Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khatab mosque, Islamic prayer center in Al Safa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Al Safa covers 4,200 square metres and holds 2,000 worshippers. Its main dome rises about 30 metres, surrounded by 15 smaller domes and four half domes, with four 65-metre pencil-shaped minarets and 124 stained-glass windows. The exterior follows Istanbul's Blue Mosque, while the interior carries Ottoman inscriptions with Andalusian touches.
The original Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque was established on this site in Al Safa in 1986. The building was renovated twice, in 2003 and again in 2011, on the orders of businessman Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor. The Emirati architect Mohammed Sheikh Mubarak designed and supervised the project, and the mosque reopened to the public on 29 July 2011.
The mosque is named after Umar bin Al Khattab, the second Caliph, who was called Al Farooq, meaning one who distinguishes truth from falsehood. It is the third mosque in the UAE to open its doors to non-Muslims, after the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and the Grand Mosque in Jumeirah. It has hosted Sheikh Ahmad Ali Al Nahas, the muezzin of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Guided tours are available Sunday through Thursday and appropriate dress is required when entering. The main entrance is clearly marked and staff members can answer questions about visiting.
The interior decoration was carved by hand by 60 craftsmen from Fez, Morocco, and the mosaic tiles also came from Fez. The coloured red and gold carpet was manufactured in Germany, and the mosque has 124 stained-glass windows.
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