Dubai: This 128-year-old mosque in Al Shindagha still hosts daily prayers
Al Shuyookh Mosque, with its thatched roof and a veranda, stands in a corner of the traditional Shindagha instead of Dubai. The building is a humble structure with a plaque outside stating that it was built in 1897. This has been place of prayers since past 128 years.
Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum, the grandfather of our current ruler, founded this mosque, said Ebrahim Musaliar, the mosque's imam for over three decades. "It is said to be among the oldest mosques built in the area, and for hosting Friday congregation prayers."
Sheikh Saeed succeeded his father to rule Dubai in 1912 and went on to be the longest-serving ruler of the emirate until his death in 1958. Ebrahim, who took charge of the mosque in 2005, said he had often heard stories from older Emirati worshippers about the former Dubai Ruler and his dedication to his people.
Committed leader
Former Imam Ehsan Khan said there were no pipes in those days so they had to carry water to the ablution area. Total completion may take a few minutes.” “I heard from some of the old-timers that Sheikh Saeed would rise way before Fajr and fill up the ablution tubs himself with water from the well so that when people came to pray they would find no difficulties. The mosque was constructed when he must have been about 19.
At the time, during the Friday congregation prayers, Sheikh Saeed had made abra services free, Imam Ebrahim added. Because it was the only mosque nearby that offered Jummah prayers, a number of people from Deira would also come here [to the Al Sakhra mosque] as well, he said. Sheikh Saeed made the abra journey free for those coming for prayers so that people find it easier to come. That meant for a few hours on Friday, anyone could walk across the creek to pray, then return to their jobs free of charge.'”
A chance arrival
Imam Ebrahim was accompanying an entrepreneur en route to perform the Umrah pilgrimage when he touched down in Dubai for the first time in 1990, as an Indian expat. Before that, he had spent years teaching children about faith and delivering spiritual talks back home.
The octogenarian recalled: “Some of my pupils came to see me when we stopped in Dubai. “Some of them claimed that the Awqaaf was holding tests to hire imams for mosques in Dubai. Since I was only here for a single day, my student promptly ordered a taxi and I was driven to the Awqaf office, where a mudeer (a manager) was sitting and giving me an oral exam. He told me to continue my way to do Umrah and that my work visa would be forwarded to my home.
He came to Dubai months later to work as an imam and was assigned to the mosque, which is one of the largest in the emirate. Ebrahim was among those to receive it when the visa was announced for mosque imams in 2022.
It is a great honour for the former president to be able to lead prayers here, he said. “I count it an honor that during my time I led the prayers of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and several times for Saudi’s King Salman.”
Despite the fact that more than six other masjids are within the vicinity, imam Ebrahim, and the Al Shuyookh Mosque, are central to the community. Every day, over 400 people come together here for iftar during the month of Ramadan. When the time is approaching for iftar I can pray there for everybody, he said.
“Certain individuals approach me to request certain duas. I pray for all of this. And many say they come back for the sense of community that this masjid, and this iftar, provides.
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