All preparations are complete in Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque and Centre (AFMC) in Dubai to receive the worshippers and fasting people during the holy month of Ramadan. The facilities and services are available and ready to provide a spiritual ambience filled with tranquility and piety.
Abdul Salam Al Marzooqi, General Manager, AFMC in Dubai, said about the preparations for Ramadan: “The Mosque will receive worshippers in a spiritual ambience, while abiding by the protective and preventive measures approved by the Supreme Committee of Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management.”
He added: “The Mosque received more than 540 thousand worshippers during Ramadan 2021. The Friday prayers were attended by 2000 worshippers weekly during the month of Ramadan last year. It is expected that large numbers of worshippers and visitors would flock to AFMC this year.”
AFMC provides the opportunity to follow the Tarweeh and Tahajjud prayers throughout the holy month of Ramadan, led by Sheikh Dr. Faris Al Mustafa, via online streaming on AFMC platforms on social media: @alfarooqmosquecentre. AFMC will also host religious lectures after the Asr prayers, which will also be broadcasted on social media platforms.
All logistic preparations have been completed for the holy month of Ramadan, including maintenance work, cleaning of carpets and domes, and installation of seats for old people to make things easier for them. In view of the increase in the number of worshippers flocking to the mosque in the last ten days of Ramadan, the outer courtyards have been equipped to accommodate a large number of worshippers.
On the other hand, an Iftar tent was set up to receive more than 1500 fasting people daily, thus providing 45 thousand meals throughout Ramadan. A team from Metropolitan Catering will prepare and serve the meals in compliance with health and safety standards. AFMC will also host an Iftar for non-Muslim communities to introduce them to the Arab-Islamic heritage of the United Arab Emirates rooted in peace, tolerance, and coexistence.
Al Marzooqi said: “AFMC invites the non-Muslim communities to celebrate the Iftar meal together to introduce them to the tenets of Islam and the UAE customs and traditions. We have so far received communities from Asia, Europe, and the US. We are pleased to be in the service of all people and to show that Islam is a religion rooted in peace and mutual understanding.”
To consolidate its cultural role, AFMC continues to receive visitors throughout Ramadan according to a schedule designed specifically for the holy month.
Renovated with the support of Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Al Habtoor Group Founding Chairman, AFMC opened its doors to the public in 2011. It is a national landmark whose design is inspired by the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The Mosque, which is one of UAE’s most beautiful mosques, combines Ottoman with Andalusian-style architecture and Islamic art.