The head of the Abu Dhabi Community Development Department, Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, confirmed that the department intends to open a new multi-religious room during the coming period, in addition to the two rooms currently located at Abu Dhabi Airport, and the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Hospital.
Al-Khaili stated that last year witnessed the delivery of 18 non-Muslim homes of worship to 16 businesses and two temples, and the opening of two multi-religious prayer rooms, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s efforts to enhance the principles of human brotherhood, love, and harmony among the segments of society, thus contributing to enhancing its reputation at both levels. Regional and global, as an advocate of peace, societal harmony and human fraternity.
He told «Emirates Today» that the places of worship in Abu Dhabi existed for decades, and is one of the historical and civilizational evidence of the emirate, as it embraces the Church of “St. Joseph”, which was established since the sixties of the last century, in addition to what was discovered on the site of the church and monastery «Sir Bani Yas It is the first discovered Christian site in the state, noting that “non-Muslims’ places of worship reflect the harmony and harmony experienced by Abu Dhabi society, as well as the unified identity of society, and highlight the religious, cultural and demographic diversity, and the extent of social harmony and integration that characterizes the Emirate’s society throughout its history. ” .
He added: "The timeline of the history of places of worship in Abu Dhabi reflects the extent of societal interconnection among religious subjects in the Emirates for decades, and the extent of coexistence and brotherhood among individuals is highlighted." He pointed out that "the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi is working to put the legal frameworks organized to establish and organize the role of Worship in the emirate, and its licensing according to the approved standards and conditions, without prejudice to the authenticity of the Emirati customs and traditions emanating from the framework of the teachings of the true Islamic religion ».
Al Khaili stressed that the UAE had an honorable record in spreading concepts of tolerance at the level of the region and the world, which enabled it to become a global center for peace and human brotherhood, in which the individual has full rights to life, work and live in dignity. He pointed out that the "multi-religious worship room" initiative is one of the community initiatives implemented by the department, and reflects the prestigious position that the state enjoys as a global destination that millions of people aim to live, work, invest and treat. The initiative is also an extension of the efforts made by the department as the organizer of the places of worship in the emirate.
He added that the first room was launched at Abu Dhabi airport, with the aim of giving citizens of other religions freedom to practice their religious rituals, as the multi-religious worship room serves non-Muslims traveling through the airport, and "transit" travelers, in addition to workers at the airport from the people of other religions. The department also opened the second room, in cooperation with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
It plans to open a third room for multi-religious worship in the coming period. Khalifa University had launched the first virtual guide to a cemetery for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi, gathering its students and documenting information about the Sas Al Nakhl Cemetery (Umm Al Nar) and famous personalities from the different religions buried there, and they designed touch screens that provide a complete picture and information about each grave.
The screens provide details of the characters who died during the period from the early 1960s until 2012.
Al Khaili stressed that the presence of the cemetery since 1962 indicates the interest of the Emirati leadership at an early date in the history of the union with the values of tolerance and respect for religions and beliefs, and that what is happening today is an extension of the historical heritage from generation to generation, praising the efforts of Khalifa University and the team that produced this human idea, The embodiment of the UAE reality and its leadership, which reinforced the meanings of coexistence and tolerance.
15 religions
The Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi confirmed that about 450 figures, from 15 different religions, were buried in the Sas Al Nakhl (Umm Al Nar) cemetery between 1963 and 2012.
The default directory
The virtual guide consists of electronic touch screens, providing important details about the various religious personalities buried in the cemetery, reflecting the distinguished religious diversity and values of tolerance in the Emirates.
Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al-Khaili:
"The presence of the cemetery since 1962 indicates the interest of the Emirati leadership in the values of tolerance early in the history of the union."