In a bid to promote a stronger bond between people of different religion, the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of United Arab Emirates, has been renamed "Mariam, Umm Eisa," which translates to "Mary, mother of Jesus."
The mosque was renamed on the orders of Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Abu Dhabi crown prince and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, with an aim to "consolidate bonds between followers of different faiths."
After the name was changed, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, minister of state for tolerance thanked Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed for taking the decision and said that the "initiative set a shining example, and a beautiful image of the tolerance and coexistence enjoyed by the UAE," reported Gulf News.
The area, where the mosque is situated, also has an Anglican church – St Andrews Church – and its senior chaplain explained his joy over the news. "We are delighted that we are celebrating something that we have in common between both our faiths," he told the website.
"Mary, as the mother of Jesus, is of course a holy, special figure in our communities. She is a woman who symbolises obedience to God. We look forward to growing in deeper understanding with our neighbours, and we celebrate with them the new name of the mosque."
Another senior pastor of the Evangelical Community Church also welcomed the news and said that it was a very generous gesture by the crown prince.
Meanwhile, the UAE now has a tolerance charter and is working towards promoting tolerance and a bond among people of various religions. In 2015, UAE rulers had announced their plans to build a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi that will host Hindu, Buddhist as well as Jain worshippers.
The crown prince of Abu Dhabi also met the Pope in September 2016 and discussed the importance of religious tolerance.
