On the banks of the palm tree-lined Khalid Lagoon sits the majestic Al Noor Mosque. The landmark on the Buhaira Corniche in Sharjah was built under the patronage of the wife of Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi.
It was completed in 2005, with space for more than 2,000 worshippers at a time. It has since become one of the city’s most recognisable mosques and an architectural must-see for tourists.
The Arabic word noor translates to light, an element that is intrinsically connected to Islamic culture, representing divine guidance and knowledge. Therefore, the name of the mosque itself connects to the idea of seeking enlightenment and knowledge.
While Al Noor Mosque is grand and impressive, a closer look at its design reveals a thoughtful approach to melding decorative elements with clean, modern architectural lines and shapes. Its Ottoman design was influenced by the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, more commonly known as the Blue Mosque, in Istanbul.
The Turkish mosque's grand scale, harmonious proportions and lavish decorative elements are trademark features of the classical Ottoman style. From slender minarets and large domes to intricate tile work, vibrant colours and geometric patterns, the style, which reached its height in the early 17th century in the region, is perhaps one most recognised globally as “Islamic".
Al Noor Mosque takes its cues from these stylistic features, though on a much smaller and simplified scale but no less refined or grand in its presence. Cascading domes, 34 in total, sit on top of the structure. Covered with a delicate and graphic standing seam checked pattern, the central dome weighs approximately 100 tonnes and is supported by four main marble pillars.
The central dome is surrounded by several half domes and four small cupola domes in the corners. Most of these are lined with rounded arch windows.
The domes sit between two towering minarets, which face the main entrance of the mosque. Graceful and slender, the 52-metre high minarets are cylindrical and fluted, with no balconies and are decorated with floral geometric designs and crowned with a conical peak. They exemplify the atypical minarets of the Ottoman style.
Ornamental parapets with a floral motif line the edges of the rectilinear base of the structure. These create a marked distinction between the soft shapes of the domes and the cylindrical shape of the minarets against the hard-lined rectangular elements of the mosque’s foundation. The floral motif also connects these two sections, stylistically creating balance and cohesion.
In contrast to the top of the structure, the base of the mosque is modest with its clean brick lines, three oriental arches and slender pillars. The colour is a light beige with accents of pale blue, both of which serenely reflect the environment from the water of Khaled Lagoon to the sand on its banks as seen from the other side of the lake.
Al Noor Mosque is one of the few mosques that’s open to the public with tours available for individuals and groups. The tours include a guided talk about the mosque’s architecture, Islamic culture and Emirati history and heritage.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
More on Quran memorisation:
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
The five pillars of Islam
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
