Friday, March 14, 2008

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi



































































25 comments:

Wassim said...

The Islam of the Sultan, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

DUBAI JAZZ said...

Hey Wassim, we are talking about a mosque here. Not an office tower or a hypermarket.

And this 'sultan' you are referring to has demised three years ago. And he's most loved by his people and lots of Arabs.

I'd be glad to pray in this mosque.

Wassim said...

I'm aware of what the purpose of the building is. What I am saying is we should be wary of ostentatious and extravagant displays of piety by rulers, any rulers.

Allah yerhamo, I don't know if he was good or bad. However, you do realise that there is a particularly heavy burden and responsibility on rulers and those who flatter and associate with them on "The Day"... ;)

I'm just saying I don't need that burden on my spiritual balance sheet and I'd rather stay away.

DUBAI JAZZ said...

My default impression is that all people (including rulers) are good unless otherwise proven; I take the local emaratis word for how the late sheikh Zayed has taken care of them and distributed the wealth amongst the population equally (unlike the case neighboring countries…)

The reason I posted this was to share this architectural wonders with you and with other people, I am not conducting a PR campaign and I am certainly not getting paid for it. My conciseness is quite comfortable.

KJ said...

Mashalla! It is finally complete! Would love to go there!

Is it open for the public yet?

DUBAI JAZZ said...

Hala KJ,
Walla I am not sure if it's open for public yet. I'll check it out next time I am there. I actually got those pics through email.

Given its locations, it'll make a perfect first stop for friday prayers in one of those weekend trips to AD.

When the weather is not foggy of course :P

Inspire Your Mind said...

Very beautiful.. it's truely a master piece of architectural work..

Allha Yer7amk ya Shaik Zayed, a true leader.. a genuine man..

Honestly, we need such an 'extravagant' building, if this is how some of you might want to describe it as, I feel it's 'stamping' UAE with our Muslim identity and reinforcing it. Why not ?

Beside, the very fact that's it's huge and that it's capacity is about 30-50,000 Muslims ( I think if I'm not mistaken) would mean that most of AbuDhabi residents would meet and unify there on Fridays.. I think this would add so much to how ppl feel towards each other.. I don't think anyone can underestimate the power of harmony and peace in Jama3ah prayers !

DUBAI JAZZ said...

Exactly IYM, mosques have always served as venues to bring people together. It shall always be the case inshallah.

the real nick said...

Hmmm. It's big, and the photos are evocative.
But as a building it's a pile of reinforced concrete shite. I can't get myself to admire these cookie cutter arches, even if there are lots and lots of them.

Islamic architecture: after Sinan, not much.

Inspire Your Mind said...

It's to serve the purpose which is praying jama3ah.. So, a mosque can't be built in a different way than what we see.. each Muslim has to be closely adherent to the one next to him ( shoulder to shoulder kinda thing; like bricks ) without much of gaps in between and they have to assemble in raws..
And so the design mainly surves the purpose and the function..

Inspire Your Mind said...

And by the way, although it's huge.. but the repitition of walls and pillars and those arches; just the repitition of them all over the Mosque makes distraction by the architecture very unlikely when performing the prayer.. It's all the same as if you're in a maze, so you would stop focusing on those similar walls and will just focus on your worshiping ! Makes sense !

DUBAI JAZZ said...

Real nick, I somehow agree, the designer could have handled the effervescence of domes better than this. They simply dwarfed the minarets…

But I still like the interiors and the arcades…

Sinan is one of those legends that don't get repeated so easily over history.

DUBAI JAZZ said...

IYM, I couldn't come up with such a critique and psychological profiling even if I tried!....let me guess; your sister's helped you?...*kidding* :)

Inspire Your Mind said...

LOL DJ, no .. no external help from sisters or relatives.. I'm away from all of them hiding here in the snow land of Canada !

My psychological analysis is based on my own experience when I prayed at the Holy Mosques in Mecca and Madina..that's it :)

BuJ said...

Did you take those pics?

BuJ said...

btw, it has been open for at least 4-5 months to my knowledge

BuJ said...

Ps: strongly recommend everyone to go and visit (especially non-muslims)

DUBAI JAZZ said...

La wallah ya Bu Jassem, I received them from some Malbary website promoting itself by sending those photos randomly.

I haven't been to AD in a while, I will sure go and visit this beautiful mosque next time around inshallah…

Like you, I strongly recommend visiting it for non-Muslims as well…

rosh said...

It indeed is breath taking. The photographs extend a warm, safe and peaceful vibe. hmmmmm I miss the calls for prayer - there are none around here in NYC.

Anyway, lovely pictures - thanks for these.

Anonymous said...

sallams mashallah that mousque is very nice i wa stryin g to get hold of pics on the mousqe until now i have found some is there anyway u send send some to my email.

Sarah said...

These photos are great, I seen some mre nice ones on this site here

http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/06/sheikh-zayed-grand-mosque-pictures.html

The dubai part of middle east is beautiful !!

dizbaru said...

روى أبو داود (448) عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( مَا أُمِرْتُ بِتَشْيِيدِ الْمَسَاجِدِ ) قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ : لَتُزَخْرِفُنَّهَا كَمَا زَخْرَفَتْ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى. والحديث صححه الألباني في صحيح أبي داود .
قال الخطابي رحمه الله : التشييد : رفع البناء وتطويله .

Anonymous said...

One of the Beautifull masjid i just love to pray there, i was there 6 months back at that time it was not open for Peoples any wy this is beautifull amazing

Anonymous said...

Seeing the Mosque was amazing and definitely one of the best structures in the UAE.

Abdullah said...

I was there earlier this month 4 Jummuah Salaah. ABSOLUTELY breathtakingly beautiful!! I couldnt stop taking pics.