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QURAN RECITATIONS FROM SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE

Surah Al-Baqarah

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NEWS & MEDIA

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UK Prime Minister Visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

His Excellency Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by His Excellency Mansour Belhoul Al-Falasi, UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Edward Hobart, UK Ambassador to the UAE, and the accompanying delegation.

 

The Prime Minister and his delegation were accompanied by His Excellency Dr. Yousef Al-Obaidli, Director General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, during their tour of the mosque’s halls and exterior corridors . They were introduced to the mosque’s cultural message of coexistence, tolerance, and openness, inspired by the legacy and values of the founding father. They also learned about the significant role of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in promoting Islamic culture and enhancing cross-cultural communication worldwide. The delegation was briefed on the mosque’s history, its architectural beauty, and the distinctive Islamic art that adorns its every corner. They were also introduced to the mosque’s unique collections and the finest examples of Islamic civilization, where diverse artistic and architectural designs have converged in harmony, creating a masterpiece that reflects the beauty of cultural unity.

 

On the sidelines of the visit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented: “The UAE and the UK share a long history and a deep relationship that spans centuries. It has been an honor to visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, where I have seen the impactful efforts to promote shared human values across religions and cultures, which strengthen the ties between all. People from around the world gather in peace around its beauty, and I have also seen the continued cooperation between the UAE and the UK in this area.”

 

At the end of the visit, the mosque presented the guest with a gift reflecting the mosque’s beauty, a compass inspired by its chandeliers, along with a copy of the book Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: A Lights of Peace, the latest publication from the Center. The book highlights the mosque’s unique architectural style and takes readers on a visual journey to discover its architectural and artistic grandeur, featuring award-winning images from the “Spaces of Light” Award.

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President of Malawi Visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

His Excellency Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by his delegation.

His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were guided by His Excellency Dr. Yousif Al Obaidli, Director General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, through the mosque's halls and outer corridors. They learned about the mosque's cultural message promoting coexistence, tolerance, and openness to others, inspired by the values of the founding father. The tour highlighted the significant role of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center in promoting the true essence of Islamic culture and enhancing cultural communication between different cultures and peoples worldwide. They were also briefed on the history of the grand edifice, the mosque's aesthetics, and the exquisite Islamic architectural art that is evident in every corner, showcasing unique artifacts and the finest contributions of Islamic civilization throughout the ages. The diverse and varied architectural designs of the mosque reflect the beauty of cultural harmony and unity in a single creative work.

At the end of the visit, the guest was presented with a gift that reflects the mosque's beauty, a compass inspired by its chandeliers, and a copy of the book "Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: Flow of Peace," the latest publication from the center. The book highlights the mosque's unique architectural art and takes readers on a photographic journey to explore the mosque's architectural beauty through a collection of award-winning photos from the "Spaces of Light" competition.

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Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Her Excellency Gabriela Sommerfield, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of the Republic of Ecuador, visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, accompanied by her delegation.

Her Excellency and the accompanying delegation toured the mosque's halls and outer corridors, learning about the mosque's cultural message of coexistence, tolerance, and openness to others, inspired by the values of the founding father. They also learned about the significant role played by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center in promoting the true essence of Islamic culture, building bridges of understanding with various cultures around the world, and what distinguishes it from other places of worship.

Her Excellency and the delegation were briefed on the history of the grand edifice, the mosque's aesthetics, and the exquisite Islamic architectural arts that are evident in every corner. They also viewed the unique artifacts and the finest examples of Islamic civilization's artistic and architectural designs throughout the ages, which come together in the mosque's design to reflect the beauty of cultural harmony and unity in a single creative work.

At the end of the visit, the guest was presented with a copy of the book "Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: Flow of Peace," the latest publication by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center. The book takes readers on a photographic journey to explore the architectural beauty of the mosque through a collection of award-winning photos from the "Spaces of Light" competition, highlighting the mosque's unique architectural art.

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HIGHLIGHTS

ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

he complimentary guided cultural tours organized by Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre offer an educational, cultural, and interactive experience, making it one of the most popular cultural activities for all age groups! The standard tour duration is approximately 45 minutes and is delivered in Arabic and English by qualified Cultural Tour Specialists at the Centre.

The Chandeliers

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque houses 7 chandeliers that blend in harmony with its unique design and the esthetics of Islamic art and architecture that catch the eye of visitors from all over the world as three huge crystal chandeliers suspend from the three domes inside the main prayer hall , similar in design, with the largest in the middle, in addition to four smaller chandeliers distributed in the VIP foyer, the Floral foyer and the two side foyers of the main hall.

