The splendid Jumeirah Mosque is one of Dubai’s most acclaimed religious monuments. Counted amongst the city’s most prominent landmarks this beautiful mosque is an excellent example of contemporary Islamic design and architecture. Identified as being amongst the most photographed religious buildings in the Emirate, this attractive place of worship has also become a magnet for sightseers. It is especially appealing to stroll around in the sunset hours when the shadows fall on this magnificent construction.
Although the mosque is a relatively modern building made with contemporary construction materials, it demonstrates the medieval Fatimid architectural motifs. One of the noteworthy aspects of the mosque is that it is open to non-Muslims who may join specially organized tours of the place of worship. Local authorities conduct these informative tours for the benefit of non-Muslims so that they can obtain an understanding of the Islamic faith as well as the native culture of the region.
Currently the Jumeirah Mosque is the sole mosque in Dubai which is open to adherents of other faiths. Interestingly photography is pemitted within the mosque and therefore you can preserve the images of this place of worship. The tour is concluded with a question and answer session.
As in any other mosque the visitor will see several features of interest within the place of worship. The Qibla wall indicates the direction of Mecca, which Muslims must face when praying. The Mihrab, the prayer niche within this wall is the most venerated feature within the mosque. The Minbar is the platform from which the imam, the prayer leader delivers the sermon on Fridays, the holy day for Muslims.
In earlier times many of the Arab residents of the area made their living as pearl divers, traders and fishermen. After the discovery of oil many expatriates made their way to the Emirate and many affluent Westerners made their home in Jumeirah. After the rapid development of the Emirate in the 90s Jumeirah became a magnet for the wealthy, attracting the upper strata of Dubai society.
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Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.