Have you ever wondered what hidden gems of culture and spirituality lie amidst Dubai’s towering skyscrapers and luxury shopping malls? More than just a tourist destination, Dubai is a city that showcases its deep Islamic roots through magnificent mosques. This article will help you get acquainted with Dubai’s best mosques, turning your visit into an unforgettable cultural and spiritual experience. This guide provides all the necessary information for planning a memorable trip.
Why Should You Visit Dubai’s Best Mosques?
Dubai, a city known for its modern symbols, holds mosques that each tell a story of art, history, and spirituality. These mosques are not just places of worship, but architectural masterpieces that offer you a chance to gain a deeper understanding of Islamic culture. With their tall minarets, magnificent domes, and delicate tile work, these structures provide visitors with a unique sense of peace, offering a space away from the city’s hustle and bustle. If you’re looking to buy property in Dubai and want to get to know the city better, exploring these cultural centers can provide you with a more complete view of Dubai.
A Guide to Dubai’s Best Mosques and Their Features
Below, we introduce some of the most prominent and best mosques in Dubai, each with its unique architecture and history that makes it worth visiting.
| Mosque Name | Key Features |
| Jumeirah Mosque | One of Dubai’s most important symbols, Fatimid architecture, holds 1,300 people, guided tours for non-Muslims, featured on the 500-dirham banknote. |
| Al Farooq Omar bin Khattab Mosque | Resembles the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Andalusian and Ottoman architecture, holds 2,000 people, library with 4,000 books. |
| Grand Mosque Dubai | The tallest minaret among Dubai’s mosques (70 meters), 45 small domes and 9 large domes, near the Dubai National Museum. |
| Masjid Al Rahim | Located in Dubai Marina, modern design, beautiful evening lighting, capacity for 2,000 worshippers. |
| Khalifa Al Tajer Mosque | The first eco-friendly mosque in the Middle East, uses solar energy, capacity for 3,500 people. |
| Abdul Rahman Siddique Mosque | Modern and unconventional architecture, winner of the Dubai Outstanding Buildings award, built without traditional tiles or ceramics. |
| Al Salam Mosque | Located in Al Barsha 2, Andalusian and Ottoman architecture, magnificent interior decorations, capacity for 1,500 people. |
| City Walk Mosque | Modern design without domes or minarets, cube-shaped with artistic decorations. |
| Iranian Mosque | A symbol of Iranian architecture in Dubai, colorful tile work and beautiful calligraphy, near the Textile Souk. |
| Bastakia Mosque | Located in the historic Bastakia quarter, traditional white Arabian architecture. |
| Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | The largest mosque in Abu Dhabi, features the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, stunning architecture, known as “Dubai’s White Mosque.” |
If you’re considering buying an apartment in Dubai and living in the city, being close to these cultural centers can be a great advantage.
Detailed Overview of Dubai’s Best Mosques
Here is a full breakdown of each of Dubai’s famous mosques:
Jumeirah Mosque:
Built in 1976, this mosque is one of Dubai’s most important symbols and one of the oldest Muslim places of worship in the UAE. Its architecture is inspired by the traditional Fatimid style, incorporating elements of ancient, Byzantine, Egyptian, and Coptic architecture. The image of the mosque is also featured on the 500-dirham banknotes of the UAE. Its exterior features a large imported sandstone dome and tall minarets with Arabic inscriptions. The interior includes a marble prayer hall, a qibla wall adorned with intricate Arabic script, and floral embroidery. The mosque can accommodate around 1,300 worshippers.
Al Farooq Omar bin Khattab Mosque:
With an area of over 93,400 square feet, this mosque boasts magnificent interior and exterior architecture. Its design resembles Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and was built in 1986, inspired by Andalusian and Ottoman styles. It features 21 stained-glass domes, tall minarets, and 124 captivating stained-glass windows. The carpets are imported from Germany, and the prayer halls are decorated with marble. The mosque also has lecture halls and classrooms. It can hold 2,000 worshippers and includes a vast library with 4,000 books.
Grand Mosque Dubai:
Known as one of the most famous mosques in the UAE, this mosque has beautiful and magnificent architecture. It was first built in 1900, demolished in 1960, and reconstructed in 1998. This mosque has the tallest minaret among all of Dubai’s mosques, standing at 70 meters. It also has 45 small domes and 9 large domes. The Grand Mosque is located adjacent to the Dubai National Museum and can accommodate about 1,200 people.
