Ramadan tours at mosque

Tourism authority to adapt tours at Sheikh Zayed mosque to teach visitors about the holy month.

ABU DHABI // Tourists visiting the capital's Sheikh Zayed mosque next month will be able to find out more about Ramadan in a series of free guided tours. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, which already operates guided visits through the landmark, will adapt the tours during the Muslim holy month to teach visitors more about its significance. "Though the mosque receives a greater number of worshippers during Ramadan, we have agreed the tours should continue with our highly trained guides building aspects of the traditions of this special time into their delivery of the experience," said Nasser al Reyami, the director of tourism standards at tourism authority.

"The adapted tour is greatly in keeping with the spirit of cross-cultural understanding, which the building of the mosque and its opening to the public represent." The hour-long tours will start daily at 10am and run throughout Ramadan, which is expected to begin in the UAE on Aug 22. Tens of thousands of people have visited the mosque since the complimentary tours began 18 months ago. The mosque can fit up to 40,000 worshippers.