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Religions of Ghardaia


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Ghardaïa is the traditional heart of the M'zab valley and home of the Ibadi religious sect in Algeria. As a religious Muslim sect they did not subscribe to the doctrine of Sunnism andShi'ism. They practice a different way, praying, worship of God and designing mosques as compared with Malikis who form the majority of Algerians. Here, wasting water, and more generally any gift of land, is considered a sin. The Ghardaïa Mosque, built in the 10th century, is of Moorish architecture style. Its tower, simple and elegant, includes a large portal at the top of the shaft, the design of which provides for ventilation flow.

The White Fathers, a Roman Catholic missionary society, live in a hermitage near the old city, and have a collection of books on the Sahara.

The Jewish quarter is in the eastern side of the city and is noted for its craft shops and many
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