SZGM
INFORMATION
MANUAL
INDEX
5
12
20
Exterior Area of SZGM
Interior Area of SZGM
General Information of SZGM
EXTERIOR AREA OF SZGM
•• CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND
•• MARBLE
•• COURTYARD (SAHAN)
•• EXTERIOR COLUMNS
•• DOMES
•• MINARETS
•• REFLECTIVE POOLS
•• IZNIK TILES
•• LUNAR LIGHTING
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 4
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 5
CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND
First considerations to build the Mosque began in the late 1980s and
construction began on November 5th, 1996. The maximum capacity
is approximately 50,000 people. The internal prayer halls were initially
opened for worship Eid Al Adha 2007 and have remained so since then.
Its design and construction ”unites the world”, using artisans, craftsmen
and materials from many countries including Italy, Germany, Morocco,
India, Turkey, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece and
of course the United Arab Emirates. More than 3,000 workers and 38
contracting companies took part in the construction of the Mosque!
Natural materials were chosen for much of its design and construction
due to their long-lasting and beautiful qualities, including marble, stone,
gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics.
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FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 7
MARBLE
The pure white color of the
Mosque is one of its most
distinctive characteristics.
The founder of the Mosque,
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al
Nahyan, was fond of white, as a
symbol of purity and piety. The
brilliant SIVEC marble on the
outside, from Macedonia, was
chosen for its virtually flawless
quality. More than 164,000
square meters of marble cover
the outer surfaces of the domes,
the minarets, and the walls of
the Mosque. The floor of the
great courtyard, the Sahan,
is covered with hundreds of
thousands of small marble tiles
from different countries like Italy, India and Greece.
At least 30 different types of marble appear throughout the Mosque,
ranging in color from deep blues and purples to soft pinks and yellows.
Inside the mosque, the white marble comes from Italian quarries.
COURTYARD (SAHAN)
The Sahan (courtyard) is usually found in larger ‘Grand’ mosque structures.
The Sahan is an open, usually square or rectangular shaped, space used by
worshippers during significant Islamic prayers and large gatherings.
The Sahan of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is mainly used during official
Eid Al Fitr (The Feast of Breakfast) and Eid Al Adha (The Feast of Sacrifice)
prayers and during the Holy Month of Ramadan’s prayers. The area of the
Sahan is 17,400 square meters and accommodates up to 31, 000 worshippers
when full.
The design includes beautiful floral elements around the edges of the
courtyard and could possibly be the largest example of mosaic artwork to be
found! The designs were illustrated by British artist Kevin Dean. Thousands of
small marble pieces make up the design, including different kinds of white
marble and a variety of inlaid coloured marble. Around 400 people worked
on this Sahan and it took over one year to complete.
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 8
EXTERIOR COLUMNS
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has over 1,000 columns flanking the external
courtyard and arcades. Their overall design has been inspired by a valued
tree throughout Arabia, the date palm. From the golden capitals (anodized
aluminum colored with golden color) which are in the shape of a palm
tree top, the palm ‘trunks’ are six sided and the columns are six-sided and
clad with symmetrically designed marble panels inlaid with semi-precious
stones; like Lapis Lazuli, Green Adventure, Red Agate, Amethyst and
Mother of Pearl.
Each piece was hand-carved and inlaid by Indian craftsmen here on site
and they used a special inlay technique called Pietra Dura which began
firstly in Italy (16th century) and reached Mughals in the early 17th century,
and perhaps the most exquisite example is the columns of Taj Mahal in
India.
DOMES
The dome, in Islamic architecture, first featured in Dome of the Rock
Mosque in Jerusalem during Umayyad dynasty (72 Hijri year) and from
there spread to other parts of the Islamic world. The functions of domes
are for ventilation, increasing natural light, amplifying the Imam’s voice
and including its decorative purpose. Like the minaret, it has become a
distinctive feature of Islamic architecture.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has 82 unique domes that have been
inspired by Moghul shape. The largest dome measures 32.6 m in diameter
and the height from the top until the ground is 84 meters, and it’s located
in the centre of the main prayer hall. The design elements include pure
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 9
white SIVEC marble cladding; smaller onion shaped ‘crowns’ and crescents
on the top which are decorated with gold-glass mosaic.
Other domes found in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque grounds are the
three in the Grave of Sheikh Zayed. Also, there are seven (fourteen in total)
green glass domes hovering above the underground male/female ablution
facilities which are an important feature of the Sheikh Zayed Grand
Mosque’s Islamic garden design.
