Dubai is adding another monumental landmark to its collection of biggest buildings at the end of this month. The Emirate’s largest mosque to date, the Al Farooq Omar bin Khattab Mosque and Islamic Centre, will open on the last Friday of July before Ramadan commences.

The imposing structure, which is actually a replica of Istanbul’s fabled Blue Mosque, will host its first congregation with a Friday prayer on July 29. The 2,000 capacity worship hall is 4,200 square metres in size, while the entire mosque site is 8,700 square metres, making it the biggest in Dubai. The new mosque is preparing to play an active role in the community with a madrassa that will facilitate learning of the Holy Quran, a library of some 4,000 Islamic and other religious titles, and a lecture hall.

The unique design of the building combines Ottoman and Andalusian architectural styles. The exterior structure is based on Turkish mosques of the Ottoman era, namely the legendary Blue mosque, while the interior decor, inscriptions and patterns were inspired by the Moorish style of Islamic Spain. The beautifully intricate geometric designs, glazed tile patterns and 124 stained glass windows were handmade by a team of Moroccan craftsmen.

The central dome measures 30 metres high and is supported by 21 other half and full domes. The mosque also features four 70-metre-tallminarets, the second tallest in the UAE after the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque’s minarets, making the giant building easily visible from afar.

More significantly, the mosque will be one of only three in the country and second in Dubai to open its doors to non-Muslims (the other two being the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and Jumeirah Grand Mosque in Dubai). The centre will host regular inter-faith meetings and talks by non-Muslim scholars in the hope of dispelling misconceptions about different religions.

Source: www.khaleejtimes.com