Spain, Seville.”