Qatar's second church
Second church underway in Qatar
The foundation stone of Qatar’s second Anglican church was laid on Sunday in a ceremony presided over by the Bishop of Cyprus.
The Rt Rev Michael Lewis said that the time of the church’s completion would depend on the amount of donations that came in to fund the project, according to Middle East Online.
The church is being built on land donated by the Qatari emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, located on the outskirts of the Gulf state’s capital city Doha.
It follows the completion in March of the country’s first ever church, the Roman Catholic Our Lady of the Rosary church, on a site nearby. Three more churches are planned in Qatar, where the majority of the population adheres to a strict form of Islam called Wahhabism.
Bishop Lewis estimated the Christian population in Qatar to be between 15,000 and 20,000.
Middle East Online
Qatar's second Christian church underway
Construction began on Sunday of an Anglican church in Qatar, with the foundation stone laid in Doha for what which will be the Muslim Gulf state's second Christian church.
Michael Lewis, Anglican Bishop of Cyprus, Iraq and the Gulf, presided over the ceremony.
Lewis, who has estimated the number of Anglicans in Qatar at between 15,000 and 20,000, has also said the time it takes to build the new church will depend on donations to fund the project.
The church is being built on the capital's outskirts on land donated by the Qatari emir, Shiekh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, where in March the Roman Catholic Our Lady of the Rosary church was inaugurated.
That church, which took eight years to build, was the first of five to be constructed in the gas-rich Gulf state.
Qatar, like its huge neighbour Saudi Arabia, adheres to a rigorous doctrine of Islam known as Wahhabism.
Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam's holiest sites, currently bans all non-Muslim religious rituals and materials.
this was in news some mnths back
NOT mine. ;-P
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
I referred to genesis' reference to it. It appears he was wrong.
At least I can remember Anthony Quinn better than Osama Bin Laden...
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Sort of "Pilgrim Fathers", then, PM?
you didn't, fester, but tallg "referred" to it.
When did I quote the constitution???
It's true that the constitution doesn't say it, however, Wahhabism is reflected in many of the laws and traditions in the area... Wahhabism is what made all restaurants close during the day in the Holy month of Ramadan, the liquor store and bars too... woman's outfit, her political participation and driving cars just to name a few... unlike other Arabic states from outside the Gulf states and Arabian peninsula who happen to declare themselves "part or the Arab Islamic nation... Ummah" too.
That could be your "interpretation", festerzio. I am glad, however, that you admit that the Constitution does not say it. Now you can still continue to have your opinion, but if you quote the Constitution then I must say it's foolish, because everybody has access to it.
In general, I am a friendly and polite person, heero. When I want to say something dirty I usually quote something from "Literature".
People of Qatar are part of the Arab nation.
Why thank you, MD. *cough*
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
The Constitution of Qatar is here:
http://www.qatarembassy.net/constitution.asp
tallg, the Article 1 of the constitution:
"Qatar is an independent Arab state. Islam is the State’s religion and the Islamic Shariah is the main source of its legislations. It has a democratic political system. It’s official language is Arabic. People of Qatar are part of the Arab nation (ummah)."
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-11031.html
http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/qatar.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahhabism
So I'm confused. Why does the constitution say Qatar is Wahabi if it isn't?
Thank you, Genesis, I knew that there are not many Wahabi in Qatar.
That's accepted, tallg. It's a "bold" move of the Qatari Government which has that big Wahabi brother in the West. It only shows that Qatar is more modern and open than Saudi. But it is not right to compare both countries in terms of "strictness" of religion which would be implied only if they both were Wahabi.
Persian originally.The second biggest family among Qataris & they are sunnis.
What about Al Emadi, Genesis?
I have no idea MD, but I'll take your word for it. But that doesn't change the fact that the numerous articles and guides I've read say that Qatar is predominantly Wahabi. And if genesis is right that's what Qatar's Constitution says.
So I don't think we can blame the two articles in the original post for picking up on this as well.
And I'll be honest, I probably wouldn't have posted this thread if I'd known it would have sparked a debate about "Wahabi or not-Wahabi" rather than discussing the fact that a new church is being built!