The design is inspired by the date palm tree, where the trunk is the cylindrical part of the chandelier, the fronds are the corresponding parts in a concave shape, and the colored globes are the dates or the fruits of the date palm trees, suggesting the noble values which the UAE society embodies such as authenticity generosity, and giving instilled by the late founding father for generations.

The chandeliers design features Islamic and floral designs, with most of the medallions located underneath ,as a reflection of them on the carpet. For example, look up at one of the chandeliers. See how the circular arabesque design comes to a central point. There, crystals hang like droplets of color, ready to splash onto the medallion design of the carpet below.

The largest chandeliers in the mosque are located in the main hall and are 12 m in diameter, 15.5m in height, with 15,500 LEDs. As for the other smaller versions of the same design, located in the main prayer hall, each weigh 8 tons and are 12.5 m in height and 7 m in diameter, with 9,500 LEDs.

The mosque also includes chandeliers that are 4.5 m in diameter and 6.5 m in height, weighing 2 tons with 1,200 LEDs.

Stainless steel gilded with 24-carat galvanized gold was used to manufacture the chandeliers, The panels of the chandeliers' are inlaid with Swarovski crystals, while the number of green, red, and yellow crystal balls used in the design are about 40 million pieces; which add a unique aesthetic touch to the entire prayer hall.

The Carpet

The main prayer hall houses the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, by Guinness World Records in 2007. The intricate Islamic medallion carpet was hand-knotted by approximately 1,200 artisans and took around 2 years, including 8 months of designing and 12 months of knotting. The rest of the time was spent weaving the pieces together.

It was made in nine separate pieces, flown to Abu Dhabi, and stitched together on-site. The final carpet, which fills the entire Main Prayer Hall, is 5,400 square meters, weighs 35 tons, of which about 70% is made of New Zealand wool and 30% of cotton.

Also, one of the unique features included in the carpet manufacturing is the raised divisions that are not seams. These ridges indicate lines (prayer lines) where worshippers should stand to pray. The indication lines are separate from the design, although worshippers can easily identify the lines in which to stand when the prayers commence. The lines were made by shaving the carpet and leaving those lines elevated, so they decreased the thickness of the carpet to show the 32 elevated lines in the main prayer hall. The design features Islamic and floral designs, with most of the medallions located under the chandeliers as a reflection of them on the carpet.

For example, look up at one of the chandeliers. See how the circular arabesque design comes to a central point. There, crystals hang like droplets of color, ready to splash onto the medallion design of the carpet below. Throughout the Mosque, you will find a design relationship among the chandeliers, carpet, wall elevations, and glasswork.

Overview

The late founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan aspired to build a mosque personifying the moderation of Islam. This vision became a reality with the construction of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world and a prominent landmark in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi. The first considerations to build the Mosque began in the late 1980s, and construction began on November 5th, 1996, and it opened for worship on Eid Al Adha 2007.

The Grand Mosque is a living reference of modern Islamic architecture that combines features and elements from various cultures across the Islamic civilization through its exquisite aesthetic and unique collections that have become the world's focus. While it also reflects the forward-looking vision of the founder, who sought for the Mosque to become a prominent religious and cultural edifice, and a platform that promotes notions of tolerance and cross-cultural communication. A vision also pursued by our leadership and embodied through the Mosque's position as a leading attraction for visitors from all over the world, firmly on the world tourist map.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque attracts millions of visitors from all walks of life who blend in harmony within a framework of noble values that emanate from the tolerant nature of the Islamic religion, and which are an essential part of the principles and values ingrained in Emirati society.

Through offering a system of services and programs that cater to the needs of a broad segment of worshippers and visitors, the Centre has secured its position among the world's top three popular attractions for years in a row, according to TripAdvisor's 'Travellers Choice Awards. Several award forums also recognized the Centre's accomplishments.

The Mosque was built on an elevated land that rises about 10 meters, on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, with a total area of more than 555,000 square meters and can accommodate about 55,000 worshippers.

The construction of the grand Mosque took approximately 11 years and its design and construction 'unites the world,' using artisans, craftsmen, and materials from many countries, including Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, Turkey, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece and of course the United Arab Emirates. More than 3,000 workers and 38 contraction companies participated in the Mosque construction!