Masjid Al Rahim:
This mosque, located in the Dubai Marina area, was built on the orders of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of Dubai. Construction took about four years and was completed in 2013. Its magnificent architecture includes a domed minaret at the entrance and two separate prayer halls for men and women. The mosque is decorated with blue and gold lights in the evening, making it a prominent tourist attraction. Its capacity is approximately 2,000 worshippers.
Khalifa Al Tajer Mosque:
This is one of Dubai’s most magnificent mosques and the first and foremost eco-friendly mosque in the Middle East. The building is constructed from green materials and is intelligently designed to use solar energy for its air-conditioned prayer halls and to optimize energy use. It has two very tall minarets and a beautiful dome. The primary colors used in the mosque are brown and green. Its capacity is about 3,500 people.
Abdul Rahman Siddique Mosque:
This mosque is known as one of the most amazing and beautiful mosques in Dubai, with magnificent architecture and a fascinating Arabian history to explore. It won the Dubai Outstanding Buildings award and was built without the use of traditional tiles, ceramics, stone, or metals like steel. It combines elements of modernity with the spirituality of Islam in an unconventional way, creating a completely unique and interesting structure.
Al Salam Mosque:
This mosque is one of the most beautiful in Dubai with an intriguing history. Located in the Al Barsha 2 area, it features Arabic inscriptions on stained glass, meticulously detailed domes, marble-decorated prayer halls, and a fine carpet at its center. The mosque was built in 2014 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the Andalusian and Ottoman architectural style. Its capacity is 1,500 worshippers.
City Walk Mosque:
Located in the center of the glamorous City Walk, this mosque is a stunning religious center. Its architecture showcases a blend of Arabian tradition and modernity. Unlike traditional mosques, this one has no dome or minaret. Instead, it features a simple, brown, cube-shaped prayer hall decorated with an artistic arrangement by Emirati artist “Aya” and a gleaming steel structure engraved with verses from the Quran.
Iranian Mosque (Ali Ibn Abi Talib Mosque):
This mosque is a symbol of Islamic architecture in Dubai and was built for Iranian and non-Iranian Shia residents. Located near the Dubai Textile Souk, it is decorated with beautiful calligraphy, colorful tiles and ceramics, and blue tiling. Its interior walls are adorned with calligraphy in red, white, green, and yellow.
Bastakia Mosque:
This beautiful mosque is located in the old and historic Bastakia quarter of Dubai. It is white in color and built in the traditional Arabian style.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque:
This mosque, located in Abu Dhabi (one hour away from Dubai), is one of the largest and most beautiful in the world. It is named after the first ruler of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The mosque features the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet. It is also known as “Dubai’s White Mosque.”
Tips for Visiting Dubai’s Mosques
To ensure your visit to Dubai’s mosques is pleasant for both you and others, it is essential to follow a few rules:
- Appropriate Clothing: It is mandatory to wear modest, conservative clothing to enter mosques. In some mosques, like Jumeirah Mosque, traditional attire is provided to visitors for free.
- Photography: Photography is permitted, but only of the architecture and interior, and only when there are no worshippers present.
- Shoes: It is necessary to remove your shoes before entering the main prayer hall.
- Visiting Hours: The best time to visit is outside of prayer times, so you can move around the space freely.
- Non-Muslims’ Entry: Some mosques, like Jumeirah and Al Farooq, permit entry to non-Muslims, while others, such as the Grand Mosque Dubai and Khalifa Al Tajer Mosque, do not.
If you are thinking of investing in and buying a villa in Dubai, a penthouse in Dubai, or even a townhouse in Dubai, being familiar with these cultural tips will help you integrate more easily into Dubai’s society.
Conclusion
As you’ve seen, Dubai is more than a modern city; it is a treasure trove of Islamic culture and spirituality that reveals itself through its magnificent mosques. Visiting the best mosques in Dubai is an opportunity to get to know the city’s unique architecture, rich history, and peaceful spirit. If you plan to invest in this beautiful city and are looking to buy property in Dubai, our team at intrealestates is ready to provide you with the best services. For expert advice and complete information on Dubai real estate, and to place an order, contact our specialists.
