Masjid Omar Ibn Al Khattab Mosque Mr Abn Alkhtab

Berkane, the citrus capital of the Oriental region of Morocco, lies between the Mediterranean coast and the Beni Snassen mountains, and its orchards of Clementine mandarins have given the town a quiet modern prosperity built on agriculture, irrigation and export. This congregational mosque honours Umar ibn al Khattab, may God be pleased with him, the second caliph of the Muslim community whose administrative genius, ascetic personal life and unwavering justice set the tone for Islamic governance in the first decades after the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Morocco's Oriental region carries an Islamic memory shaped by the Idrisid dynasty, the Almoravid and Almohad movements, the Marinids of Fez and the Saadian and Alaouite sultanates, and its people have long looked towards both Fez and Tlemcen for scholarship. Architecturally the Berkane mosque follows the Moroccan vernacular of the eastern region, with a square minaret in the Andalusi Maghribi style, whitewashed walls relieved by zellige tiling in green and white and a carved cedar entrance door set into a horseshoe arch. A central courtyard paved in traditional tiled patterns includes a fountain for wudu, and the prayer hall opens behind a carved timber screen. Inside, the mihrab is lined with hand cut ceramic, the mimbar rises in three steps and the carpet is woven in warm red and green geometric motifs. Five daily prayers follow the calendar issued by the Ministry of Habous, Jumu'ah khutbah is delivered in classical Arabic with brief reflections in Moroccan darija, and Ramadan nights bring tarawih, qiyam and the generous iftar hospitality for which the Oriental region is famed, including harira, dates, and almond stuffed briouats. Eid mornings fill the courtyard with families in jellabas, and citrus peels scent the surrounding lanes. Visitors should dress modestly, leave shoes on the tiled ledge and respect the quiet recitation corners. Nearby lie the Saidia beach, the Zegzel gorge, the archaeological site of Chellah and the Beni Snassen caves rich with prehistoric traces. The local committee has recently opened a small orange juice stall beside the forecourt, whose proceeds support a scholarship for two village students studying Arabic at Al Qarawiyyin University in Fes, linking the modern prosperity of Berkane's citrus with the ancient scholarly heritage of Morocco's oldest surviving university in a charming small way.