SimplyAbuDhabi XIV

3 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I the colour white as a symbol of purity and piety. Accordingly, white marble clads the external walls and columns, and features relief carving of verses from the Holy Quran and Islamic ornamentation, reminding us that above all, the Grand Mosque is a house of prayer. Simply vast in size, the Grand Mosque has the capacity for 40,000 worshippers, and yet despite its grandeur and sheer beauty, it has the power to inspire quiet reflection within oneself. In accordance with custom, we removed our shoes to enter the mosque. Immediately upon viewing the interior, we were humbled and awed again by the sights before us. The GrandMosque is home to the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, an opulent and dazzling masterpiece of dedicated craftsmanship. Designed by Iranian artist Ali Khaliqi, the carpet weighs 35 tonnes and took two years to complete. Further continuing the theme of showcasing craftsmanship and materials from the world over, inside the Grand Mosque are seven indescribably beautiful chandeliers, made in Germany of millions of Swarovski crystals. Within the hall of the main prayer room there are 96 columns, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The crowns of the columns are not located on the top, but at the bottom, in an extraordinary technique innovative to Islamic architecture. Along the Qibla wall, the 99 names of Allah are rendered in traditional Kufic calligraphy, subtly and organically illuminated by fibre optic lighting. The Menbar (pulpit) features intricate floral and shell designs, which are made of carved cedar wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, glass mosaic and white gold. Echoing the domes of the exterior, the Menbar has a small dome-shaped ‘roof’ and crescent finial at the top of its 11 stairs, which allow the imam to address the large number of worshippers the Grand Mosque receives. More humbling than the architectural wonders on display, though, is the sense of divinity in the main prayer hall. The GrandMosque is, first and foremost, a sacred space for private worship and reverence. In respect to custom, proper dress must be observed and visitors are not permitted during the prayer hours for the faithful. However, in the spirit of