Al darwish aren't shias & they are arab of Persia not Iranian "Ajam" (there is big difference). As for Al fardan, they are shia but not Iranian. They are arab tribe shia originally from Al hasa (Saudi). So, is other shia families like Al-Majed.
Well, tallg, you can be sure that all Iranian Qataris, like Darwish or Fardan are Shiat.
You're right MagicDragon, they should have written "the majority of the Qataris"...
but they are right about WAHABISM because it lies under SUNNI, it's a much more strict interpretation of SUNNI. It exists only in the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf states but not in other Muslim countries.
Maybe because of the pronunciation of the word...
Try pronouncing 'Wahabbeh' for some time...
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Why are people so upset that they wrote that Qatar is Wahabist? I've always been told and read that it is, so I don't think it is false information. Whether it's relevant to the article is another question. Personally I think it is.
that clears it up. I didn't look so closely at that part of the article.
"God is kind." *cough*
HALELLU-*cough*-JAH!
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Middle East Online. It's based in Sydenham, which is an 'integral multi-ethnic part of South East London'.
It's near my home town in UK, so I found it interesting. That was all.
The second church (Anglican) is right next door to the first church (Roman Catholic.) Both are on the same land donated by His Highness.
Mandi
I don't know what your sources are. But According to Qatar's Constitution Qatar follows the wahabi sect of sunnah which is continuation of the hanbali school.
The al-thanis, so is all the arab tribes are wahabi sunnis. So, therefore the report is accurate
Can someone tell me where is the location of the fist church? and is it done up in the same manner as churches are normally adorned (both interior and exterior)
It's quite appalling Midde East online resort to generalising qatari population as wahabi's its total BS.
Even the fact Saudi's are also not classified as that, rather as sunni's or shi'ite
Its not the least on various articles that I've read on oil and gas they confuse Qatar Gas with Ras Gas, and or some articles claim Ras Laffan as Qatars prime LNG company...again total BS!
So I could let people get away false information but then again, these guys have readership and easily can influence.
mojo1981
tallg ...lol
But now its surrounded by a lot of activitiy like, the barwa colony, Fish market, Veg Wholesale market, Schools, Medical Commission....
.....and the very special shop where they sell "sprits"....QDC...lol
still talking about the church? You seem to have lost me.
Middle East Online, I mean...
I expected it's base to be somewhere around this part of the world and, literally, burst out laughing when I saw their contact address is in South East London in an area where I used to work.
OK, so it WAS quite an ethnic area, but even so ...... made me laugh :D
still same old war zone dont go
going anywhere near the industrial area or the Fort round-about for a year now. Last time I went I felt I was in a war-zone. Is it better now?
deedee ....its just 15 minutes...if one follows the speed limit.
The road right now is a temporary diversion road due to the construction of 3 or 4level flyover at Fort Roundabout.
Once the work is over (2010-2015) it would take less than 15minutes.
Ok 2015 was a joke at the pace the work is going!!!
Praise the Lord!!
you're joking right. Have you tried driving out to the Industrial area lately? It can take 2 hours what with the massive traffic jams out there. We are hoping our little Christian church is ignored by the authorities. We do not want to move way out there.
jack - They're mentioning other religion because Qatar is a Muslim country which is taking a positive step in allowing a place of worship for Christians. And just because it's 15 min from Dairy Queen doesn't mean it can't be the outskirts. Doha, isn't it that big, is it!
Quite true...Alexa.
If they are were to report church building why are they mentioning other religion!
What made my day was "located on the outskirts of Doha"...The place is 15 minutes from Dairy Queen!!! I am guessing its somewhere near the Our Lady of the Rosary Church?
MD; agreed the line "majority of the population" is misleading and should say "majority of the local population" or similar.
Alexa; perhaps you're right. The comparison to Saudi probably overshadows the positive thing they were actually trying to convey with that comment.
Whatever their "intention", tallg, their "information" is untrue!
I think the idea was to point out that despite being Wahhabist, Qatar is allowing other religions to practice here, unlike Saudi.
"where the majority of the population adheres to a strict form of Islam called Wahhabism". I don't think that this form of Islam applies to the "majority of the population", maybe the "majority of the Qataris", which I still doubt. I guess most are Sunni and some are Shiite.
I'm Happy that I found Doha Fellowship