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MARIJA IS TRAVELLING AND WRITING: Waking up in Middle East
Text and photo: Marija Rašović
Indian Ocean view, latest cars and modern architecture of Abu Dhabi that tears up the sky still leave space for small mosques
Every morning at the same time. Without delay, without surprise, the song begins the day.
The call to Islamic prayer (salat) is always at the same determined hour, five times a day. In a language that I don’t know, with a melody that sounds somewhat different every time, day to day I watch the mist over the Persian Gulf rise so the day can break easier. It was interesting to discover that Abu Dhabi has only one muatheen who calls to prayer. Yes, just one. His call to ezam (prayer) is not pre- recorded – but broadcasted live every day at the same time in all the mosques in the city.
It was interesting to discover that Abu Dhabi has only one muatheen who calls to prayer. Yes, just one. His call to ezam (prayer) is not pre- recorded – but broadcasted live every day at the same time in all the mosques in the city.
Places for prayers in Abu Dhabi are everywhere – in the noisy and busy streets, among stacked concrete blocks that form buildings at least 15 stories high. Between them, small mosques without names are carefully placed.
Majority of the population in United Arab Emirates are Arabs who worship Allah and respect Quran. Hence it is not surprising that in the UAE small mosques intended for prayers can be found in every part of the city, often a few of them in the same street. Today, this modern, oil-rich state has more than 5,000 mosques located in all parts of the seven emirates UAE consists of.
However, the most recognizable religious symbol is Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Modern masterpiece of Islam
Built following the vision of the founder and first President of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it represents a symbol of the unification of Muslims. It magnificently sits in the heart of the new Abu Dhabi, clearly visible from the two main bridges that connect the island – Makto and Musaffah. The strategic geographic location of the mosque is a symbolic expression of emotional connection – mosque is in the hearts of all the citizens of the UAE, in particular because of the burial place of the late president and visionary located right next to it. It is constructed and designed with carefully chosen long-lasting natural materials – marble, stone, gold, semi-precious stones and crystals. It takes up over 22 000 m2, or to understand the size of this monument easier – it occupies about 5 football fields.
Trip advisor ranked Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque among the 25 most recognized landmarks in the world – including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Taj Mahal in Agra…
At an average of 40 degrees Celsius, about 3,000 people worked tirelessly on this project for more than 12 years. The efforts have certainly paid off because this masterpiece officially became a national icon of the United Arab Emirates in 2007. Fusion of designers, ideas and materials from different corners of the world as a result has a spectacular monument whose beauty can truly stop the time. The reason for this is not only its monumental size, but aesthetic harmony, architecture and splendor. Embellished with 82 domes and four minarets 107 meters high, more than a thousand gilded pillars and a capacity to accommodate 40,000 worshipers, this is one of the largest mosques in the world.
While you are still stunned by what you've seen at the entrance – white gilded arches decorated with semi-precious stones and pearls, pace yourself for more upcoming surprises.
Behind 12 meter high glass door, right before you enter the main prayer hall, you are welcomed with floral motifs spread out on Greek and Macedonian white marble which symbolizes the entry into the Garden of Eden, as described in Quran. Marble is completely white, from afar it even seems transparent as it has a veil of secrets hidden behind. Maybe it does, since the walls show verses from the holy book in three types of Arabic calligraphy and the 99 names of Allah in traditional Kufi calligraphy. Still, the hundredth name is a mystery. There is a legend that it is skillfully hidden somewhere inside the mosque.
Every corner of the mosque’s main prayer room is covered with the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world. More than two years 1,200 knitters from a small village Mashhadin in Iran, known for its carpet crafting skills, worked on creating this multi-million work of art. The dominant color is green – as a symbol of Islam, but also the favorite color of the former president. These 35 tons of cotton also hide a little secret, visible only to those who came to worship. Horizontal lines slightly raised over the primary carpet height and silently woven into its colors are madefor the worshipper's alignment and are not visible from a distance, but only for the worshippers.
Every corner of the mosque’s main prayer room is covered with the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world. More than two years 1,200 knitters from a small village Mashhadin in Iran, known for its carpet crafting skills, worked on creating this multi-million work of art.
It is very quiet, and most of the visitors are captured by crystal suns that appear to have no end in sight. In balance with the richness intended for barefoot steps of the worshipers and visitors, the roof is decorated with crystal chandeliers coated with 24 – carat gold. The largest one weighs 9 tons.
The beauty of these religious monuments is that they can easily take you through time – in whatever story you want. If you let it, its architecture and elegance will make you forget that you are in the modern Abu Dhabi, which is considered to be a cosmopolitan city only since the 70 ‘ of the past century. Focused on Islamic song, you can imagine fairy tales – sultans, princesses and forbidden loves. And it all fits.
New morning. Same mosque, same voice, but the song is different again. I try to recognize a part that I might have heard the day before, but every time a new pause tricks me and it somehow perfectly fits right there. Perhaps the idea is exactly that – we should not know it by heart because we will forget to really hear it. A smart man once said – everyone sings their own song, we just need to learn to listen.
Marija at Abu Dhabi
(Marija Rašović, originally from Podgorica, has a degree in journalism obtained at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade. She completed Masters in Madrid, and now lives and works in Abu Dhabi. And she travels… Her observations poured into words, esteem readers, you will be able to read here, on MNE magazine portal. )
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