Churches, temples, synagogues: A guide to 13 places of worship in the UAE

The various houses of worship in the UAE are symbolic of the country's commitment to tolerance.

That dedication to religious harmony has also been enshrined in the stunning Abrahamic Family House, home to the country’s first synagogue.

The stirring site on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, joins several churches and temples across the Emirates serving diverse communities.

Here is a guide to 13 of the main houses of worship for the Jewish, Christian and Hindu faiths across the UAE.

Abu Dhabi

1. Abrahamic Family House

Opened to the public earlier this year, the Abrahamic Family House is home to the Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, the Catholic St Francis Church and Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque.

Regular prayer services are already under way, while a programme of events is being planned for across the site.

Jacques Chirac St, Al Saadiyat Island Cultural District; www.abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae

2. St Joseph’s Cathedral

Serving the UAE's catholic community since 1965, St Joseph's Cathedral is one of Abu Dhabi's oldest churches.

In addition to services in various languages, the church also has prayer groups and baptism ceremonies.

17th Street, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi; stjosephsabudhabi.org

3. St Andrew’s Church

A service at St Andrew's Church in Abu Dhabi. Satish Kumar / The National

The Anglican church has been celebrating mass in Abu Dhabi since 1968.

St Andrew's, which was on the Corniche before relocating to Mushrif, is renowned for its interfaith initiatives and calendar of family activities.

22 Al Barq Street, in Abu Dhabi; standrewauh.org

4. Evangelical Community Church

The Protestant church has a multicultural community, with mass and classes conducted in English.

Um Salamah Street, Abu Dhabi; www.eccad.org

5. Baps Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi

The Hindu temple will open in Abu Dhabi on February 10 for prayers.

It will mark the end of a five-year construction process, as part of which more than 2,000 artisans carved evocative pillars and columns in the Indian state of Rajasthan, before they were transferred to the site in the capital.

The temple is off the main E11 Sheikh Zayed motorway connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

6. Gurudwara Mata Sahib Kaur

The Sikh house of worship features a main prayer hall and a spacious courtyard, as well as a communal kitchen where worshippers can eat a free vegetarian meal.

Gurudwara Mata Sahib Kaur is in M11, Mussafah.

Dubai

7. St Mary’s Catholic Church

A hub for Dubai's Catholic community, St Mary's Church has a diverse parish with mass held in several languages, including English, Arabic, Swahili and Tagalog.

Oud Metha Street, Bur Dubai; www.saintmarysdubai.org

8. St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

At this place of worship in the Churches Complex in Jebel Ali, separate masses are held in more than a dozen languages, including English, Arabic, French, Italian, Korean and Tagalog.

The Churches Complex in Jebel Ali Village; sfacja.org

9. Holy Trinity Church

Serving Anglican worshippers for more than 50 years, the church has a Sunday School and Bible Study classes, as well as Saturday and Sunday mass.

Oud Metha Rd, Al Karama, Umm Hurair 2; holytrinitychurchdubai.org

10. Hindu Temple Dubai

The Hindu Temple in Dubai opened last year. EPA

Inaugurated last year, the stark white Hindu temple stands out with marble hand carvings, metal latticework on the facade and tall brass spires.

Visitors of all nationalities and religious beliefs are welcome to visit to learn more about the Hindu faith as well as Indian heritage and customs.

Jebel Ali Village; www.instagram.com/hindutempledubai

11. Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Temple

A multi-storey site partly inspired by India's famed Golden Temple.

Open since 2012, the temple is eye-catching, with architecture blending modern and traditional elements, and is open to the public from all faiths.

Jebel Ali Village; www.gurudwaradubai.coom

Sharjah

12. St Michael’s Church

A central point for the Catholic community of the northern emirate, the church serves different communities with mass held in languages including English, Arabic, Tagalog and Malayalam.

15 Abdullah Bin Anees Street, Al Yarmook; stmichaelssharjah.org

Ras Al Khaimah

13. St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church

The church has been serving the faithful in Ras Al Khaimah since 2013.

Daily masses are held in English, while periodic masses are conducted in languages such as Ukrainian, Tamil, Sinhalese, Malayalam, Tagalog, Korean and Swahili.

Arabic masses are held on Fridays.

Al Jazeera Al Hamra; stanthonyrak.org

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

How to apply for a drone permit

Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request

What are the regulations?

Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less

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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.

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-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);

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Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)

Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)

1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)

3 R McIlroy (NI)

4 D Johnson (US)

Kareem Shaheen on Canada

A second lockdown will be especially tough in cold countries

Hard-hit Canada is springing back to the cliched 'new normal'

Justin Trudeau 2.0 will need to take all of Canada with him

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE

Flexible work arrangements
Pension support
Mental well-being assistance
Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
Financial well-being incentives

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Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

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Most wanted allegations

Benjamin Macann, 32: involvement in cocaine smuggling gang.
Jack Mayle, 30: sold drugs from a phone line called the Flavour Quest.
Callum Halpin, 27: over the 2018 murder of a rival drug dealer.
Asim Naveed, 29: accused of being the leader of a gang that imported cocaine.
Calvin Parris, 32: accused of buying cocaine from Naveed and selling it on.
John James Jones, 31: allegedly stabbed two people causing serious injuries.
Callum Michael Allan, 23: alleged drug dealing and assaulting an emergency worker.
Dean Garforth, 29: part of a crime gang that sold drugs and guns.
Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30: accused of trafficking heroin and crack cocain.
Mark Francis Roberts, 28: grievous bodily harm after a bungled attempt to steal a £60,000 watch.
James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56: for arson and over the seizure of a tonne of cocaine.
Nana Oppong, 41: shot a man eight times in a suspected gangland reprisal attack.

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Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8

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Price: upon application