New mosque unveiled in Karama

Dubai: The crowded Karama area of Dubai has been gifted a new Dh30 million mosque by Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group Charity Foundation, an official said.

The mosque, named after Emirati group chairman Easa Saleh Al Gurg, can accommodate more than 1,300 worshippers. It is located on Khalid Bin Al Waleed Street, near the Khalid Bin Waleed Dubai Metro station at Burjuman mall.

The large mosque has made it easier for commuters, workers and residents in the area to pray their daily five congregational prayers. It also has two ladies’ prayer halls on the first floor.

“It’s so easy now to go to the mosque and pray. We really needed one here that’s big enough for everyone, especially during the main Friday group prayers,” said an Iranian worshipper.

It opened in November 2012 but was officially “received” by Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) about two weeks ago, in late December 2012.

The mosque, built on a 20,000 square feet plot of land, also features an open sky-lit courtyard that could double-up as praying space should the need arise.

It has one of Dubai’s biggest mosque domes, around 11m in diameter, and highest minaret, standing 60m tall. The interior is marked by gold-coloured calligraphy featuring verses of the Quran.

There are washrooms on the ground level and accommodation for the imam (prayer leader), muezzin (prayer caller) and watchman on the first level.

Prominent businessman Al Gurg is the benefactor for the mosque, an IACAD official said in a statement.

“The masjid was built at the expense of the donator, Easa Saleh Al Gurg. It was built according to the Islamic traditional local (UAE) style,” said Fahad Al Hajri, chairman of IACAD’s Receiving Mosques Committee.