Dubai: The towering pencil-shaped minarets of a new Dubai mosque now pierce the skyline over posh villas in Al Safa area.
The landmark Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque and Islamic Centre is expected to open before Ramadan, which is expected to start in August.
The mosque has been inspired by Turkey's giant Blue Mosque where countless blue tiles cover the inside walls. The Blue Mosque was built on the orders of Ottoman ruler Sultan Ahmet I and officially carries his name. Built in the early 1600s, the Blue Mosque is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Istanbul alongside the magnificent Haggia Sofia. Though the mosque is said to have a capacity of 10,000 people, it is rarely ever full.
The one in Dubai, on the other hand, is modest in size and can house 2,000 worshippers at a time and is expected to draw a steady stream of worshippers for the long night prayers held during Ramadan. The blue-white mosque in Dubai is named after Omar, a close companion of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Al Farooq is also special in the sense it will be open to non-Muslims who seek to enjoy its splendour and learn about the Muslim way of life. "It will be like a bridge towards understanding Islam. We have a library, lecture hall and classrooms as well," said Abdul Malek, mosque manager. There is also a small courtyard with a central fountain that splashes about in the otherwise pin-drop silence that seems to shield the mosque from the outside world.
Inside, the desert sun's fierce light and heat are dampened as they pass thorough the cool stained glass blue windows dotting the mosque walls. The prayer hall is an enormous echoing cocoon and the plush carpet stretches on like a meadow spreading into the distance.
You can't help but feel at peace here.
The interior is intricately decorated with Moroccan designs and verses from the Quran. Tens of seasoned craftsmen from Morocco were flown in to work round the clock, meticulously putting together the countless decorative pieces that now appear as embroidery running on a dress of pillars and corners.
This marvel of medieval Muslim motifs that seems to have travelled through space and time to land in cosmopolitan Dubai is complemented, discreetly, by modern age technology - the latest sound systems to call out prayers, synchronised digital clocks, hi-resolution cameras and flat-screen TVs.
Al Farooq mosque is a gift to worshippers from prominent Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor, who funded the project.
British expat Mohammad Omar who lives in the area, said he now uses the mosque minarets as a "reference point" when giving directions to motorists unfamiliar with Al Safa. "The minarets came handy when I was trying to help my colleague find a nearby school. I'm sure it'll become a Dubai landmark."
