Today's Edition
Khaled Al Khawaldeh (Abu Dhabi)
As the holy month of Ramadan approaches its final stretch, Muslims around the world head to mosques to maximise the gains of worship in the last days of the holy month, a time of heightened spiritual importance.
Many of them will be there to perform the “Qiyam Al Layl” which roughly translates to “standing during the night”, prayers that extend across the night, and traditionally conducted in the last 10 days of the holy month.
The last 10 days of Ramadan are particularly cherished due to “the Night of Decree”, or “Laylat Al Qadr”, which occurs during this time. Millions of Muslims around the country and the world are expected to head to their local mosques.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, which received half a million visitors in the first half of the year, is certainly sparing no expense in its preparations, placing mobile information stations across its grounds to accommodate the surge of worshippers while doubling its staff to efficiently handle the calls.
The mosque’s exterior courtyard has also been fitted with approximately 1,500 carpets and standby ambulances in case of emergencies. One of the most notable practices during the last 10 days of Ramadan is I’tikaf, a spiritual retreat where Muslims seclude themselves in the mosque for intensive worship and reflection.
Many mosques offer places of refuge for the last 10 days, to those who choose not to leave their worship at all.
