RAS AL KHAIMAH // Some came on camels, some rode donkeys and a third group simply walked on foot to join dozens of other worshippers as they made their way from their villages for the congregational Friday prayer at Fahlain mosque.
Today, in the heart of lush palm gardens, at the foot of Wadi Naqabi, stand the crumbling walls of the once majestic stone structure.
"The story of this mosque is in the way it was built," said Ahmad Hilal, an archaeologist studying the structure.
Thought to be built in the late 17th century, the mosque had one fatal flaw: it was poorly constructed.
"Maybe he was rushed," said Mr Hilal, of the building's engineer. "We really don't think he knew what he was doing."
It was more than 70 years ago when the last prayers and sermons were held at this mosque, located on route between the desert and the RAK coast. It was eventually abandoned because of its deteriorating walls.
Made of stones from the wadi and gypsum, there are plans to reconstruct it in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Dubai.
Before that can happen, a team of three archaeologists from RAK's Department of Antiquities and Museums are busy recording its history.
It was surveyed by experts in 1995, then 2000, before being taken up again in 2009 with plans of restoration. Three weeks ago, a new find revealed the mosque may be even older than previously thought.
"We found a mud brick wall, about two metres underground, that is at the same level as where pieces of pottery dating to the 13th century were found," said Mr Hilal. "It is too early to make any judgments, but with more digging, we are discovering more layers to the story of this mosque."
Two-thirds of the 30m by 10m structure have collapsed, with cracks believed to have first appeared just a few decades after its construction. Built for the villages of the Fahlain oasis, where mainly members of the Naqabi tribe live, about 150 worshippers would have been accommodated inside.
Based on oral history, one of the theories is that the amir, or prince, of the area took a builder with him to Saudi Arabia to see the kind of mosques constructed there, and build a similar one here, said Mr Hilal.
The mosque attempted a style typical of that seen in eastern parts of Saudi Arabia or Oman, featuring simple, pointed arches.
"He was able to copy the design, but not the technique, as he ended up adding supports to the arches over time to keep them from collapsing," said Mr Hilal.
Besides having to add support to the existing structure, the mosque was built too near water channels, prompting the pillars to sink into the soil over time.
The team of experts has searched through the elders and records of the area for the name of the engineer, or "uztaz" as he would have been called back then, behind the project.
"It would be great if we could trace it back to a name," he said. "This man's legacy is a truly beautiful mosque, despite its unstable foundation."
This design was the first to be attempted on such a scale in the UAE, and it was also the last, due to its failure.
"There is no mosque like it in the UAE," said Mr Hilal.
It is said that the worshippers had their sins forgiven between weekly Friday prayer sessions, explaining their significance.
"It is more than a religious duty," said Dr Omar al Saleh, a Muslim scholar at the Sharjah College of Sharia and Islamic Studies.
"It helps bring Muslims together, allows them to meet and bond as they listen to the Friday sermon and discuss it later," he said.
Throughout Islamic history, the bigger mosques would be used for Friday prayers, with the smaller ones left for the daily five prayers.
"The Friday prayer is one of the few times the Muslims can ask about each other and be like a big family, where the more fortunate can help the less fortunate," said Dr al Saleh.
While it is still in the planning stages, experts are hoping to revive the old purpose of the Fahlain mosque by beginning restoration early next year.
"It is a long process, and we are a small team," said Mr Hilal. "But once restored, I am sure worshippers will come back to it again."