MINARETS
Minarets were used in the past as a lighthouse for travelers, and then they
were used for government announcements and for prayer calls. Bilal Bin
Rabbah (the first Prayer Caller) used to call from the mosque’s roof, so
minarets were never an essential feature in early mosque architecture.
Researches show that the first minaret was built in Damascus during
Umayyad dynasty.
There are 4 minarets located in the 4 corners of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
courtyard which are clad with pure white marble and rise to a height of
approx. 106 meters. Their design is inspired by a combination of various
geometric shapes. There are 3 distinct design influences, the square base of
the minaret, the octagon shape (8-sided shape) at the middle section and the
third top cylindrical section. The top of the minarets are ‘crowned’ with onion
domes covered with gold-glass mosaic.
The word ‘minaret’ derives from the Arabic ‘Manara’, meaning ‘lighthouse’ or
place of ‘enlightenment’ so it is fitting that the library, a source of knowledge
and education, is uniquely located at the base of the minaret (on the third
floor). It is the only library to be found in a minaret.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque combines tradition with modern
technology. The Adhan (call to prayer) is centrally called in the SZGM and is
broadcasted to all the mosques throughout the main island of Abu Dhabi city.
IZNIK TILES
The SZGM has numerous beautiful Iznik panels of various designs. Iznik
tiles or pottery is a style of ceramic artwork named after the city where it
originated, Iznik, in the Province of Bursa, Turkey (formerly Anatolia). They
are colorful, highly decorative ceramic tiles and pottery which reached
its peak production in the 16th and 17th centuries. This artwork features
heavily in Istanbul’s imperial and religious buildings.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has numerous Iznik panels featuring
calligraphy and traditional floral design. Traditionally hand-crafted, the
blue and white traditional panels feature verses from the Holy Quran in
‘Thuloth’ style calligraphy by the Calligrapher Hasan Celebi, a renowned
Turkish calligrapher.
LUNAR LIGHTING
The unique lightning system was designed by lighting architects Jonathon
Speirs and Major to reflect the phases of the moon. Soft undulating clouds
of a bluish colour are projected onto the white marble external walls of
the mosque including the façade and domes. Each day appears a little
different from the next as the lighting cycle commences with darker clouds
when the month is in its early stages and the moon is a small crescent. As
the moon progresses through its cycle and becomes full moon, so does the
lighting effect become more brilliant. There are 22 light towers consisting
of 10 to 13 light projectors to achieve this creative effect.
REFLECTIVE POOLS
In a desert climate, nothing is more important than water. Reflective pools like
those here at the Mosque are a traditional feature of Islamic garden designs
throughout the Middle East.
These rectangular pools are tiled in different shades of blue and surround
the outside of the Mosque’s arcades. The area of the reflective pools is 7,000
square meters of water breathing freshness and life into the architecture
and cooling the bright glare of the white marble. They reflect the Mosque’s
spectacular columns, which become even more glorious at night.
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FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 11
INTERIOR AREA OF SZGM
•• THE FOYER
•• THE MAIN PRAYER HALL
•• INTERIOR COLUMNS
•• INTERIOR WALLS
•• QIBLA WALL
•• THE MIHRAB
•• THE MINBAR
•• THE MAIN DOME
•• THE CARPET
•• CHANDELIERS IN THE MAIN PRAYER HALL
•• CLOCK AND PRAYER TIMES
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 12
THE FOYER
The design of the foyers was inspired by the image of a garden. On the walls,
floral vines climb and curl in elegant patterns, creating a beautiful semblance
of living plants.
The organic floral designs of the main/east foyer entrance and side (north and
south) entrances embody a unifying message; a reflection of the harmony
of the Islamic faith and the connection between cultures and people of
the world. Kevin Dean had the idea of designing the main/east foyer with
flowers that grow in the Middle East, however the side entrances (north
and south) are designed with species from the Northern hemisphere and
Southern hemisphere. The beautiful colored marbles are brought from over
25 countries and craftsmen used inlay technique to design the floor and the
walls of foyer. Except the walls of the main/east foyer, craftsmen used relief
technique and that’s why flowers are in 3D shapes.
The dazzling chandelier in the main foyer is one of the smallest of the seven
crystal chandeliers created especially for the Mosque. All four blue coloured
chandeliers of similar design and size are located in the foyer entrances. The
largest of them (in the east foyer) is 4.5 m in diameter, 6.5 m high and 2 ton in
weight. The chandeliers were designed by the renowned lighting designer
Faustig, in Germany, and all the seven chandeliers are made of gilded stainless
steel and Italian Murano glass. The panels are studded with Swarovski crystals
and almost 40 million crystals were used in the seven chandeliers.
