Let's Travel: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Before sleeping, I need to update my blogsite first and record my travel that happened just last Monday. 

Due to co-incidence of having the same  REST DAY for the week, yours truly together with my ultimate travel buddy and another newly recruited friend went to one of the famous tourist destinations of UAE in Abu Dhabi- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. 

With the hectic and stressful work that we have, we really need to have a break atleast once in a while. We need to free our minds with all our daily working routines that give us headaches all the times. Then, traveling and discovering new things with your friends is a nice idea. 

With all my travel experiences, this one is very different. This is not just an ordinary travel and seeing beauty of a place but now discovering what's inside Islam's  house of worship already. It just shows that religion is not a barrier towards discovering new things in a different place. 

Most probably if you're heading from Dubai or anywhere else, you can see along the way the impressive sight of the Grand Mosque by far. Some words that you might describe it are "massive", "enormous" and "huge" architectural landscape that seems to understate the size of the mosque substantially. You'll understand it well if you'll pass by it or visit it.

Located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of UAE where I'm presently residing, you'll see the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Considered to be the key for worship in the country that was inniated by the late president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It was constructed from 1996 to 2007 that also serves as the resting place of the late UAE president. 

 

Visitors can walk around the main courtyard by themselves (at pretty much any time of day except Friday mornings), and inside the main mosque prayer hall (restricted during prayer times, Friday sermon times, and Ramadan). 

As seen on their website, these walk-in tours begin at 10am, 11am and 5pm from Sunday to Thursday, with an extra tour at 2pm on Saturday, and at 5pm and 7pm on Friday.

We visited it last Monday anyway. Hehe :D

Mosque etiquette requires all visitors to wear long, loose-fitting, ankle-length trousers or skirts, long sleeves and a headscarf for women. Alternatively, women can head for the basement where abayas with hoods are loaned for free. 

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque's design and construction "unites the world", using artisans and materials from many countries including Italy (glassworks), Germany (chandelliers), Austria (swarovzski crystals in chandelliers), Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece and of course United Arab Emirates. (Source from Wikipedia)

The design of the mosque can be best described as a fusion of Arab, Persian, Mughal and Moorish architecture.

The pools along the arcades reflect the mosque's spectacular columns, which becomes even more glorious at night. 

As I've researched, the mosque accommodates 41,000 worshippers and is one of the few regional mosques open to visitors. Actually, it is open to people of all nationalities and religions, not only Muslims.

It was declared as the third largest mosque in the world according to the General Secretariat Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture in Turkey. The two mosques in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia are larger.

Footwear must be removed before entering so it is recommended that visitors wear comfortable shoes that are easily removed.

One of the prayer hall's most impressive features is the world’s largest loomed carpet. Iranian carpet placed in the main prayer hall, woven by about 1200 Iranian women, is 5000 sq m and is the largest hand-woven carpet in the world, made out of 35 tons of wool and cotton. Cost AED 30 million, delivered to Abu Dhabi in early August 2007.

The overwhelming impression of the breath-taking and absolutely stunning interior is contemporary and innovative, with three steel, gold, brass and crystal chandeliers filling the interior of the main prayer hall with shafts of primary coloured light. The seven chandeliers in the mosque cost about AED 30 million.

The largest chandelier is the second largest known chandelier inside a mosque, the third largest in the world, weighs approximately 12 tons, sparkle with Swarovski crystals and shine with 40kg of 24kt galvanised gold. 

The main dome is the largest in the world and is 87 metres high with a diameter of 32.8 metres. There are a total of 82 domes in the mosque, of traditional Moroccan design.

The 99 names (qualities or attributes) of God (Allah) are featured on the Qibla wall in traditional Kufic calligraphy, designed by the prominent UAE calligrapher — Mohammed Mandi Al Tamimi. The Qibla wall also features subtle fibre-optic lighting, which is integrated as part of the organic design

Delicate modern floral designs inlaid with semi-precious stones, such as lapis lazuli, red agate, amethyst, abalone, jasper and mother-of-pearl, decorate a variety of marbles and contrast with the more traditional geometric ceramic details.

Photography is permitted inside and outside the mosque, except for taking photos of the grave of Sheikh Zayed and the area around the tomb, but sensitivity should be shown towards those in prayer. Consider the sacredness and solemnity of the place before posing and take photorgraphs. 

Personally, I was really afraid and scared at the same time. I was really so concious with my pose. I considered Rihanna's issue about the place as guide.

Over all, it was indeed a happy and blessed trip with my friends. It was nice to discover one of Abu Dhabi's famous land marks! I'll surely come again and visit it so soon. It was an amazing and great experience before Ramadan comes. It's a really one of the "must visit" places in UAE.

All informations were from http://www.lonelyplanet.com/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/sights/religious/sheikh-zayed-grand-mosque and http://www.dubaifaqs.com/sheikh-zayed-mosque.php

Special thanks to SMP and RL for my photos.

Anyways, my next blog for next week is all about my OOTD and outfit details during our trip. Please continue reading my blogs and hopefully you're learning and at the same time inspired. Follow mealso  on my IG and twitter accounts @iamyrag26.

Thank you so much and more powers!

🇦🇪YraG🇵🇭