The Grand Mosque

I decided that this post needed its own separate entry. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. Some would ever say it is more beautiful than the Taj Mahal. Now, I haven't been to the Taj Mahal so I cannot judge, but in my opinion great care and artistry went into the design and building of the mosque.

Built to honor and act as a final resting place of their most beloved ruler, it a magnificent tribute to his life and death. Because of Muslim tradition you are not able to actually enter the part of the structure that housing his tomb, but the rest of the Mosque is open for tours. Out of respect you must cover up ladies. That means full head scarfs and abayas. No worries if you don't have one--- you can borrow one of theirs. Once on the grounds of the mosque you are instantly mesmerized by the intricate detailing of the pillars, arches, and marble work. Bright colors stand in stark contrast to stark white marble as flower designs are woven across the walls and courtyard.

Before entering the mosque you must remove the shoes. The marble though in the bright sunlight remains cooler. This was specially designed so that the worshipers would not be burnt when they came to pray. Once entering the mosque the tile grows cold under you feet and you can feel a steady flow of cool air. The design of this mosque is so unique that even the air condition vents are hidden by the artistic design elements that were taken into consideration.

The beauty is not the only thing that you take from the mosque when visiting. A knew found knowledge and understand of the Islamic faith can be translated to you by their tour guides. From deciphering the arabic writing, to explaining the use of gold design. They can shed light on how the religion was taken into consideration in the design of the building. Walls that are faced during prayer remain plain and beige or white. They have some detail, but it is subtle.This is so the people will not be distracted from their prayers. Almost a mirror image, the opposite was has the same design, but is enhanced by color and texture.

Eager to get to know more about the culture, I actually returned later that night. Once again decked out in my abaya and headscarf I went with a friend to the iftar at the mosque that night. Iftar is the meal at the end of the day during Ramadan that officially breaks the fast. It is a unique experience that I am glad I was able to take part in. On the grounds of the mosque, large white tents are erected to feed the people iftar during Ramadan. Over 4,000 people come to the mosque for a free meal during this time. The men and the women eat separately of course, and it all done sitting on beautiful persian rugs on the ground. I have to admit that sitting on the ground as a lot more difficult that I imagined it would be. Alison and I tried to use mind over matter to stay still, but unfortunately both of us ended up shifting multiple times while sitting. This of course was more difficult because we were packed in there very tightly. In the end it all worked out and we found a position we were comfortable with and allowed us to eat. Propped up by my left hand, I picked up pieces of lamb, rice, vegetables, and much more. It was the best lamb I have had. There ended up being ore food than one person could reasonably eat, but I made sure to try everything, even the Lamban Up drink. The meal itself was more informal than I expected and the tent quickly cleared out as people finished their own meals, many taking it to go. I was very grateful to be given such a wonderful meal and be able to truly experience a cultural and practice I am not familiar with. I only hope that there will be many more opportunities for me to grow and experience new things while I am here.