DUSHANBE, March 17, 2016, Asia-Plus – Tajik president Emomali Rahmon yesterday visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (SZGM) in Abu Dhabi and performed the prayer in that mosque, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
UAE news agency
WAM
reports that President Rahmon was accompanied by Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy of the UAE and head of the honorary mission, on his visit to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (SZGM).
President Rahmon reportedly toured the mosque and was briefed by Yousif Al Obaidly, Director-General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, about the history, components, and the various architectural styles that have been used in its construction.
He visited the mausoleum of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which is adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, read Surat Al Fatiha for his soul and recalled his qualities and wise approach.
At the end of the visit, President Rahmon was presented with a book titled, “Spaces of Light.” The book includes the winning photographs in the photography competition, “Spaces of Light,” organized every year by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center in celebration of the aesthetics and visual greatness of the mosque.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was initiated by the late president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure which unites the cultural diversity of Islamic world, the historical and modern values of architecture and art. His final resting place is located on the grounds beside the same mosque. The mosque was constructed from 1996 to 2007. It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates. The building complex measures approximately 290 m by 420 m, covering an area of more than 12 hectares, exclusive of exterior landscaping and vehicle parking.
As the country”s grand mosque, it is the key place of worship for Friday gathering and Eid prayers. During Eid it can be visited by more than 41000 people.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) offices are located in the west minarets. SZGMC manages the day-to-day operations, as a place of worship and Friday gathering, and also a center of learning and discovery through its educational cultural activities and visitor programs.
The library, located in the north/east minaret, serves the community with classic books and publications addressing a range of Islamic subjects: sciences, civilization, calligraphy, the arts, coins and includes some rare publications dating back more than 200 years. In reflection of the diversity of the Islamic world and the United Arab Emirates, the collection comprises material in a broad range of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Korean.
