Jumeirah Mosque

Jumeirah Mosque was completed in 1979 in a medieval Fatimid manner, built of stone with two minarets and a large central dome, and it is the one mosque in Dubai that regularly opens to non-Muslim visitors. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding runs the tours: a guide takes groups inside, explains the building and the practice of prayer, and answers questions, with tea and dates afterwards. Dress is covered and headscarves are lent at the door.

Background

Work began in 1975 to a design by the architects Muhammad al-Mahdi Hegazy and Abd al-Muʿizz Husayn of Hegazy Engineering Consultancy, which blends historical Islamic styles, Mamluk as well as Fatimid. The deep relief carving on the two minarets and the dome is typical of Egyptian Mamluk work. Inside, the colours rise from beige through yellow and salmon pink to blue, which also lines the dome and stands for the sky, in line with a principle Owen Jones described in his 1856 Grammar of Ornament. The mosque holds up to 1,200 worshippers and has one entrance for tourists on Jumeirah Street and another for worshippers on the far side. It featured on the 500 dirham note of the 2003 series.

Source: Wikipedia, "Jumeirah Mosque"

What you'll find

• The Fatimid design - a stone mosque built in a medieval Egyptian manner in 1979.
• The guided visit - an open session for non-Muslims run by the cultural centre.
• The prayer hall - the interior with its dome, carpet and mihrab.
• The question session - the open discussion of practice and belief that follows.

When to go

November to April for comfortable weather. Tours run on set mornings and do not run on Fridays. Ramadan changes the schedule and needs checking.

Before you go

Entry is only on the scheduled tours and casual visits are not possible. Dress rules are enforced and shoulders, knees and hair must be covered. Tours fill and booking ahead is advisable.

Nearby

Kite Beach is west, and Al Fahidi is east.

Key facts