Mosque Of Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan

Rising among the palm lined avenues of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the Mosque of Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan carries the name of a prominent member of the ruling Al Nahyan family whose lineage has guided the emirate since the eighteenth century. The Al Nahyan are branches of the Bani Yas confederation, which settled around the island of Abu Dhabi after the discovery of fresh water in 1761. Sheikh Hazza, a respected member of the family, has long been associated with civic and charitable initiatives, and mosques bearing his name reflect the deep rooted Emirati custom of endowing houses of worship as ongoing sadaqa jariya.

The United Arab Emirates is a young federation, formed on the second of December 1971 under the leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, yet its Islamic heritage is ancient. Arab tribes of the region embraced Islam during the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, who sent letters inviting the rulers of eastern Arabia to the faith. The companion Amr ibn al As, may God be pleased with him, is traditionally said to have reached these shores, and within a generation the coastal trade routes linking the Gulf to Sindh, Zanzibar, and the Hadramawt were thoroughly Muslim.

Architecturally the mosque follows the confident contemporary Emirati style. Walls of warm sandstone, a central dome clad in glazed tile, slim twin minarets, carved wooden doors imported from Indonesian teakwood, and wide marble courtyards cooled by date palm shade welcome worshippers against the intense desert sun. Inside, soft Persian carpets cover the floor, crystal chandeliers hang from Andalusian inspired mocarabe ceilings, and Thuluth calligraphy encircles the prayer hall.

Accurate daily prayer timings for Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha at the Mosque of Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan appear on this page along with the Abu Dhabi address, a map pin, and hospitable notes for visitors arriving from the Grand Mosque of Sheikh Zayed, the corniche, or the cultural district of Saadiyat Island. During Ramadan the courtyard fills with tables of dates, laban, harees, lamb ouzi, and sweet luqaymat offered freely to every worshipper, while tarawih evenings attract large congregations drawn by admired Emirati qaris. Any traveller passing through the capital between the deserts of the Empty Quarter and the cool waters of the Arabian Gulf is warmly welcomed to enter, to kneel upon the patterned carpets among the generous Emirati families, and to whisper a quiet supplication for the benefactor whose hospitality has already shaded countless prayers within a still young and still growing federation of believing hearts along the warm shore of a patient, ancient, sunlit sea.