The Ar-Rahma Mosque
150 years of unwavering faith
Standing on the slopes of Mount Shchekavitsa in the Tatarka neighbourhood of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, the Ar-Rahma Mosque (Мечеть Ар-Рахма) is the first and only purpose-built mosque in the Ukrainian capital and one of the largest in Europe. Named after one of the most beloved attributes of Allah, Ar-Rahma (The Mercy), this mosque represents the fulfilment of a dream that the Muslims of Kyiv carried for over 150 years, through wars, revolutions, and decades of Soviet oppression, before it finally became a reality.
In this article, we explore the history, architecture, and fascinating facts about the Ar-Rahma Mosque, a monument of perseverance where a community’s faith survived over a century of adversity.
What Is the Ar-Rahma Mosque?
The Ar-Rahma Mosque is part of a larger Islamic complex situated on Mount Shchekavitsa in the Tatarka neighbourhood of Kyiv, an area that has been home to a Muslim community since the 1840s, when Tatar families from Nizhny Novgorod first settled there. The very name “Tatarka” preserves the memory of these early Muslim residents. The mosque complex was built in stages between 1996 and 2011 and covers a total area of 3,200 square metres. It can accommodate approximately 3,000 worshippers at one time.
The complex includes not only the mosque itself but also a madrasah (Islamic school), an administrative building, and the headquarters of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine. At the back of the complex lies the remains of an ancient Muslim cemetery, a poignant reminder of the deep roots Islam has in this part of Kyiv. The mosque is open to everyone, offering free tours and lectures about Islam, and serves as a vibrant centre for the Muslim community in Ukraine.
The Architecture: A Crown Jewel of Modern Islamic Design
The Mosque on the Mountain
The Ar-Rahma Mosque sits on one of Kyiv’s historic hills, Mount Shchekavitsa, giving it a prominent position in the city’s landscape. The engineering project was prepared by Oleksandr Komarovsky, one of Kyiv’s most celebrated architects, who is also known for designing the capital’s famous Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti). After Komarovsky’s death, the work was continued by his colleague Serhiy Babushkin, with the Muslim architects Riduan and Khoja Ahmad serving as advisers on the project’s Islamic design elements.
The mosque features a single minaret that rises to a height of 27 metres (89 feet), and its interior is divided into three prayer halls supported by 24 circular columns. The prayer hall covers more than 1,000 square metres of floor space, with carpets sent from Turkey covering the entire area. The decorative materials used throughout the mosque were delivered from Azerbaijan, reflecting the international Muslim solidarity that made the project possible.
At night, the entire complex is illuminated in green, giving the mosque a striking presence on the Kyiv skyline after dark. The main entrance features large wooden doors into which the Kalima Shahada (the Islamic declaration of faith) has been engraved, greeting every worshipper who enters with the foundational words of Islam: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger.”
The Ar-Rahma Mosque is the first and only mosque ever built in Kyiv the capital of Ukraine
A Sacred Relic
One of the most treasured aspects of the Ar-Rahma Mosque is that it houses a hair from the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a sacred relic that is extremely rare outside of the Muslim-majority world. This relic gives Muslims in Ukraine the unique opportunity to seek tabbaruk (blessing through proximity to a relic of the Prophet) in their own home country, making the mosque not just a place of prayer but a site of deep spiritual significance.
Community at the Heart
The Ar-Rahma Mosque is as much a community centre as it is a place of worship. Every Friday after the Jumu’ah prayer, the courtyard comes alive as homemade cakes and food are shared among worshippers and visitors. The mosque also hosts food distribution for those in need and runs regular educational programmes, lectures, and guided tours for Kyiv residents and guests who wish to learn more about Islam. It performs marriage rites (nikah), Islamic healing (ruqya), and burial (jinazah) rituals, serving the full spiritual needs of Ukraine’s Muslim community.
Muslims in Kyiv waited over 150 years to see their dream of a mosque finally realised
The History of the Ar-Rahma Mosque
A Dream 150 Years in the Making
The story of the Ar-Rahma Mosque is one of extraordinary patience and perseverance. In 1897, when the Muslim community in Kyiv numbered around 1,759 people, the city authorities approved the opening of a house of prayer in a two-storey wooden building in the Podil district. It was a modest beginning, with the prayer hall on the second floor unable to accommodate even a third of those who came to worship.
By 1913, the community had prepared plans for a proper stone mosque on Gogolivska Street, and the city governor Mikhail Sukovkin laid the foundation stone. But World War I halted the project. Then came the Bolshevik Revolution, under which mosques were shut down and religious life was suppressed. During the rule of Stalin, Kyiv’s Muslims were forcibly dispersed across the city, their places of compact residence and worship erased from the map. The dream of a mosque in Kyiv was buried, but never forgotten.
