Abu Dhabi will begin construction on 15 new mosques this month at a cost of Dh45 million.
The Department of Municipalities and Transport will build seven in Abu Dhabi city, five in Al Ain and three in the Al Dhafra region.
They will serve 6,334 worshippers when full and are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
An additional five mosques were completed in Abu Dhabi in Ramadan.
The mosques are a part of the city’s strategic development and will help the “comfort and well-being” of residents, said Hamad Al Mutawa, the executive director of operations at the department.
The General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments has designated locations taking into consideration current and future population distribution patterns and approved two designs.
The mosques will be largest in Abu Dhabi city, where they will span a total area of 17,392 square metres.
In Al Ain and Al Dhafra, the mosques will cover 15,247 square metres and 9,219 square metres respectively.
Each mosque will have a woman’s prayer room, indoor and outdoor ablution areas, and accommodation for a muezzin and imam.
In 2013, the Abu Dhabi Executive Council decreed that all new mosques should be built in traditional Emirati vernacular and that new mosques should have prayer areas for women.
Places of worship reopened across the Emirates on July 1, after closing in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Several restrictions remain in place to keep worshippers safe from the virus. These include physical distancing, mandatory mask and glove use and a 30 per cent capacity cap.
Mosques reopen in the UAE:
