NEW DELHI: On Saturday, June 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will start a two-day trip to Egypt. The 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque will be visited by the prime minister on his journey. On the final day of his two-day schedule in Cairo, the enormous city of Egypt, Modi is slated to visit a mosque as the first activity.
The Prime Minister will spend close to 30 minutes at the Al-Hakim Mosque, a famous and historic building in Cairo that bears the name of Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the 16th Fatimid caliph (985–1021). Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah's father, Caliph Al-'Aziz Billah, began construction on the mosque in the year 990, towards the end of the 10th century, and Al-Hakim finished it in the year 1013.
The mosque is also referred to as Al-Anwar, which translates to "the Illuminated" and is similar in style to the name of the previous Al-Azhar Mosque, which was established by the Fatimids. The fourth-oldest mosque in Cairo, it is also the second-largest.
The huge central courtyard, or sahn, takes up 5000 square metres of the rectangular mosque's total 13,560-meter square surface. The remaining space is divided into four covered halls, one on each side of the mosque. The Bayt al salat, or sanctuary area and prayer hall, is the largest of these, measuring 4,000 square metres and having five bays.
On the other hand, during his maiden trip to Egypt, PM Modi will also pay a visit to the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to honour the Indian troops who gave their lives fighting for Egypt in the maiden World War.
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs, the two countries have historically had a "friendly" relationship that is characterised by strong inter-ethnic, cultural, and economic linkages.
In the early decades following India's independence in 1947, the two countries' ties had grown stronger. Since taking office in 2014, Mr. Modi has placed a strong emphasis on a non-aligned foreign policy and prioritised strengthening bilateral and multilateral ties with major world powers.
Along with Oman and the UAE, Egypt has also been invited by India to attend the G20 Summit in September as special guests.
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