The First House of Prayer
With 1,759 Muslims living in Kyiv, the city authorities approve the opening of a house of prayer in a two-storey wooden building in the Podil district. It is a modest space, unable to accommodate even a third of those who wish to pray. The Muslim community begins dreaming of a proper mosque.
The Foundation Stone
City governor Mikhail Sukovkin lays the foundation stone of the first stone mosque on Gogolivska Street. Plans are drawn up for a building to accommodate 800 worshippers. But the outbreak of World War I, followed by the Bolshevik Revolution, brings construction to a halt before it can begin in earnest.
Construction Finally Begins
After Ukrainian independence in 1991, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine secures land on Mount Shchekavitsa in the Tatarka neighbourhood. On 5th February 1996, the Kyiv state administration issues the ordinance for construction. Work begins, funded by donations from Muslims of all ages and financial contributions from ambassadors of Islamic countries.
The Mosque Opens
After four years of gradual construction funded by community donations, the first phase of the Ar-Rahma Mosque is completed. The mosque begins hosting Friday prayers, religious festivals, and community events. For the first time in over a century, the Muslims of Kyiv have a purpose-built mosque with a dome and minaret.
The Full Complex Completed
After the growing number of worshippers outgrows the original building, an expansion is approved in 2007. By November 2011, all construction work is complete: the prayer hall is expanded, the 27-metre minaret is erected, and a madrasah and administrative building are added. The Ar-Rahma complex becomes the largest Islamic centre in Ukraine, with a capacity of 3,000 worshippers.
Faith That Endures
The story of the Ar-Rahma Mosque is, above all, a story of patience. For more than a century, through two world wars, revolution, and decades of state-imposed atheism, the Muslims of Kyiv held on to their dream of building a mosque in their capital. When that dream was finally realised, it was not through the wealth of empires or the patronage of kings, but through the humble donations of ordinary believers, who gave what they could, little by little, until the mosque stood complete.
Allah says in Surah Ash-Sharh of the Quran:
اِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ یُسۡرًا ؕ﴿۶
“Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”
The Ar-Rahma Mosque is a living testament to this promise. After 150 years of hardship, the ease came, and today this mosque stands as the spiritual heart of Islam in Ukraine, a beacon of mercy on a hilltop, open to all.
FAQ About the Ar-Rahma Mosque
The Ar-Rahma Mosque is located on Mount Shchekavitsa in the Tatarka neighbourhood of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The area has been home to a Muslim community since the 1840s, and the neighbourhood’s name “Tatarka” preserves the memory of the Tatar families who first settled there.
“Ar-Rahma” means “The Mercy” in Arabic. It is derived from one of the most central attributes of Allah in Islam. Every chapter of the Quran except one opens with the words “In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate” (Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem). The mosque’s name reflects both its spiritual purpose and the mercy that the community experienced after waiting over 150 years for its construction.
The Ar-Rahma Mosque can accommodate approximately 3,000 worshippers at one time. The mosque complex covers 3,200 square metres and includes three prayer halls supported by 24 circular columns. On holidays and religious occasions, several thousand believers of different nationalities gather here to pray together.
The Muslim community of Kyiv first sought a proper place of worship in 1897, and a foundation stone was laid in 1913. However, construction was derailed by World War I, the Bolshevik Revolution, decades of Soviet religious suppression under which mosques were closed and Muslims were dispersed, and then World War II. It was only after Ukrainian independence in 1991 that the community was finally able to secure land and begin building the mosque in 1996.
The Ar-Rahma Mosque houses a hair from the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a sacred relic that is extremely rare outside of the Muslim-majority world. This gives Muslims in Ukraine the unique opportunity to seek tabbaruk (blessing through proximity to a relic of the Prophet) in their own country, making the mosque a site of deep spiritual significance beyond its role as a place of daily prayer.
Yes, the Ar-Rahma Mosque is open to everyone. The mosque offers free guided tours and lectures about Islam for Kyiv residents and visitors of all backgrounds. On Fridays, homemade cakes and food are shared in the courtyard after the Jumu’ah prayer, and the mosque regularly distributes food to those in need. Visitors are welcome to explore the complex and learn about the history and beliefs of Ukraine’s Muslim community.
A Beacon of Mercy on a Hilltop
The Ar-Rahma Mosque is more than a building; it is the embodiment of a community’s unshakeable faith. For 150 years, through wars, revolutions, and persecution, the Muslims of Kyiv never abandoned their dream. And when the time finally came, they built their mosque not with the wealth of empires but with the love and sacrifice of ordinary believers, brick by brick, donation by donation, until it stood complete on the hilltop where their ancestors had lived and prayed for generations.
As Allah, Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful), extends His mercy to all of creation, this mosque stands as a testament to that mercy, a house of worship born from patience and perseverance, open to all who seek its shelter.
Let us pray for the protection of the Ar-Rahma Mosque and all other places of worship. May Allah bring peace around the world. Ameen.