The dome in this foyer is one of the Mosque’s large domes, decorated
with Moroccan plasterwork reinforced with fiberglass. The designs feature
traditional Islamic arabesques and the Arabic calligraphy on this dome is a
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 13
verse from the Holy Qur’an taken from
the Chapter or Surat, Ar-Rahman (the
Merciful). This particular calligraphy
style is known as Naskh. Each dome is
designed with different verses and in
different Arabic calligraphies which are
Naskh, Kufic and Thuloth.
Throughout the Mosque, glass
doors are made of three separate
panes of Italian Murano glass. The
inner and outer panes are clear, but
what sandwiched between them, is
a central pane which has a beautiful
floral design, using mosaic, cut, and
sandblasting techniques.
THE MAIN PRAYER HALL
The main prayer hall is largest hall
in Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and
it can accommodate approximately
7,800 worshippers. Also, this room
is used for important prayers when
there are large gatherings of people,
including Eid festivals, Holy month of
Ramadan and Fridays’ ceremonies.
INTERIOR COLUMNS
96 columns stand in groups of four,
inlaid with mother-of-pearl vines and
topped with stylized, golden-coloured
palm fronds. They are arranged in
three circular formats and contribute
to the structural support for the three
main domes of the main prayer hall. They also house the air conditioning
system in the middle of each pylon.
This work was completed mainly by
hand in Dongguan (pronounced:
Tung-kwan), China.
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 14
INTERIOR WALLS
The walls of the main prayer hall are all clad with white Lasa marble from
Italian quarries. The patterns on the elevations are interconnected circles that
form five-sided stars and flowers clad with beautiful colored marble mosaic.
The central glass part lets light in through. The walls that face worshippers
have fewer colors than the walls behind them.
QIBLA WALL
The prayer hall has one wall facing Makkah and it is called Qibla wall. The
Qibla wall indicates the direction of the Ka’abah, the cubic-shaped, building
in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. All Muslims pray facing the Ka’abah.
The Qibla wall is cladded with Aquabiana and Bianco P marbles from Italy,
and the design features many five-sided flower shapes, each one containing
a word. These are the ninety-nine most beautiful names or qualities of Allah,
such as The Merciful, The Gracious, the Patient, The Wise, and The Charitable,
to name just a few. This calligraphy style is called Fatimid Kufic, and the
Emirati calligrapher of the Qibla wall is Mohammed Mandi Al Tamimi. The
wall is subtly illuminated with fiber-optic lighting. At the center of its design,
is a large circle. The name written inside is Allah, meaning God Almighty.
The flower-shape above it is empty. This absence represents the unlimited
qualities that Allah has which are unknown to us.
Above the Mihrab (the niche) there is a golden script which shows quoted
verse from Al-A’araf Surah and Al-Hashir Surah (chapter) that encourages
Muslims to learn the meanings of Allah’s qualities and use them during
prayers.
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 15
THE MAIN DOME
The largest dome in Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is located at the
center of the main prayer hall, measures around 33 m in diameter and 84
m in height. The elongated windows allow the natural light to enter the
prayer halls, soaking the worshippers with warm light. Its design features
traditional Islamic arabesques and the Arabic Thoulth calligraphy. On this
dome is a verse from the Holy Qur’an taken from the Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave
Chapter). Every Friday Muslims are advised by Prophet Mohamed, peace be
upon him, to read Surat Al-Kahf because of its importance as described by
him; “Whoever reads Surah Al-Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him
between the two Fridays”.
THE CARPET
THE MIHRAB
The Mihrab (niche) is an essential architectural element of a mosque and
symmetrically located in the middle of the Qibla wall. Its design is inspired
by one of the references to ‘Heaven’ or ‘Paradise’ in the Holy Quran (Surah
Mohammed-15) that describes the existence of many abundant rivers
including a river of honey and milk. The yellow golden leaf-glass mosaic of
the Mihrab (niche) seems to flow downwards from the ‘beehive’ feature at
the top of the niche, as if it were a river of golden honey. It is the place where
the Imam will stand to lead the prayers. The reason why the Mihrab is in a
half circle shape is related to the pre-electronic times, the Mihrab (niche)
helped to project the Imam’s voice so that the worshippers could hear him.
