Additional mosques in Ajman relieve overcrowding issues

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments has opened 10 mosques in Ajman in the past year, bringing the total in the emirate to 303.

Worshippers prepare for noon prayers in Ajman outside Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Antonie Robertson / The National

AJMAN // Worshippers in Ajman say that overcrowding during Friday prayers has been eased with the addition of 10 new mosques built in the emirate since last year.

The General Authority of ­Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) in Ajman opened the mosques, which took the number in the emirate to 303.

An Awqaf spokesman said that each could accommodate between 600 and 2,000 worshippers. The biggest, Sheikh Zayed Mosque, can hold 2,500.

“The number of mosques in each area depends on the density of population and the unavailability of mosques. Even in the new areas we coordinate with the municipality to provide spaces for mosques,” he said. “And the space between mosques in an area is not more than 500 metres.”

Worshippers said overcrowding in recent years had meant that many prayed in the streets outside mosques on Fridays. The new additions, therefore, were welcomed.

Mohammed Ahmed, a Sudanese sales manager who has lived in Ajman for seven years, said there were no issues with people having to pray outside for Taraweeh prayers, the evening Ramadan prayer. During Friday prayers, however, it was an issue.

“The mosques can accommodate all worshippers and no one prays outside for Taraweeh prayers. But for dhuhr prayers on Fridays you find some worshippers pray outside, [partly because] Friday prayers is not performed in all mosques, there are specific mosques for it,” the 35-year-old said. Mr Ahmed said he had prayed in many mosques in Ajman, including at Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Amina bint Ahmed Al Ghurair Mosque in Al Safia, and others in Al Nuaimiya, Al Jurf, Corniche and Al Suwan.

Mahmoud Taha, a 26-year-old civil engineer said there was no overcrowding in mosques during Ramadan. On Fridays, however, there was because not all mosques were for Friday prayers.

“The number of mosques in each area in the emirate is now enough to accommodate the area’s residents,” the Moroccan said.

Yousef Sehwail, 28, said that the mosque in his neighbourhood was overcrowded three years ago.

“I have lived in Al Nuaimiya 2 for 20 years and the mosque that I go to had this problem before,” the Jordanian said. “But the issue was solved as a new one was built near to it, so the worshippers started dividing themselves between the two, especially on Fridays.”