Abu Dhabi Tourism banks on Moslems, Jews and Christians praying to the same God

Moslems, Jews and Christians are in this together in Abu Dhabi
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A Mosque, a Synagogue, and a Church will be built together in Abu Dhabi and will become neighbors to the Louvre museum allowing Moslems, Jews, and Christians to worship.

Abu Dhabi was known as a conservative travel and tourism destination, and this may change. Moslems, Jews, and Christians are praying to the same God, and with the help of British architecture firm Adjaye Associates, this will be demonstrated in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Freedom of religion in the United Arab Emirates will also turn into a major tourist attraction. The UAEย  has shown to put their money behind their action and right next to the famous Louvre museum.

Three rectangular buildings, each with different, soaring, external cagework symbolizing the three religionsโ€™ differing but similar striving towards the one God they worship

Besides their monotheism, all three share Abraham as a key figure: the Jews because he was the man to whom God pledged the promised land; the Christians and Muslims because the story of the sacrifice of Abraham and Isaac is a symbol of obedience to God. A rabbi has been appointed from New York University Abu Dhabi for the synagogue and the church and mosque will have their own clerics.

Abu Dhabi Tourism banks on Moslems, Jews and Christians praying to the same God

Abu Dhabi Tourism banks on Moslems, Jews and Christians praying to the same God

Abu Dhabi Tourism banks on Moslems, Jews and Christians praying to the same God

Church

The commissioning body is the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, set up after Pope Francis and Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar University in Cairoโ€”the closest to an ultimate authority for Sunni Muslimsโ€”signed the Document of Human Fraternity in February this year. Pope Francis was presented with the designs at the Vatican in early November.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, which forbids any public manifestation of religions other than Islam, the UAE has a tradition of tolerance dating back to its founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who ruled from 1971 to 2004. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan has financed excavations of a Christian monastery, and in 2016 he pronounced iconoclasm to be โ€œrejected by all God-given religionsโ€ after the destruction of monuments by Islamic State.

The project hopes to embody the relationship between the three faiths while providing a platform for dialogue, understanding, and coexistence.

The site will serve as a community for inter-religious dialogue and exchange, nurturing the values of peaceful co-existence and acceptance among different beliefs, nationalities, and cultures.ย within each of the houses of worship, visitors will have the opportunity to observe religious services, listen to holy scripture, and experience sacred rituals. the fourth space โ€” not affiliated with any specific religion โ€” will serve as a center for all people of goodwill to come together as one. the community will also offer educational and event-based programming.

This year has been proclaimed the Year of Tolerance by the UAE government and in September 18 non-Muslim places of worship in the various emirates are open.

Abu Dhabi is also gives a home away from home to U.S. Homeland Security allowing passengers flying on the National Carrier Etihad Airways to finalize U.S. immigration and Customs in Abu Dhabi, allowing Etihad planes to arrive in the United States as domestic flights.

A similar project House of One is being built in the German Capital City Berlin.

 

 

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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