Masjid Abu Dhar Al Ghifari

Serving the Emirati city of Sharjah, Masjid Abu Dharr al Ghifari (may God be pleased with him) draws its name from one of the earliest and most ascetic companions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Sharjah itself is the cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates, famous across the region for its museums, its university city, its restored old quarter of al Mureijah, and its celebrated bookfair, one of the largest in the world. The emirate's Muslim life is rooted in the centuries old Bedouin, Bani Yas, Qasimi, and Qawasim traditions of the lower Gulf, and across the city hundreds of mosques both large and small shape the daily rhythm of prayer.
Abu Dharr al Ghifari, whose given name was Jundub ibn Junadah, was one of the first to embrace Islam, travelling from the tribe of Ghifar to Makkah after hearing of the Prophet, accepting the faith, and returning to teach his own people. He was famous for his uncompromising truthfulness, his rejection of hoarded wealth, and his complete trust in God, so much so that the Prophet said about him the earth does not carry, nor the sky shade, anyone more truthful than Abu Dharr. He died alone in the desert of al Rabadhah in the year 652, and his grave has been visited by travellers for more than thirteen centuries. Naming a Sharjah mosque after him invites every worshipper to remember the power of sincere ascetic worship.
Architecturally the masjid reflects the characteristic Emirati Gulf style. A central dome clad in pale stone rises above the qiblah hall, slender minarets flank the building, and arched arcades cast shade across the courtyard. Inside, richly patterned carpets warm the floor, a carved mihrab carries Qur'anic calligraphy in gold and pale blue, and chandeliers hang from a coffered ceiling. A dedicated women's section is arranged with its own entrance. Air conditioning cools the building during the long Gulf summer, and during Ramadan the community gathers for tarawih and iftars of harees, machbous, and Emirati dates. Accurate daily prayer times for Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha appear on this page for every resident of Sharjah.