In the language of a child, one can say that a Mosque is the home of God. In the dialect of an adult, one can say that a Mosque is the place of peace and tranquility. These peaceful homes of God are intricately beautiful and people visit them for their grandeur and rich culture. At the onset of the holy Ramadan month, let’s take a look at the top 7 beautiful mosques of UAE where you can get a little closer to the Almighty:
1. Bur Dubai Grand Mosque, Dubai
The Bur Dubai Grand Mosque is the oldest one in Dubai that was originally built in the year 1850. Later, some renovation was done in 1952 and 1999. There are 9 large and 45 small domes in it with tainted glass panels, sand stained wall, and wooden shutters. The 70 meters tall minaret is one of Dubai’s tallest minarets. It can home at least 1970 people but non-Muslims cannot enter its premises. The real beauty of this grand mosque is starkly visible in the evening when it is lit up. You must not therefore miss the opportunity to hit this mosque located in Grand Souq area of Bur Dubai.
Image Credit: goldensandsdubai.com
2. Al Noor Mosque, Sharjah
One of the prettiest mosques of Sharjah, Al Noor Mosque resembles the “Blue Mosque” of Turkey. The construction was started in the year 2003 and was completed by 2005. It has space to house at least 2200 people and unlike other mosques have a special segment for the ladies where at least 400 women can fit in. It was constructed following the orders of Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah. In the year 2014, this mosque entered the Guinness World Record Book by bringing in the world’s largest wooden charity box for its Ramadan donation campaign. So, for this upcoming Ramadan season, you can take a tour to this mosque located beside Khalid Lagoon on the Buhairah Corniche.
Image Credit: ytimg.com
3. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
The capital city of UAE, Abu Dhabi houses the largest mosque in UAE. This is also among the top ten largest mosques of the world. This mosque is unique for its beauty and embellishment. Here are some trivia: a) there are 4 minarets with a height of 107 meters. b) All the 57 domes are beautified with white marble. c) It took 12 years, 3000 labors, 2.167 billion Dirhams, and investment of 38 companies to be completed. d) 7 copper and gold plated chandeliers are present inside this mosque. e) The world’s largest carpet costing 30 million Dirhams is also in this mosque and for this reason it is in the Guinness Book of World Records. This mosque was open to public from the year 2007 and can accommodate 40,000 devotees.
Image Credit: trekearth.com
4. Salem Al Mutawa Mosque, Khor Fakkan
The beautiful mosque that you see in the Dirham 5 currency note is this one. Salem Al Mutawa Mosque was formerly constructed from old stones and trunks of palm trees, and everything in it is characterized by the nature of Arab origin. Initially, it was known as Al Gharb (West) Mosque and got its new name only in 2011. This mosque is located west to the city of Khor Fakkan and also is also one of the oldest ones in the UAE.
Image Credit: i.ytimg.com
5. King Faisal Mosque, Sharjah
This one is touted to be the largest mosques in Sharjah. It can give space to 17,000 devotees and the uniqueness lies in the fact that it has separate segments for men and women. The mosque’s ground and first floors are kept for the men while the basement is the women’s mosque and has its own library. The second floor is for the Sharjah Department of Islamic Affairs and Awqaf and includes offices and a library containing 7000 books on Islamic history and varied topics. Beside the Women’s Mosque area lies a large area where people can donate their old clothes. King Faisal Mosque organizes lectures at night during the Ramadan season on Hadith, Fiqh, Aqidah and on how to pray. This is open to believers of Islam from the year 1987. Built on a sprawling area of 12,000 square meters, this mosque is located at the heart of Sharjah near to Central Souq and Al Jubail Bus Station.
Image Credit: u-in-u.com
6. Blue Mosque, Dubai
The real name of this Blue Mosque of Dubai is Al Farooq Omar bin Khattab Mosque. It is inspired heavily by the Blue Mosque of Istanbul, Turkey. The architecture is a breath-taking mix of Ottoman and Andalusian styles. It has 4 minarets of 70 meter height and a central dome of 30 meters height. It is further supported by 21 half and full domes. This is also Dubai’s largest mosque with a capacity of accommodating 2000 devotees and was opened to public from the year 2011. Located in the Al Safa region, this is definitely one of the major attractions.
Image Credit: constructionweekonline.com
7. Al Bidyah Mosque, Fujairah
As per studies, this is the oldest mosque of UAE with an age of 580 years. It is made out of all naturally occurring materials like stones of varied sizes and shapes, terracotta, wood etc. This terracotta mud was used as a glue to stick the stones together. The entrance is a double-winged wooden door. It can house hardly 50-70 people but is extremely famous among people for its ancestry.
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