About Sheik Zayed Mosque the largest mosque in UAE

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 (960 ft) by 420 m (1,380 ft), covering an area of more than 12 hectares (30 acres), 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 40,000 people.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) offices are located in the east 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

General visiting hours are from Sat – Thurs 9am to 10pm and you may walk through on your own. Last entry is 9.30pm. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is closed for tourism activities (and open for worship) on Friday morning and opens again at 4:30 pm.

Daily ‘walk-in’ tour schedule:
Sunday – Thursday      10am, 11am and 5pm
Friday             5pm, 7pm
Saturday         10am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 7pm

ENTRY FEES
All our tourism services are offered free of charge. There are no entry fees for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
A fee may be payable for admission to some exhibitions or events.

Mosque Manners
We kindly ask all visitors to respect our religion and place of prayer by following these simple requests: Visitors must be dressed appropriately on arrival; if not, entry will be denied.

Modest, conservative, loose fitting clothing; long sleeves, long skirts and trousers.
• No transparent (see-through) clothing.
• No shorts for men.
• No shorts and skirts must be ankle length.
• No tight clothing, no swimwear and no beachwear.
• Shoes will be removed before entering the mosque, so we recommend slip off shoes.
• Headscarf for ladies is essential (these can be provided when you arrive).
• Intimate behaviour; i.e. holding hands or kissing is not acceptable in a Muslim place of worship.
• For safety and respect to worshippers, visitors should stay within the areas of the mosque that are permitted and not roam freely around. Smoking and food are not allowed in the mosque area.
• Visitors are requested not to touch the Holy Quran (Holy Book) and other architectural elements inside the main prayer hall.
• ALL women will be asked to wear a traditional robe (abaya) and headscarf (shayla) before entering the mosque. Guests may wear their own, however, must be closed (not open abayas) and non-transparent.
• Children are to be supervised at all times by parents. Personal safety must be observed at all times.  (Note: The architecture includes several reflective pools and should be avoided at all times by children).

SPECIAL NEEDS
There are a number of wheelchairs available for use. Your Visitor Experience Coordinator will be happy to assist you upon arrival. Currently there are no extra amenities or special services for the elderly or special needs visitors.

How to Get There
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is situated between the three main bridges connecting Abu Dhabi City to the main land (Maqta, Mussafah and Sheikh Zayed bridges).

Bus: The closest bus station is located approximately 10 minutes walking distance and operates services that take you inside the city.

Taxi: Abu Dhabi’s TRANSAD offer pick-up services by calling their hotline (toll free) number 600535353 or www.transad.ae. You may walk to the taxi designated area in the north car park and wait

Mosque Entrance: Visitors can enter the mosque from the SOUTH Gate car park entrance and there is ample parking available