THE MINBAR
zOn Fridays, the Imam stands on the Minbar, facing the worshippers, and
delivers a sermon, called a khut’ba, which happens before the midday,
Dhuhur, prayers for maximum 20 minutes. The Khut’ba speech includes
social, religious and community themes. The speech is unified throughout
UAE, so all mosques will deliver a consistent message to the community. To
meet the needs of an international audience, the speech can be delivered in
languages such as English, Hindi and Urdu in selected mosques in UAE.
Fridays are the busiest days in mosques throughout the country. Every Friday
the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque receives thousands of male and female
worshippers for the Khut’ba that precedes midday prayers.
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 16
The main prayer hall houses the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet by
Guinness World Records in 2007. The intricate Islamic medallion carpet is
made by 1,200 artisans in 3 factories. Its creation took 18 months. Firstly it
was made as 9 pieces and were transported by 2 airplanes to the mosque
where they weaved all the pieces on site. The materials to make the carpet
are cotton and wool. The final single piece carpet is 5,400 square meters and
weighs approximately 35 tons. Also, one of the unique features included in
the manufacturing of the carpet is the raised divisions that are not seams.
These ridges are to indicate lines (prayer lines) where worshippers should
stand to pray. The indication lines do not detract from the design, although
when the prayers commence, worshippers can easily identify the lines in
which to stand. The lines were made by shaving the carpet and leaving those
lines elevated, so they decreased the thickness of the carpet in order to show
the 32 elevated lines in the main prayer hall. The design features Islamic
medallion and floral design, and most of the medallions are located under
the chandeliers as a reflection of them on the carpet.
CHANDELIERS IN THE MAIN HALL
In the main prayer hall, the three stunning chandeliers are all alike, with
the largest in the center. The largest (located in the middle of the main
prayer hall and considered one of the world’s largest in a mosque), is 10m in
diameter, 15.5m in height and weighing approx. 12 tons, with 15,500 LEDs.
They were designed by the renowned lighting designer Faustig, and all
are made of gilded stainless steel. The panels are studded with Swarovski
crystals. Large globes of green, red, and yellow crystal lend a dazzling
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 17
richness to the entire prayer hall. Forty kilos of 24-karat galvanized gold were
used in the gilding process. The design is inspired by the date palm tree but
it’s upside down; the trunk is the cylindrical part of the chandelier, the fronds
are the connected parts in concave shape, and the colored globes are the
dates or the fruits of the date palm tree.
For cleaning and maintenance, the bottom half of the chandelier is lowered
to allow a technician to enter the central shaft and climb up an inner
staircase to reach the crystals and light fittings. The other smaller versions of
the same design (located also in the main prayer hall), are 7 m in diameter,
12.5 m high, 8 ton, with 9,500 LEDs and interior staircase.
cycle of standing, kneeling, touching one’s head to the ground (prostration),
kneeling again, and returning to standing.
The digital display at the top of the inner circle is the date according to the
Gregorian, or Western, calendar. The digital display at the bottom is the
date according to the Islamic or Hijri calendar. The Islamic calendar, or Hijri
calendar is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355
days.
The first year was the Islamic year beginning in AD 622 during which the
emigration of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Mecca to
Medina in Saudi Arabia, known as the Hijra, occurred.
It is used to date events in many Muslim countries (concurrently with the
Gregorian calendar), and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the
proper days on which to observe the annual fast (Ramadan), to attend
pilgrimage (Hajj), and to celebrate other Islamic holidays and festivals.
CLOCK AND PRAYER TIMES
There are 10 clocks in Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. They were all made from
steel inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Daily prayers are based on the movement
of the sun, so the five prayer times change each day.
This clock is shaped like a six-petaled flower. In the inner circle, analog hands
indicate the hour and minute. On the petals of the flower, the flashing
digital displays mark the divisions of the day. At the top, the time indicates
true dawn (Fajr), when the morning light appears across the full expanse
of the sky. Moving clockwise, Shorouq or sunrise marks the end of the
true dawn prayer. Then, Dhuhr (Noon prayer) is performed between noon
and midafternoon. Then, Asr (Afternoon prayer) is performed between
midafternoon and sunset, Maghrib (Sunset Prayer) is performed between
sunset and darkness, and Isha (late evening prayer), the night prayer, is
performed after dark. Prayers take five to ten minutes each. They consist of a
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FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 19
SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND
MOSQUE CENTER
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
COLUMNS
1
Main Haram (Main Prayer) Hall
Nos.
