The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is the legacy and burial site of the UAE’s most respected Sheikh.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the pioneer behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates and its first appointed president, he was also a world-renowned philanthropist. Zayed went on to spearhead the conservation of important cultural wildlife such as the Arabian Oryx, the falcon, and the Houbara bustard bird. Under his watch, Abu Dhabi’s immense oil wealth was channeled into infrastructure, schools, and hospitals. Zayed left such a profound imprint on the people of the UAE that fourteen years later, 2018 is celebrated as “the year of Zayed.”

The Grand Mosque is one of very few Mosques in the UAE that is free and open for non-muslims to enter and explore.

 

 

If you’re apprehensive about entering a mosque, don’t be. The staff and security make the process of enjoying your experience here their top priority and politely ensure the conditions of entry are very clear. You will need to pass through a security enclosure where you’ll be required to wear appropriate coverings to enter the grounds – they are happy to provide if you don’t have with you.

 

 

The security were friendly but had no problems calling you out if you flaunt their relaxed rules too. I saw a woman take off her abaya for a selfie inside the prayer room in the face of numerous signs and conditions printed on entry. The guards respectfully approached her and asked her to delete the photo. No matter how welcoming and open the mosque is, it is still a holy place of worship and I can’t get my head around people who can’t be respectful for one-hour of their lives. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing an abaya then don’t go, it’s pretty simple.

 

 

We went in early May just before the really hot weather but that didn’t save us from an excruciatingly hot day in Abu Dhabi, 48 degrees according to the car’s thermometer. My biggest advice, man or woman, is to wear some type of head covering as much of the joy of seeing the mosque is from the outside under the fierce glare of the sun and you’ll likely burn your noggin if you don’t. AND FOR GOODNESS SAKE, WEAR SUNNIES! That being said, there is plenty of shade under the arches and the bathrooms are positively luxurious if you need to splash water on your face. At the entrance to the interior, you are required to take off your shoes. I can tell you, walking over cold marble in your socks only enhances the immersion in this serene mosque. Do it!

 

 

You can probably gauge by the photos that the Grand Mosque is massive, large enough to hold 40,000 worshippers. The main prayer room has the biggest single Persian carpet ever made weighing in at 35 tons, and the courtyard has the world’s largest known marble mosaic. I can attest to the Mosque’s beauty, whether it be the Swarovski chandeliers, or the remarkably clean white marble, so bright that you feel exhausted from looking at it too long. We were informed that the marble is pressure cleaned every single day…not just the mosaic, but everything.

 

 

The stunning structure is a majestic reminder of what can be accomplished by human hands and an abundance of wealth. Although recently constructed, the Mosque is a timeless benchmark of the modern Muslim world as if a wonder that somehow survived ancient times. If you’re in Dubai, or Abu Dhabi, put this on the must-visit list.

 

Signing off.