Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque sees record-breaking visitors in 2024

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi had a big year in 2024, with 6,582,993 people visiting. This was 20% more than the year before. Out of these, 2,259,275 were worshippers and people fasting, while 4,262,781 were tourists. The mosque’s jogging track also had 60,937 people using it, showing that the mosque is a place for both prayer and relaxation.

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Among the worshippers, 281,941 came for Friday prayers, while 709,875 joined the daily prayers. During Ramadan and Eid, 617,458 people prayed at the mosque. The 27th night of Ramadan (April 5) saw a record crowd of 87,186 people, including 70,680 worshippers—the most ever in the mosque’s history.

As part of its Our Fasting Guests program, the mosque gave out 2,150,000 iftar meals. Of these, 650,001 meals were served at the mosque, and 1.5 million meals were sent to labour camps in Abu Dhabi. During the last 10 nights of Ramadan, the mosque also gave 30,000 suhoor meals to those fasting.

In 2024, 81% of visitors were tourists from other countries, while 19% were people living in the UAE. Most visitors came from Asia (52%), followed by Europe (33%), North America (8%), Africa (3%), South America (3%), and Australia (1%). The top nationality was India, with 841,980 visitors, followed by China (397,048), Russia (293,667), the US (204,018), Germany (149,277), the UK (127,691), France (124,691), Italy (113,204), Pakistan (104,166), and the Philippines (86,898).

The busiest day was the second day of Eid al-Fitr (April 11), when 32,722 people came for prayers and sightseeing. Throughout the year, the mosque’s tour guides led 5,607 guided tours, with 75,752 people joining. The mosque also arranged 1,510 special tours for official groups, with 23,951 people taking part in experiences that showed the mosque’s religious, cultural, and design importance.

The mosque hosted 309 important groups, including 8 heads of state, a vice president, 3 state governors, 4 sheikhs and princes, 9 prime ministers, 7 deputy prime ministers, 11 parliament speakers, 63 ministers, 18 deputy ministers, 49 ambassadors and consuls, and 10 deputy ambassadors and consuls. It also welcomed 5 religious groups, 62 military groups, and 54 official groups from different places. All visitors went on cultural tours, where they learned about the mosque’s message of peace and kindness, along with its Islamic design and services.

In 2024, the mosque introduced new ways for visitors to explore. The Unseen Glimpses tour took visitors on rides in small electric cars, showing hidden details of the mosque’s design that are not usually part of regular tours. The Sura evening tour, held from 10 pm to 8 am, allowed guests, including transit travelers, to enjoy the mosque’s calm and peaceful night atmosphere. Visitors also saw how the mosque is cleaned and cared for at night.

To help people explore on their own, the mosque launched El-Delleel, a digital guide in 14 languages, which gave virtual tours and shared information about the mosque. The mosque’s Souq Al Jami’, a shopping area, had 50 stores, including restaurants, shops, kiosks, and play areas, offering visitors a fun place to eat and shop.

In 2024, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister, opened the Light & Peace Museum at the mosque. The museum’s highlight was the Diya – A Universe of Light, a 360-degree light show with sound and wind effects, creating a magical experience for visitors. The museum had five parts: Tolerance – A Guiding Light, Sanctity and Worship – The Three Grand Mosques, Precision and Beauty – The Spirit of Invention, Tolerance and Openness – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and Universal Coexistence. There was also a special section for children with fun and educational activities. Since it opened in November 2024, the museum has welcomed 9,728 visitors, including leaders, scholars, and people interested in Islamic art and history.

The mosque also created short educational videos to teach about Islam. The Kursi Al Jami series explained topics like the best times to pray, the meaning of the call to prayer, and the teachings of Quranic verses, along with stories from Islamic history. The Wamda Fiqhiyyah series, with UAE religious scholars, covered religious lessons in simple language, making it easier for people to understand.

The mosque also continued its usual series, including The Beautiful Names of Allah, Minbar Al Jami, Architecture and Arts, and Gheras Al-Qiyam. It shared pieces from old and valuable books through its Rare Books series and displayed ancient Islamic texts in the Manuscripts series. In 2024, the mosque released 115 educational videos, helping spread Islamic knowledge.

The mosque also published the book Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: A Lights of Peace, which had beautiful photos from the Spaces of Light Photography Award, showing the mosque’s stunning beauty. It also released the Light & Peace Museum Catalogue and the Al-Andalus: History and Civilisation Exhibition Catalogue, promoting Islamic heritage and culture.

In 2024, the mosque expanded its Hijri Calendar project by creating wall and desk calendars showing Islamic dates and prayer times. It also introduced the Interactive Roznamah, a smart calendar app that lets people easily check prayer times.

Because of its many efforts, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was ranked among the top 1% of tourist sites in the world and was named the best cultural and historical place in the Middle East by TripAdvisor.