Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu DhabiSheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. The official religion of the UAE is Islam. It is he who determines the way of life of local residents, and even the legislation of the country.
The most important feature of a true Muslim is a sincere desire to serve God – Allah. All the norms of life, customs and teachings of Islam, which every Muslim follows from birth to the last days of life, heard by the prophet Muhammad from God (Allah), are set out in the holy book of Muslims – the Koran. This book for 14 centuries shows Muslims the way to a righteous life, faith in one God and due obligations. In this regard, most residents of the UAE live under the laws of Sharia (Muslim court), which subjugates the country’s legislative framework.
Unlike the other two world religions, Islam for a Muslim from the Emirates, both before and now, is the unity of culture, faith and state structure. The Muslim faith carries five unchanging rules: the first is “Tawhid” worship and reverence for the one God Allah; the second is prayer five times every day (“salad”); the third is fasting (“saum”); the fourth is the holy month of Ramadan once a year, a voluntary donation (“sunset”) and the last is the pilgrimage to Mecca (“hajj”), which every Muslim must make at least once in his life.
Arabic boy reading the QuranArabic boy reading the QuranIn most Muslim countries, as in the UAE, the legal norms are also built on the basis of moral and religious principles recorded in the Koran. In the United Arab Emirates, the Sharia court still operates, even in relation to tourists and visitors of a different religion.
Mosque domes in the UAEMosque domes in the UAEIn every district of any city in the UAE, there are several mosques, usually white or sand-colored, with domes and minarets. From the loudspeakers installed on the minarets, the sonorous song of the muezzin is heard five times a day, calling the faithful to prayer. Prayer time is different each time and is tied to a sunny day (many Muslims install special applications on their smartphones that allow them to control the time of the next prayer). Prayer rooms in the UAE can be seen even in shopping centers and the airport, Muslims, due to the situation, can even pray on the sidewalk of the street or while driving a car, the main thing is to follow certain rituals and turn towards Mecca (in most hotels in the Emirates, special stickers are placed in the rooms indicating direction). Women always pray separately from men, usually at home,
Non-Muslim tourists are not allowed to enter mosques in the Emirates. There are only two mosques in the UAE that allow tour groups between prayers: the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi and the Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai. The first is a unique monument not only of a religious, but also of a cultural and architectural nature.
The royal family at prayer at the Sheikh Zayed MosqueThe royal family at prayer at the Sheikh Zayed MosqueFriday for Muslims around the world is a day that they devote to prayers and rest. Earlier in the Emirates, it was Thursday and Friday that were official days off in the country. But, market conditions and the integration of the world economy into most areas of the country’s activities have made their own adjustments: for several years now, Friday and Saturday have been official days off in the Emirates, and not Thursday and Friday, as it was before.
The conversion of Muslims in the United Arab Emirates to another religion is prohibited and punishable by law in the form of imprisonment for 5-10 years (previously the measure was tougher – the death penalty). Due to the canons prescribed in the Koran, gambling (except horse racing), cohabitation and sexual relations between a man and a woman who are not married, drug distribution, sexual harassment, bodily harm, murder are strictly prohibited and punishable by law throughout the UAE And so on.
Muslims live according to the Gregorian (from a secular point of view) and according to the lunar (from a religious point of view) calendar, consisting of 354 days and 12 lunar months, according to it, the calendar has been kept since the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina. 2013 is 1434-1435 Hijri.
Clock showing prayer timesClock showing prayer timesMost of the holidays in the UAE are religious in nature, they are tied to the lunar calendar, so they shift back a few days each year relative to the Gregorian calendar. The main one, perhaps, is Eid Al Fitr – the end of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims observe the strictest fast and refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, as well as from all kinds of entertainment. The next important Muslim holiday is Eid al-Adha (the festival of sacrifice), which is celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country.
Unlike the neighboring Muslim countries of the Persian Gulf, in the UAE, the majority of believers (85%), including the ruling elite, profess Sunni Islam (Sunnis and Shiites are the two main branches of Islam). As a result, the sectarian civil unrest characteristic of the region, which has occurred over the past few years, for example, in neighboring Qatar and Bahrain, is completely absent.
Mosque in the UAE during holiday prayersMosque in the UAE during holiday prayersDespite the fact that Islam reigns on the territory of the United Arab Emirates, Orthodox churches can also be found here (in each emirate), the main one is the Church of St. Philip the Apostle in Sharjah, and ruins were found on the territory of Sir Bani Yas island (the only ones in the region) an ancient monastery built in the year 600 from the birth of Christ.
Of course, tourists of other religions who came to the UAE, unlike neighboring Saudi Arabia, are not forced to dress in local clothes and wrap women in all black, the Emirates is a completely advanced state, whose inhabitants cannot be surprised by anything. But, despite this, when coming to rest in the UAE, you must remember that the Arabs treat their faith with great trepidation. Therefore, many gestures and manners that are harmless to us for a local resident of the Emirates may not be permissible. For example, we advise you to give and take objects only with your right hand (the left hand is considered dirty in the Muslim world), you can’t put your feet in the direction of the Arabs (this is a terrible insult), and also wear provocative and open clothes or clothes with inscriptions that humiliate Islam or a sexual nature , it is forbidden to kiss and hug in public places and so on. You can read more about tips for tourists in our article “Rules of conduct and prohibitions in the UAE ”. We must not forget that in the Emirates, due to the religion of the bulk of the population, dry law reigns, you will not find alcoholic products on store shelves (except for Duty Free at the airport), any alcohol can only be purchased in a bar or restaurant with a license (usually at hotels), but appearing on the street while intoxicated is strictly prohibited.
Tourism Specialist in the UAE. Higher professional education. Paperwork and booking tours in the UAE. Professional management of clients at all stages of the journey – from the application to the return.
