Traveling to the King Faisal Mosque in Islamabad

Surviving Islamabad

Before you can head out to the iconic marble halls of the Shah Faisal Mosque, you will first have to figure out how to navigate your way through Islamabad.

Unlike cities with a rich history like Lahore or regions with awe-inspiring natural beauty such as Gilgit, Islamabad is very much a one-horse town. Much like Dubai, Islamabad is a capital built out of the sand. Massive wide highways divide the entire city into a system of grids, separating attractions with nothing but suburbs and desert.

There is not much to keep you in Islamabad for more than a day. But if you attempt walking from mosque to monument, most of your time will be spent shuffling through dust rather than enjoy what few sites the capital has to offer. While Islamabad does have a metro system, it only connects the historic city of Rawalpindi to the capital. From Centaurus Mall, it is 4km to King Faisal Mosque. Your best bet to get to the mosque is taking a taxi for 100 PKR (0.60 USD).

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The Edge of Islamabad

The Shah Faisal Mosque is situated where the city of Islamabad ends and the lush national park begins. The hills and mountains of Margalla Hills rise up from behind the blinding white facade of the mosque. During the winter, snowfall resting on its peaks complement the ivory marble of King Faisal. Some of the best views of Islamabad and the mosque can be found on the neighboring hillside at Pir Sohawa and Daman-e-Koh.

With the green hills as its canvas, the Shah Faisal Mosque literally pops out from the surrounding landscape. It is not only the mosques egg-white color that makes it stand apart from the forest and sand, but its unique modern style offers a breath of fresh air from the drab box architecture which makes up most of Islamabad.

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The National Mosque

King Faisal is not someone you would usually associate with Pakistan. The reason why the national mosque and the adjacent highway bears his name is because this entire complex was given as a gift to the people of Pakistan from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After an official visit from King Faisal in 1966, it was announced that a mosque would be built in the country. Nearly two decades later in 1986, the red ribbon was finally cut and Muslims could finally pray in the marble house of worship.

Much like anything that may break the mold in the Muslim world, the Shah Faisal Mosque was met with criticism due to its unconventional design. Lacking a dome, which is considered a fundamental necessity by many conservative Muslims. Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay constructed a mosque that would resemble a Bedouin tent. While traveling through the desert, it would be under a canopy such as this where nomads would pray to Allah.

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Visiting Shah Faisal Mosque

After taking off your shoes and leaving them at the shoe depository, you can make your way towards the mosque, walking on the cool marble courtyard. Any time of the day you are sure to come across local school groups and university students arriving at Shah Faisal Mosque for a field trip. Being one of the largest mosques in the entire world, you will find tons of space to spread out and immerse yourself in the beauty of the countryside and the mosque.

As a visitor, it is easy to be a bit paranoid when visiting a mosque. Especially in the Middle East, people can be quite strict and harsh when it comes to correcting tourists on improper behavior. In Pakistan, however, rules typically seem more like soft suggestions.

While you can not, of course, wear your shoes on the grounds of King Faisal Mosque, you have the freedom to explore as much as you like. The only exceptions being during prayer times. You will also find many signs around the mosque stating that video and photography around the masjid are strictly prohibited. This rule, however, is not strictly enforced. There are hundreds if not thousands of local tourists who take group pictures and do photoshoots in front of the Shah Faisal Mosque every day.

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Morning at the Madrasa

During the morning hours, the glass doors of the Shah Faisal Mosque is closed. Young Muslims donning taqiya and hijabs huddle around their teachers inside the mosque learning about the Quran and the prophet Muhammed. While the students are busy studying or rolling around on the carpet of the mosque, parents can be seen with their noses pressed up against the glass watching their children.

It’s not only young kids who study at the King Faisal Mosque Madrasa, but older students can also be seen taking classes to deepen their knowledge of Islam and even prepare to become imams in the future. If you are looking to explore the inside of the mosque, you ave a very short window of time between classes in the morning and prayers in the evening. Regardless of the time, it is an experience in itself to people watch and see life teeming at this marble mosque.

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The Main Attraction

No one travels to Pakistan with the sole purpose of visiting the King Faisal Mosque. With Islamabad being a dusty city built for the sole purpose of being the political seat of power for the country. You will find little in the capital besides diplomats and lavish suburbs. While waiting to head up to the mountains in Gilgit or Swat Valley, Islamabad is a mere transit stop.

While you are stuck in Islamabad for a day, the Shah Faisal Mosque is sure to be one of the things you will shrug your shoulders at and say, “it is better than staying in the hotel all day.” You may arrive with little expectations, but once you relax and soak in the spiritual presence which hangs over the mosque, you are sure to not regret your trip to Islamabad.