UAE then and now: Images of Jumeirah Mosque show a Dubai on the cusp of change

Use our interactive slider to explore one of the UAE's most historic places of worship

Today, life in the Emirates moves in the fast lane. In a new regular series to mark the 50th anniversary of the UAE we take a little trip back in time and see just how much the country has changed.

With a prime location on fashionable Beach Road, the Jumeirah Mosque is a familiar site to generations of Dubai residents, and also to many thousands of visitors to the city.

A gift from the former Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, the mosque, and the accompanying Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, are a gateway to those seeking deeper knowledge of Islam and life in the UAE.

As with Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Jumeirah Mosque is open to visitors from other faiths, operating regular organised tours.

In the first photograph, the mosque is seen under construction in 1977, complete with an American “gas guzzler” car heading towards the centre of town.

In those days, Jumeirah, already becoming a desirable residential area, was transforming from a fishing village to a suburb of Dubai. Travelling in the other direction would eventually take you to Chicago Beach, a gated community for the emirate's offshore oil workers and later a popular resort hotel.

Today it is the site of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, although the name has survived as an Emarat petrol station.

The mosque was completed in 1979. Architecturally, it draws from the Fatimid Caliphate of Syria and Egypt, with a large central dome, twin minarets and elaborate stonework, whose intricacies are best viewed in the nighttime illuminations.

It can accommodate up to 1,500 worshippers but its mission is much greater than that, as expressed with the philosophy "open doors, open minds".

Since the late 1990s, the mosque has operated guided tours six days a week – Fridays are reserved for worship – along with a cup of gahwa Arabic coffee and traditional Emirati light refreshments.

It works in tandem with the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, founded in 1998 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the current Ruler. The centre is a non-profit organisation which offers everything from guided walking tours to talks and exhibitions.

The good news is that despite Covid-19, guided tours have resumed at the mosque.

Jumeirah: Dubai's best-known beachside suburb

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  Kite Beach in Umm Suqeim is one of the most popular recreational areas of Dubai, with numerous restaurants, cafes, shops and water sports kiosks. Pawan Singh / The National

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  The beach is a key attraction for Dubai residents looking to live in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Market and restaurant area at Kite Beach in the Umm Suqeim area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Estate agent, Harry Tregoning is the founder of Tregoning Property. Pictured at Kite Beach in the Umm Suqeim area of Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Umm Suqeim Park is a popular location for picnics and children's playtime. It is right next to Sunset Beach in the Umm Suqeim area of Dubai, with views of the Burj Al Arab and the sea. Pawan Singh / The National

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  View of the Jumeirah Beach Boad in the Umm Suqeim area of Dubai. This is the arterial road that runs from Umm Suqeim, all the way up into Jumeirah near the Water Canal. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Tourists and residents can hire boats and jet skis in one of the many 'fishing villages' along in the coast of Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. This is the market, water sports and restaurant area of the P&O Marina in Umm Suqeim. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Jet skis setting off for a tour of the Dubai coastline, from the water sports and restaurant area at the P&O Marina in Umm Suqeim, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Most of the big supermarket chains are well represented in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. This is the Spinneys Centre on the corner of Al Wasl and Um Al Sheif Road in Umm Suqeim. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Most residences in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim are low-rise villas. Many have private pools and gardens. There are also compound communities with town houses and shared facilities. Pawan Singh / The National

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  The popular jogging track runs along the beach from Umm Suqeim Park, all the way up past the Water Canal, into Jumeirah. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Glimpses of old Dubai - a view of the flower shop near Safa Park 2 in the Umm Suqeim area in Dubai. The area is a mix of expats and local Emiratis. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Safa Park 2 in Umm Suqeim is a huge draw for families with children, as it contains several climbing frames. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah are established areas of Dubai, with mature gardens and parks. Pawan Singh / The National

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  A view of the harbour from one of the fishing villages along the coast of Umm Suqeim. Pawan Singh / The National