The Ruler of Sharjah has officially opened the emirate’s largest mosque, which can accommodate up to 25,000 worshippers. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, who inaugurated the building on Friday, ordered the construction of Sharjah Mosque, located in Al Tay, in 2014.It cost Dh300 million to build. The site covers an area of around 186,000 square metres, including the mosque’s outdoor gardens. The building, designed in an Ottoman style, can accommodate more than 5,000 worshippers in the main indoor hall alone, 610 women in a dedicated female pavilion and many thousands more outside. There is a dedicated residence for the imam of the mosque and the muezzin on site, as well as a path for walking round the mosque, and a souvenir shop. Non-Muslims are welcome to visit. There are thousands of car parking spaces on site and 100 wheelchairs available for sick and elderly visitors. Located on Emirates Road and Malihah Road, the mosque will serve passersby, as well as the areas of Tay, Seouh, Badea, Hawshi and Juwaiza. The Central Bank of the UAE issued two new commemorative coins to celebrate the opening of the mosque on Friday.