96
2
Arcade Area Columns
Nos.
1,096
AREAS IN METER SQUARE
Unit
Qty.
DOMES & MINARETS
1
Total Area of SZGMC Land
m2
555,206
2
Mosque Building Area
m
40,000
3
Main Haram (Main Prayer) Hall
m
5,746.39
4
South Prayer Hall (Male)
m2
853
5
North Prayer Hall (Female)
m2
853
6
Haram Main Entrance
m
586
2
2
2
1
Mosque Building Domes
Nos.
82
7
Haram South Entrance
m
285
2
Main Dome Height 84 Meter and 32.6 Diameter
Nos.
1
8
Haram North Entrance
m
285
3
105.84 Meter High Minarets
Nos.
4
9
Shan (Courtyard)
m
17,400
10 Arcade
m
8,400
CHANDELIERS
1
Main Prayer Hall Largest Chandelier = 10 meters
in diameter, 15.5 meters high, weight 12 tons,
with 15,500 LEDs and an interior staircase for
maintenance work
Nos.
Smaller versions of the same design, 7 meters
in diameter, 12.5 meters high, 8 tons, with 9,500
LEDs and interior staircase
Nos.
3
Chandelier of similar design, 4.3 meters in
diameter, 6.5 meters high, 2 tons, with 1,200 LEDs
Nos.
4
Smaller versions, 3.5 in diameter meters x 5.5
meters high, 1.4 tons, 1,000 LEDs
Nos.
2
1
2
1
3
QIBLA WALL WITH MIHRAB
1
37.8 meter width and 18.71 meter height Qibla
Wall with ninety-nine names of Allah. In the
center of the wall is the Mihrab, with inlaid Gold
Mosaic. The entire wall is covered with backlit
openwork marble panels with an intricate inlay of
White Gold Mosaic
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 20
Nos.
1
2
2
2
2
11 Mosque Main Entrance (East Side)
2
m
599.36
12 Mosque Level
m2
+10.95
PRAYERS CAPACITY
1
Main Haram (Main Prayer) Hall
Nos.
7805
2
South Prayer Hall (Male)
Nos.
1222
3
North Prayer Hall (Female)
Nos.
1758
4
Haram Main Entrance
Nos.
936
5
Haram South Entrance
Nos.
476
6
Haram North Entrance
Nos.
476
7
Shan (Courtyard)
Nos.
31,452
8
Arcade
Nos.
10,044
9
Mosque Main Entrance
Nos.
688
CARPET
1
Main Haram (Main Prayer) Hall carpet 133 x 40.6 meter Handmade Carpet.
32 Lines for prayers
2
North Prayer Hall (Female) Carpet 42.70 x 17.5 meter Carpet.14 Lines for
Prayers
3
South Prayer Hall (Male) Carpet 42.70 x 17.5 meter Carpet.13 Lines for Prayers
FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 21
6
Males Ablution South Toilets
Nos.
34
2480
7
Ladies Ablution North Toilets
Nos.
34
8
Underground Parking Ablution Toilets
Nos.
22
Total Number of Public Use Toilets
Nos.
90
Light Totems
Nos.
22
Nos.
5
PARKING CAPACITY
1
North Side Car Parking Capacity
Nos.
2
South Side Car Parking Capacity
Nos.
935
3
West side (VIP) Parking Capacity
Nos.
161
4
Underground Parking Capacity
Nos.
401
5
Bus Parking Capacity
Nos.
29
Total Car Parking Capacity in SZGMC
Nos.
4006
ENTRANCES & EXITS
1
Gates
Nos.
7
2
Car Entrances
Nos.
10
3
Car Exits
Nos.
11
4
Bus Entrances
Nos.
2
5
Bus Exits
Nos.
2
Nos.
2
1
WATER FEATURES
1
Water Fountains in External Areas
REFLECTIVE POOLS
1
Biggest Pool at the Mosque is 1,518.6 m2
2
517 m Reflective Pools
Nos.
4
4
487 m2 Reflective Pools
Nos.
4
m2
7,053
2
Total area of all Reflective Pools
ABLUTIONS & TOILETS
1
Males Ablution South capacity
Tap with
seat
100
2
Ladies Ablution North capacity
Tap with
seat
100
3
VIP area Ablution capacity
Tap with
seat
16
4
Underground Parking Ablution capacity
Tap with
seat
28
5
External Area Ablution capacity
Tap with
seat
72
Total Ablution Capacity in SZGMC
Tap with
seat
316
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FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE 23