Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman, Al Habtoor Group and Founder of the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation (KAHF) welcomed a delegation from the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department on Wednesday 28 September 2016. The delegation included Abdullah Obaid Al Dallal, Executive Director of Mosque Affairs; Mohammed Mehd Al Suwaid, Customer Service Manager and Nouf Al Madani, Manager of donor relations.
They discussed the role of the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities (IACAD), which was founded in 1969, to determine the overall policy of the Islamic affairs and charitable works in Dubai, spread Islamic knowledge and culture, and raise awareness across the community.
Khalaf Al Habtoor built the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque and Centre (AFMC) in 2011. It is one of the largest and considered to be among the most beautiful mosques in the UAE. Its architecture is modelled on the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. It can accommodate up to 2,000 worshippers.
Al Habtoor said he built the AFMC to be a place of worship as well as an Islamic education central, and told the group that it has also become a well-known landmark in Dubai for religious tourism with the support of the Dubai Tourism.
The delegation said the AFMC was a shining example of cleanliness and good organization.
The Chairman recommended standardizing levels of cleanliness throughout all Dubai’s mosques as well as security measures to guarantee the safety of worshippers and visitors. He also informed the delegation about regular events and activities organized by the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque & Centre including the scheduled events over Eid and Ramadan, and organized tours for schools and tourists.
“It is important to incorporate the whole community irrespective of religion. The Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque and Centre welcomes everyone. It acts as a bridge between East and West and informs non-Muslims about Islamic practices,” he said. He also expressed his willingness to build new mosques in the city.