Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque receives record number of worshipers

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi received 70,000 worshippers for prayers on Saturday. (WAM)

• The surge of worshippers came in anticipation of Laylat Al-Qadr

DUBAI: The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi witnessed a record-breaking attendance on the 27th night of Ramadan (Saturday), attracting 70,000 worshippers for prayers, Emirates News Agency reported.
The surge of worshippers came in anticipation of Laylat Al-Qadr, a sacred night in the Islamic calendar, which commemorates the night on which the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
Although its exact date is not known, it is believed to fall on one of the odd-numbered nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan.
To accommodate the influx of people, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center implemented extensive preparations, collaborating with various governmental bodies.
Among the services provided were 33,500 iftar meals and an increase in the availability of water bottles.
It also introduced more than 70 electric vehicles for transporting worshippers from parking areas to prayer spaces and arranged special prayer sections for women, with the mosque’s courtyard also being carpeted for the occasion.
Anticipating a high turnout, the center also increased the parking capacity by 1,800 spots, totaling 8,379 spaces.
A shuttle bus service, coordinated with the Integrated Transport Center, was established to ease the flow of traffic around the mosque and its access points.
The volunteer workforce was significantly expanded to more than 580 people, encompassing members of the Emirates Red Crescent, the “Absher Ya Watan” volunteer team, police, paramedics, civil defense staff, and additional support personnel.
The surge of worshippers also extended beyond the capital, with the Sheikh Khalifa Grand Mosque in Al-Ain and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Fujairah also receiving 28,850 and 13,634 worshippers, respectively.