Al Noor Mosque (Arabic: جَامِع ٱلنُّوْر, romanized: Jāmiʿ An-Nūr) is a mosque in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, located on the Khaled lagoon at the Buhaira Corniche. It is of Turkish Ottoman design and was influenced by the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Turkey.
In 2014 the mosque set a Guinness World Record for the “World’s largest wooden charity box” for their Ramadan donation campaign.
Designated the “Capital of Islamic culture in 2014,” the emirate of Sharjah is home to no less than 600 mosques, but only one of those is open to non-Muslims. The Al Noor Mosque on Buhairah Corniche became the first mosque in Sharjah to welcome visitors in 2005.
Located on the banks of the Khalid Lagoon, the Al Noor Mosque is one of the most picturesque in the U.A.E., inspired by the architecture of the iconic Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The exterior consists of 34 beautiful cascading domes, semi domes, and thin minarets, reminiscent of the classical Turkish Ottoman style of architecture.
The mosque has the capacity to hold 2200 people with a separate ladies section. During the holy month of Ramadan, worshippers come from as far as Morocco and Algeria to pay their respects.
Al Noor Mosque is a place of worship open to public and a popular Islamic tourism destination. It is an an iconic landmark along the Sharjah corniche, with cascading domes and two towering minarets in the Ottoman style.
The interior of the mosque is etched with intricate calligraphy of verses from the Holy Quran. As a popular Sharjah tourist place, the mosque offers Emirati traditional dress for visitors in the entrance area.
Whether you’re visiting the mosque by yourself, in a group or with family, the tour is highly recommended. Guides talk about Islamic culture, Emirati history and heritage and the mosque’s spectacular architecture.
At the end of the tour, adults and children also have the opportunity to ask questions. You can take photographs in Al Noor Mosque, so don’t forget to bring your camera. The mosque makes a perfect backdrop for a picture, so take a family photograph here as one of your things to do with kids.
Before sunset, visit the Al Noor Island which is just across the water. Here, you can see the famous butterfly garden and contemporary art installations. After the sun sets, take a look at the mosque beautifully lit up to highlight the opulent architecture.
Located right along the corniche, it is also one of the popular places to visit in Sharjah at night. Locals often pass by the mosque in the evening en route to one of the many parks in Sharjah.