Sharjah has opened a new mosque to serve more than 1,300 worshippers to mark the start of Ramadan.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the Al Nasr Mosque on Tuesday evening, as the country's moon-sighting committee declared Wednesday to be the first day of the holy month.
The striking place of worship - designed to blend traditional Islamic architecture with modern innovation - is spans 7,800 square metres in the Jabal Omar area of Al Dhaid.
Sheikh Sultan was briefed on the mosque's design, featuring a large spherical glass dome that helps reflect light and a 38-metre-tall minaret.
The Deputy Ruler reviewed the mosque's facilities, which include a main prayer hall for 470 worshippers, an external courtyard that can accommodate 140, and an outdoor prayer area for 570 people.
The women’s prayer hall accommodates 145 worshippers, raising the mosque’s total capacity to 1,325.
Sheikh Sultan performed the Maghrib prayer - held each day after sunset and marking the end of the daily fast in Ramadan - during his visit.
The opening of the place of worship supports a broader drive in the emirate to construct and renovate dozens of mosques to serve communities.
Sharjah opened 20 new mosques in time for Ramadan last year, which collectively can accommodate more than 2,000 worshippers.
