Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Dubai City)
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
(Dubai City)
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (:جامع الشيخ زايد الكبير)
is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital
city of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was initiated by
the late President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan
Al Nahyan. His final resting place is located on the grounds beside the same
mosque. It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth
largest mosque in the world. The mosque site is equivalent to the size five
football fields approximately. As the country's grand mosque, it is the key
place of worship for Friday gathering and Eid prayers. It is the largest mosque
in the UAE and numbers during Eid can be more than 40,000 people. Sheikh Zayed
Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) offices are located in the east minarets. SZGMC
manages the day to day operations, as a place of worship and Friday gathering
and also a center of learning and discovery through its educational cultural
activities and visitor programs. The library, located in the northeast minaret,
serves the community with classic books and publications addressing a range of
Islamic subjects: sciences, civilization, calligraphy, the arts, coins and
includes some rare publications dating back more than 200 years. In reflection
of the diversity of the Islamic world and the United Arab Emirates, the
collection comprises material in a broad range of languages including Arabic,
English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Korean. The Sheikh Zayed Grand
Mosque's design and construction 'unites the world', using artisans and
materials from many countries including Italy, Germany, Morocco, Pakistan,
India, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece and
United Arab Emirates. More than 3,000 workers and 38 renowned contracting
companies took part in the construction of the mosque. Natural materials were
chosen for much of its design and construction due to their long-lasting
qualities, including marble stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and
ceramics. The design of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque has been inspired by both
Mughal and Moorish mosque architecture, particularly the Badshahi Mosque in
Lahore, Pakistan and the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco being direct
influences. The dome layout and floor plan of the mosque was inspired by the
Badshahi Mosque and the architecture was inspired by both Mughal and Moorish
design. Its archways are quintessentially Moorish and its minarets classically
Arab. The design of the mosque can be best described as a fusion of Arab,
Mughal and Moorish architecture.