No visit to the UAE can be complete without a visit to the Shiekh Zayed mosque. the mosque made in white marble is an architectural delight and can be seen from miles away. It is located in Abu Dhabi the capital of the UAE. The mosque is located about 12km away from the city center and one can take a taxi which will charge you 25-26 AED( $ 6). There is no entry fee for the mosque bu a dress code is in force.
All women who enter the mosque must be suitably attired and in case you are wearing a skirt or shorts, the
mosque administrators have burkhas available which can be hired ( free of cost). This code is inviolable and no entry is allowed for anyone inappropriately dressed.The mosque is a real beauty. and made of white marble. It glistens in the sunlight. At night it is lit up and the lighted mosque creates a beautiful picture.The mosque is surrounded by pools of water and exquisite fountains that add to the glamor. A guide is available who will conduct you through the mosque which is a definite wonder of the UAE. The mosque has an end to end carpet which is in one piece and adds to the sacredness of the place. The mosque opens for visitors at 9 am. The best time to
visit the holy place is just before sunset. You can then listen to the Adhan (Muslim Call to prayer) at sunset. This prayer will strike you in your heart irrespective of your religion and listening to this is a great pleasure.The mosque was constructed from 1996-2007 and many say it is partly modeled on the famous Badshahi mosque at Lahore( this was constructed by the Moghul rulers). the massiveness of the mosque can be seen from the fact that it can accommodate 40000 devotees and has 82 domes and over 100 columns. The chandeliers are of pure gold and one can see that no expense has been spared to erect and furnish this mosque.
The mosque commemorates the ruler of UAE who expired and now it is a place of pilgrimage and a great tourist attraction. One can't really come across a mosque so beautiful as the Zayed mosque. Abu Dhabi in real terms revolves around the mosque and during the month of Ramadan there are some restricted timings.
It is extremely well maintained and its a place to visit and one can say it's time well spent.
