Jumeirah Mosque: One Of The Symbols Of Dubai And The Most Important Place For Muslims

The Jumeira Mosque in Dubai is one of the few mosques in the country open to all visitors, regardless of their religion. The Sheikh Mohammed Cultural Cooperation Center (SMCCU), which operates at the Jumeira Mosque, is the reason for this opportunity. The main purpose of the center is to promote tourists studying the culture and religion of the United Arab Emirates. The Jumeira Mosque has become one of Dubai’s most popular attractions, and its image can be seen on the 500 dirhams bill.

Creation Story

The construction of the Jumeira Mosque began in 1975 and continued for four years. The design and construction of the temple were supported by Sheikh Rashid bin Said Al Maktoum. 

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The establishment of a mosque that could be visited by adherents of other religions was the main idea of the Sheikh and, under his leadership, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was established in 1998 to provide guided tours for non-Muslims. Later, the Sheikh Zaydah Mosque in Abu Dhabi and the Al Farooq Umar Ibn Khattab Mosque in Dubai was opened to the public.

Architectural Features of the Jumeira Mosque in Dubai

The official opening of the new religious center took place in November 1979. According to the project, the Jumeira Mosque is made of modern materials in the classical style of the X-XII centuries. The medieval temples of the Fatimids, an Arab state governing Palestine, Egypt, and Syria, were used as a model.

The mosque, built entirely of white stone, is a large hall with a capacity of up to 1,300 people. The Jumeira Mosque prayer hall, in a traditional hypotensive style, is a large room with rows of columns that support the roof of the building. Opposite the central entrance to the hall is the Kibla Wall, by which Muslims determine the location of the Kaaba.

The architectural complex also includes two high minarets that frame the impressive central dome of the mosque. 

In accordance with the Islamic canon prohibiting the use of human and animal images as ornaments, the walls of the Jumeira mosque are decorated with complex geometric ornaments with Arabic knitting elements in the men’s hall and flower patterns in the women’s hall.

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In the dark, the outer walls of the temple are lit by night, which highlights its elegant outline.

Working Arrangements and Rules for Visits

The Jumeira Mosque is open to non-Muslims six days a week from Saturday to Thursday from 10:00. You don’t need to book, but you want to get to the front entrance around 9:30 in the morning.

During religious holidays, as well as the month of Ramadan, excursions may be restricted.

The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding provides guided tours of the mosque. Each tour lasts about 75 minutes, the story is in English. Tickets in 2021 cost 35 dirhams. The ticket includes excursion, water, Arabic coffee, tea, and traditional sweets. Children up to the age of 12 are free of charge, but it should be noted that if a small child makes noise and prevents people from praying, it is better to abstain from visiting.

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In addition, the Centre has classes offering Arabic language classes, lectures on the history and religion of the country, and various cultural activities. Here you can order an individual tour of the mosque and its surroundings.

A number of mandatory rules must be observed when visiting the mosque:

• You can’t go into the mosque in dirty clothes;
• The clothes should be modest and closed, it is unacceptable to come to the mosque in shorts and shirts, women should cover their legs and shoulders. If your outfit does not conform to the rules, employees at the entrance will suggest wearing traditional clothes – abayas for women and condors for men;
• The use of harsh perfume and deodorant is prohibited;
• Footwear must be removed at the entrance to the temple and special lockers must be provided for storage;
• Women must cover their hair with a headscarf;
• It is not possible to distract people who make placements and ablutions;
• Photography inside the mosque is possible, but it is better to confine ourselves to interior photography and selfies, i.e. Muslims are negative towards the filming of worshippers;
• Professional photography and video must be coordinated with representatives of the Cultural Interaction Centre;
• You can’t talk loudly, you can’t laugh, you can’t sing, you can’t scream, you can’t listen to music, you can’t turn off your phone or you can’t hear your phone
• It is prohibited to walk in front of or close to a person reading a message;
• It is forbidden to sit with your legs stretched out towards the Kaaba and touch the holy books.

Direction

Within walking distance of the Jumeira Mosque is public transport stops: «Jumeira, Grand Masjid», where buses 8, 9, C10, X28, and «Palm Strip Center» stop, where route 88 goes.

To call a taxi using the mobile application Careem, Uber, Smart Taxi, RTA Dubai, KiwiTaxi.

If you rent a car, you can get from Dubai International Airport to Jumeira Mosque in about 25 minutes.