Sharjah Mosque

Sharjah Mosque is the largest mosque in the emirate, in Al Tay at the junction of Emirates Road and Maleha Road. The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, opened it on 10 May 2019, the first Friday of Ramadan; it took about five years to build and cost around AED 300 million. Arabic and English media often call it Sharjah Grand Mosque.

What to see

The mosque is built in classical Ottoman style and recalls Istanbul's Blue Mosque. It has 81 domes: the main dome rises 45 metres with a diameter of 27 metres, flanked by two 75-metre minarets. It holds up to 25,000 people: more than 5,000 in the main prayer hall, about 6,000 in the portico and side arcades and about 13,500 in the courtyard. With its gardens, the site covers about 186,000 square metres.

The mosque was designed from the start to welcome visitors of other faiths, with dedicated areas and routes. The grounds include a museum, a hall of books and objects from different Islamic eras, a large library, a gift shop and a café, an Islamic garden with fountains and cascades, and a walking and jogging track along the outer wall. In the evening the building and minarets are floodlit in gold.

Getting there

The mosque lies east of the city, about 20 minutes' drive from central Sharjah and 35–50 minutes from Downtown Dubai, depending on traffic. A car or taxi is easiest; free parking has room for more than 2,200 cars and buses.

Planning your visit

Entry is free. There is no official schedule for tourists or tours, so plan your visit between prayers and avoid Friday midday. Allow 45–90 minutes for the mosque, courtyard and garden. The best photos are at sunset and after dark. Don't confuse it with Al Noor Mosque on Khalid Lagoon: the Monday tours for non-Muslims run there, not here. Another landmark mosque in the city is King Faisal Mosque, the largest until 2019.

Before you go

Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered, and women should cover their hair; bring your own scarf, as lending of cover-ups is not officially confirmed. Shoes come off before the prayer hall. Keep quiet and don't disturb worshippers. The grounds are large, and wheelchairs and lifts are available.