Thomas and Christine Schirrmacher, religious scholars responsible for the dialogue of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) with other religions, have visited mosques in Kuwait and the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On their journey through Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ra’s al Chaima, Sharjah, and Umm al Qaiwain they conducted numerous dialogue talks. The mosques they visited included:
- the Masjid al Kabir (= “Great Mosque”) in Kuwait,
- the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (= “White Mosque”) in Abu Dhabi,
- the Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai,
- the Great Mosque of Dibba al Hisn of Sharjah,
- the Sheikh Zayed Mosque of Fujairah,
- the Al Badiyah Mosque, Fujairah, the oldest UAE mosque dating from 1446.

Dialogue in the Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai © BQ/Schirrmacher
They also attended a worship service on the beach of Dubai under the Burj al Arab. The worship service was a result of the Pope’s visit to Abu Dhabi, in which Schirrmacher participated. Thomas Schirrmacher also participated in the two major dialogue conferences, the second in connection with the Pope’s visit. Schirrmacher was pleased that the talks with the government of Abu Dhabi in the context of the dialogue conferences also showed fruits for the liberties of foreign Protestants.
In the UAE there live 9.6 million people, only 1.06 million of which are citizens. Less than a quarter of people living there are Arabs. 8.9 million are labour migrants from about 200 countries, 60 percent of them from South Asia, mainly Indians (3.5 million), Egyptians (0.93 million), Bangladeshis and Pakistanis (1.76 million), and Philippinos (0.56 million).
- Dialogue in the Masjid al Kabir (= “Great Mosque”) in Kuwait © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Masjid al Kabir (= “Great Mosque”) in Kuwait © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Parliament of Kuwait © BQ/Schirrmacher
- Kuwait’s landmark, the water towers © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Sheikh Zayed Mosque (= “White Mosque”) in Abu Dhabi © BQ/Schirrmacher
- Thomas Schirrmacher in the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (= “White Mosque”) in Abu Dhabi © BQ/Schirrmacher
- Dialogue in the Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai © BQ/Schirrmacher
- View from Burj Khalifa (Dubai Tower) © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Great Mosque of Dibba al Hisn of Sharjah © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Sheikh Zayed Mosque of Fujairah © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Al Badiyah Mosque, Fujairah, the UAE’s oldest mosque from 1446 © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Al Badiyah Mosque, Fujairah, the UAE’s oldest mosque from 1446 © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Al Badiyah Mosque, Fujairah, the UAE’s oldest mosque from 1446 © BQ/Schirrmacher
- The Al Badiyah Mosque, Fujairah, the UAE’s oldest mosque from 1446 © BQ/Schirrmacher
- Sunrise Service at the beach of Dubai at Burj Khalifa © BQ/Schirrmacher
- Sunrise Service at the beach of Dubai at Burj Khalifa © BQ/Schirrmacher
- Sunrise Service at the beach of Dubai at Burj Khalifa © BQ/Schirrmacher

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