Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque

The state mosque of Qatar stands on a rise in central Doha, opened in 2011 and built in a plain Najdi idiom with sand-coloured walls, small windows and a courtyard surrounded by arcades, its roof carrying dozens of shallow domes rather than one large one. It holds around thirty thousand people across the prayer hall, courtyard and outer areas. Guided visits for non-Muslims run outside prayer times. It is often called simply the State Mosque, and the naming after the eighteenth-century scholar has been the subject of some discussion.

What you actually see

• The dome field - dozens of shallow domes across the roof rather than one.
• The courtyard - the arcaded open space at the centre.
• The Najdi idiom - plain sand-coloured walls and small openings.
• The scale - capacity for around thirty thousand worshippers.

When to go

November to March is the comfortable season. Visits run outside the five prayer times. Fridays are busiest and visiting is restricted.

Honest expectations

Access is outside prayer times only and dress requirements are enforced. The interior is plain by the standards of famous mosques. Photography is restricted in parts.

Nearby

The Corniche is east, and Souq Waqif is southeast.