First mosque to allow non-Muslims H

Mosques stand tall against all the skyscrapers the UAE is home to. These ornate places of worship are a spiritual escape for the Muslims and architectural marvels for tourists. In a 7-part series, Khaleej Times picks 7 of the best mosques from the 7 emira

ome to more than 600 mosques, Sharjah is the first emirate in the country to give entry to non-Muslims in a mosque.

Built in 2004, Al Noor Mosque thus became part of the history of Islamic culture by allowing non-Muslim visitors a guided tour that helps them know about Islam and cultural aspects of life in the UAE. The mosque, unique for its design and features, is located besides Khalid Lagoon on Buhaira Corniche, and in a short span of time became one of the major tourist attractions in Sharjah.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Abdalla Al Khayyal, media and public relations manager at Sharjah Islamic Affairs Department, said that the mihrab, decorated with a distinguished colourful marble, is the most important element in the mosque. The architectural design of Al Noor Mosque has influences of classical Turkish Ottoman architecture, and there are elements that are similar to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.

The prominent attractive features which transformed the mosque as a tourist destination is its exterior designs which include 34 elegant cascading domes. The central dome is surrounded by several half domes and finally at each corner by four small cupola domes.

The mosque also houses a library containing hundreds of titles. The main prayer hall can accommodate 1,804 worshipers while the women’s chapel accommodates 569.

The mosque also organises blood donation campaign in coordination with Ministry of Health and Prevention during the holy month of Ramadan, considered to be the biggest campaign in the country.

Cameras and photography are permitted inside the mosque. Many people drive from afar to perform prayers at Al Noor Mosque, which has a permanent Imam, Murtada Al Bakoor, who is famous for using the Hafs style, the most popular Quran reading style.

Hafiz SalahuAl Deen, a regular worshiper at Al Noor Mosque, said that it is one of the best mosques in Sharjah, due to its awesome design and good location. “I visit the mosque regularly because I like to participate in the community activities inside the mosque to help the needy and poor.”

Hurriya Tahir, another worshiper, said that Al Noor is the most beautiful mosque in Sharjah. According to her, women section is very well equipped with all kinds of comforts. Sharjah was declared as the capital of Islamic culture in 2014, mainly because of its stunning mosques.