New Mosque - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

[Strike X]

This Mosque since it started construction in 1996 underwent many many redesigns and ended up costing 10 times the original price. Tourists are allowed in with tour guides and also get the chance to learn more about islam and islamic architecture.

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[Intrepid]

Isn't this a waste of money? There are Muslims dying out there and we spend it lavishly on decorating mosques which are only ever full on Eid?

[NNoor]

there is enough money in the world to both build amazing masajid and help all those in need. however, the only lasting solution to most of the human suffering in the world is a socio-economic-political one. simply throwing money at the problem is like treating the symptoms but not the disease.

[Quraatulain]

Wow !! where is this located? I find it sad that millions are spent on the decor of the mosque but how much does it attract the muslims there? It's better to have a simple structure that can accomadate the people and the safs are full with the musallies,thats the best decor for a masjid.

May Allah swt fill this masjid with mussalies for every salah aameen

[Umme Maryam]

Wow !! where is this located? I find it sad that millions are spent on the decor of the mosque but how much does it attract the muslims there? It's better to have a simple structure that can accomadate the people and the safs are full with the musallies,thats the best decor for a masjid.

May Allah swt fill this masjid with mussalies for every salah aameen

Assalam alaikum!

The Grand Mosque or Sheikh Zayed mosque is located in Abu Dhabi,UAE. I know the inside-out little details about this mosque and its stunning interiors since my husband has been working on the project for the last ten years. Huge amounts of money has been used and wasted on this piece of marvel...and while it is an absolute feat of Islamic architecture-- as a mosque you can only spot a few tens of people for prayer on week days.
The mosque is being promoted as a tourist attraction and I was disturbed to see non-muslims tourists ( who are made to wear Abayas and Kandooras ) enter the prayer area -- is this allowed? I have always been told that if you are unclean you cannot enter a masjid?
So how come tourists are allowed here and elsewhere like Turkey's Blue Mosque?

[sudoku]

While I will have to agree that the money could have probably been used in much better ways, I have to also admit that the masjid looks really beautiful.

Hm, when I was in Malaysia (where there are many extravagant looking masaajid) it unfortunately felt a little weird praying in such adorned masaajid like the Shah Alam Mosque, since I was used to the simple ones from back home, where the carpet was plain brown and beige and the outside looked like a normal house. You almost get the feeling like you're in a museum with them being huge and glittering, yet not so many people actually praying but taking pictures.

I'm not sure about about non-Muslim being allowed in or not, but I remember when I went to India, some masjid did not allow non-Muslims in, so tourists could only take pictures from outside. I think it was also like that in some masaajid in Malaysia.

[Intrepid]

Like I said ten times over budget, what a waste of money. Unfortunately these mosques are Muslims personified its all about the decor, extravagance, ostentatious displays and no substance, no content. Whilst I have no problem non-Muslims visiting mosques, the fact that they have become tourists attractions summaries it all for me.

اِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِیۡنَ کَانُوۡۤا اِخْوَانَ الشَّیٰطِیۡنِ ؕ وَکَانَ الشَّیۡطٰنُ لِرَبِّہٖ کَفُوۡرًا

Surely, squanderers are brothers of satans, and the Satan is very ungrateful to his Lord.
(Surah Al-Isra 17 Ayah 27)

[TripolySunni]

Great Mosque, However I don't really know if I can Concentrate in prayer inside such a thing hehe... Still it serves Islam in a many Other ways.

I'm in Dubai At the moment and Now I feel like Paying Abu Dahbi a Visit soon.

[sudoku]

However I don't really know if I can Concentrate in prayer inside such a thing hehe

I know of people who refuse to pray on decorated prayer mats, especially the ones with symmetrical shapes because they are so distracting. My own father would complain about them, and finally bought a plain dark brown cloth which he made into his prayer mat.