ABU DHABI - Arabstoday
A visit was organised for 100 girls from three schools in Abu Dhabi to tour the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as part of a an educational program on the life and legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, shedding light on the UAE founder\'s generous personality and great accomplishments for his country. The girls were from \"Al Jawhara Al Mushtaraka\" school in Abu Dhabi, \"Al Jasamina\" school in Abu Dhabi, and \"Al Emirate Al Wataniya\" school in Al Ain. The visit also aimed to introduce them to the Mosque, which symbolises the beauty of Islamic architecture and its special features in Abu Dhabi. During the visit, a cultural guide from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) gave a brief background to the designs of the Mosque and the Islamic decorations that are painted and carved on its walls, shedding light on the historical eras they represent. The girls, who were also taught the customary way of entering a mosque, read the Fatiha (Opening) chapter from the holy Quran by the tomb of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan at the Mosque, as is the tradition when praying for the souls of the departed. The SZGMC of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs is sponsored and supervised by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. It was established to be at the heart of a cultural and intellectual movement that expresses the cultural values and concepts enshrined by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which are rooted in UAE national identity and inspired by the teachings of Islam.