United Arab Emirates Renames Mosque in Honor of the Virgin Mary
A mosque in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been renamed in honor of the Virgin Mary. Located in Al Mushrif district in Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Mosque is now known as "Mariam, Umm Eisa," which in Arabic means "Mary, Mother of Jesus."
Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, requested the change of name to "consolidate bonds of humanity between followers of different religions" and to show that his nation is open to people of different faiths.
The change of name was officially done on June 14, which coincided with the Zayed Humanitarian Day. The Blessed Virgin Mary is considered one of the most esteemed women in Islam and is among only eight people to have a Qur'anic chapter named after them.
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Despite having Islam as its official state religion, UAE boasts of having a tolerant society, being a destination for both tourists as well as foreign workers who would like to have places to worship within their own faith. There are also people of over 200 nationalities living in UAE who are free to practice their own religions.
Last February, the government founded the Ministry of Tolerance which participated in regional and international initiatives to promote tolerance and coexistence. The cabinet also approved a national tolerance program in June 2016, reaffirming respect for others as a key value of the nation.
The week before, St. George Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Simhasana Cathedral in Al Ain became one of the first churches in UAE to host Friday Islamic prayers. More than 200 Muslim workers went to the church to pray and were fed afterward by church members who prepared food.
"It was the first time, at least in the UAE, that a church opened its doors for Muslim prayers. All of them said that it was the first time they had offered prayers in another religious shrine. They said it was their privilege and thanked us for this rare opportunity," Bobin Skariya, convener of the Iftar Committee, said.
