Abrahamic Family House: UAE prepares to open its multi-faith place of worship

 

Called Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith compound on Saadiyat Island in the Emirati capital city of Abu Dhabi housing a mosque, church, and synagogue was inaugurated Thursday. It will be open to the public from March 1. Residents and visitors must make prior bookings before their visit.

Hailing the compound as a celebration of the UAE’s tolerant values, President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan highlighted that the country remains “committed to harnessing the power of mutual respect, understanding, and diversity to achieve shared progress.”

The three iconic houses of worship inside the compound – Imam Al Tayeb Mosque, St. Francis Church, and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue – were named after Dr. Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar; Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church; and Moses Ben Maimon, 12th-century Jewish philosopher.

Abrahamic Family House has been designed by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, who described Abu Dhabi’s decision to commission him to design the multi-faith centre as a “profound moment”.

Its design captures the values shared between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

The complex “builds bridges between human civilisations and heavenly messages,” the emirate’s government had mentioned earlier.

The project was first announced in 2019 by Sheikh Mohamed, who was the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time. Its construction in the capital of the UAE – a country known for sheltering scores of different nationalities that practice dozens of different faiths – was particularly special, said officials.

Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House underscores the UAE’s growing focus on offering a welcoming home to people of all cultures and faiths.

The capital city’s historic Hindu temple is also due to open in February next year. The decision to provide land to build the temple was first announced by the UAE government in 2015, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official visit to the country.