A Malaysian company has threatened to take legal action against the Government of the Maldives over the design of the King Salman Mosque.
In a letter sent to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, NRY Architects stated the design of the mosque was copied from the company. Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Ahmed Zahir Ali stated the company has all the relevant documents to back its claim and will be taking legal action to receive compensation. He said the issue has been discussed with the President's Office and the Attorney General's Office (AGO) is currently reviewing the matter.
Prior to the construction of King Salman Mosque, the government had held discussions with NRY Architects but decided to hand over the project to a joint venture formed by Turkish companies Turmaks and Alke Insaat. Responding to concerns over the delay in the opening of the King Salman Mosque, Minister Zahir has said the mosque will be open after a delegation from Saudi Arabia arrives in the Maldives.
The King Salman Mosque project was funded by the Government of Saudi Arabia. The mosque was designed with an ablution area on the ground floor while the first and second floor consists of the congregation area with a capacity of 4,000 people. The third floor consists of four classrooms, five seminar rooms, an Islamic library, and an administrative office. The fourth floor consists of an auditorium for holding seminars and conferences and the fifth floor consists of a multi-purpose hall.
The mosque is also adorned with chandeliers and Arabic calligraphy that showcase Islamic culture and Quranic verses.