Blog Dubai Private Tour
The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi would be with zero thoughts the most beautiful mosque you’ll ever come across. Actually, the name is Sheik Zayed Mosque, and the architecture depicting the Islamic style is jaw-dropping. The beauty of the white marble is mesmerizing, the gleaming gold filigree and adding to it the colorful precious stones carved into flowers. It’s like a dream. You just cannot miss out on this place if you are planning a visit to UAE, it’s a must.
Here are some travel tips to make sure you make the most of your visit and come prepared!
Cover yourself:
Women are expected to wrap themselves head to toe, given that it is an Islamic mosque and it has its own values to follow, you respect that. The covering would mean hiding your toes, ankles, legs, and arms. So if you want to wear what you have, just make sure you comply with their belief. And in case you do not match their standards of dressing, they will provide you with an Abaya (dress) that they have readily available for such situations. You will be told off in-case you do not carry the Abaya properly, so listen carefully when they are letting you know the rules. You may not be even allowed wear your shoes, so leave them in the free shoe storage that is provided at the entrance of the mosque.
Photography:
There are no apprehensions from the mosque authorities over taking pictures, you are free to wander around and click as much as you want. Neither will they ask you why nor would they disturb while you are at it. They have no rules for where or where not to take pictures, but at the same time, there are a few areas where you aren’t allowed to stand for too long. There a number of security guards that roam around in these areas and would ask you to leave if they feel you are taking too long. If you request them for a picture they might give you a little leverage on time but not much. So make sure you do the picture job with great management. The problem lies in the sheer fact that if they become easy with one person the demand for ease is going to be from everyone else, so they prefer to treat all equally in all terms, keeping things in line.
Free Tours:
There is no charge to visit his amazing architecture at all. The Grand Mosque is always open for all and also hosts a number of educational tours for people who do not know much about the place or the whereabouts. This is an amazing way to know and understand more about the rich culture of Islam and their history. These tours are run on everyday basis the following times-
- Sunday – Thursday: 10 am, 11 am and 5 pm
- Friday: 5 pm – 7 pm
- Saturday: 10 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm
They don’t take bookings beforehand, since their services are running all day. You can just gather around the meeting point and you will be provided with a specific time slot. There is going to be somebody from the mosque whos going to accompany you and enrich you through the tour.
When to go:
No matter what time you choose to go the mosque it is still going to look like magic. But if you really want specifics, people tend to visit in the morning as the heat is at low and the sunlight is just perfect.
Mosque etiquette:
You are expected and also it is important to follow certain manners in and around the mosque, given that it is a religious place. Basic manners like keeping your phones on silent, talking softly, not drinking or smoking inside, no public display of any kind of affection etc.
