Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque welcomes 3.1 million guests in six months

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi welcomed more than 3.12 million guests in the first half of 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the UAE’s most prominent religious and cultural landmarks and an increasingly important destination for international visitors.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre said 3,127,607 people visited or used the mosque and its facilities during the six-month period. The total included 1,841,305 worshippers and people attending iftar, 1,241,808 visitors of different nationalities and 44,494 users of the centre’s sports walkway.

The figures underline the mosque’s dual role as a place of worship and a cultural institution, while the centre launched more than 10 initiatives and programmes during the period aimed at promoting cultural dialogue, knowledge and community engagement.

Friday prayers drew 98,469 worshippers, while 229,139 attended daily prayers. A further 533,687 people prayed at the mosque during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr.

Attendance peaked on the 27th night of Ramadan, when 53,902 worshippers gathered at the mosque. Of those, 8,056 performed Taraweeh prayers and 45,846 attended Tahajjud prayers.

The centre also recorded its highest-ever distribution of Ramadan meals under its “Our Fasting Guests” project, carried out with the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation and in strategic partnership with Erth Hotel.

A total of 2,605,810 iftar meals were distributed across mosques managed or supervised by the centre during Ramadan.

Of these, 980,010 meals were distributed at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, 550,240 at Sheikh Khalifa Grand Mosque in Al Ain and 265,560 at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Fujairah, with the remainder distributed at other participating locations.

During the Eid Al Adha holiday, the Abu Dhabi mosque received 96,565 guests, including 51,740 worshippers. Of those, 23,641 attended Eid prayers. The period also brought 43,811 visitors and 1,014 users of the sports walkway, while 18,995 vehicles used the centre’s parking facilities.

^{Most visitors came from overseas}

International visitors accounted for 78 per cent of all visitors to the mosque, reflecting its growing prominence on the global cultural tourism map.

Visitors from Asia made up the largest share, at 52 per cent, followed by Europe at 31 per cent and North America at 10 per cent. Africa and South America each accounted for 3 per cent, while Australia represented 1 per cent.

India was the largest source market, accounting for 21 per cent of visitors, followed by China at 10 per cent, Russia at 8 per cent, the United States at 7 per cent and Germany at 4 per cent.

The Philippines, the United Kingdom, France, Poland and Pakistan each accounted for 3 per cent.

Cultural specialists at the centre conducted 1,016 guided tours, introducing participants to the mosque’s architecture as well as its message of peace, tolerance and cross-cultural exchange.

The centre also handled 403 bookings for official delegations, including heads of state, senior officials, diplomats and military and government delegations.

^{More than 10 cultural initiatives}

Alongside its visitor programme, the centre launched more than 10 cultural, educational and community initiatives during the first half of the year.

Among them was the exhibition “Manuscripts: Identity and Sustainable Development”, organised in collaboration with UAE University, which explored the scholarly and cultural significance of manuscripts and their role in preserving human heritage.

The centre also took part in the Kazan Forum 2026, where it presented the UAE’s approach to tolerance, coexistence and intercultural dialogue and showcased a number of its cultural and educational projects to an international audience.

During Ramadan, the sixth season of the “Jusoor” programme brought together guests from different cultural backgrounds for an immersive Ramadan experience at the mosque, with a focus on the UAE’s values of tolerance and coexistence.

New seasons of the “Diya” photography competition were also launched as an artistic extension of the centre’s “Spaces of Light” photography award, using photography as a means of cultural communication.

The centre introduced the “Contributions of Muslim Scholars” initiative to highlight the work of Muslim scientists and scholars across history and their influence on fields that helped shape modern scientific knowledge.

Three new episodes in a related series were produced during the period, while the centre also launched the “Afnan”social media account, dedicated to prayers and Quranic recitations by the mosque’s imams.

A series of community programmes was held during Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr holiday as part of efforts to strengthen family and social values during the UAE’s Year of the Family.

The mosque’s cultural offering was further expanded through the Light and Peace Museum and the Diya immersive experience, A World of Light.

The centre unveiled a new selection of museum objects as part of a rotating display designed to preserve Islamic heritage and promote cultural sustainability.

The Diya experience, meanwhile, uses 360-degree projection, light, sound and sensory effects to take visitors on an immersive journey from the wider universe to the UAE and its cultural and humanitarian heritage.