AS GRAND AS SHEIKH ZAYED MOSQUE
More than 30,000 people converge in Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque everyday to end their fast together. The bonding of people from different parts of the world and the humongous task to whip up the feast present a grand spectacle
It’s a challenging job. What is important is to make sure our taste and portions are consistent. We have to ensure the food is kept warm and fresh till it is delivered to thousands of people — Georges Gebrayel, executive chef
abu dhabi — the scorching afternoon sun has mellowed into a glowing amber, lending its yellow shimmer to the imposing minarets of the sheikh zayed grand mosque.
with only a few minutes left for the cannons to fire, signaling the ending of the day’s fast, thousands of people are seated in the lower gardens of the mosque. in what is a grand spectacle unmatched in its magnitude, more than 30,000 people are expected to end their fast here together.
by 5pm on thursday (when khaleej times visited the mosque), people start trickling in. in no time, it turns into a steady stream of people filling the mosque compound and the air-conditioned tents.
as the crowd builds up, the 12 air conditioned tents are not enough to accommodate all the visitors. people spill out to the gar- dens and car park outside, which too are quickly transformed into iftar grounds.
a loud bang reverberates in the sky. and the muslims who have been fasting from dawn to dusk in complete obedience to allah break their fast in unison.
for a first-time visitor, it is a spiritually uplifting sight, with the iconic grand mosque glowing in the backdrop, and thousands of believers united in their faith, breaking bread together. people from different nationalities and religious faiths also take part.
what is on full display is the uae’s spirit of tolerance and harmony — true to the legacy of the country’s founding father, sheikh zayed bin sultan al nahyan, who is laid to rest there.