It is the most striking façade in the cityscape of Muscat. Despite its subdued, low rise composition, it instinctively draws your attention, even if the busy Baushar road is a part of one’s daily commute. The little arches and muted walls that subtly peek out through the foliage hemming the precinct act as snippets of the voluminous story inscribed within the hallowed structure. It draws you in, inviting you to experience the joys of human excellence in architecture and the binding notes of spiritual oneness within its spaces.
For residents of Muscat, the Grand Mosque, located in Wilayat of Baushar is an extension of the city itself. It is a monumental edifice that reflects the growth of the city – socially, culturally and economically – as one of the most developed cities in the world. While its distinct Islamic architecture reflects the historical significance of arches and domes in Oman, its glorious interiors, blended with Arabian flavours, encapsulate its rich cultural connection.
In compliance with the tone and spirit of the country’s architecture, it sprawls horizontally in soft tones of light and colour, as if it is wary of drawing undue attention to its magnificence. It is a silently imposing structure that urges you to take one step at a time to feel and experience its spiritual vibrancy. As if every little archway has a treasure to open up, adding to the conceptual excellence of the structure.
The enormity of the Mosque does take your breath away, but nothing prepares one for the inspiring décor and design elements engaged to create an aura of ethereal excellence within. It grabs all the senses, urging one to pause and reflect on the works of human craftsmanship. Every element has been incorporated with a deliberate focus on adding to the bigger picture.
Whether it is the chandelier that adorns men’s prayer room or the carpet that covers the main prayer hall, it is the whole picture that gets you before you realise how many little facets of human expertise have been incorporated in every inch of these masterpieces. The single piece of Persian carpet, which covers the prayer hall, is composed of 1,700 million knots; it covers an area of 4,200 square metres and weighs 21 tons. The chandelier is a work of art in every way possible. It measures 14 metres and weighs 8.5tons, with 600,000 Swarovski crystals.
The Mosque, as the Ministry of Tourism’s online portal, omantourism.gov.om, notes, covers an estimated 416,000 square metres of area and has the capacity to accommodate 20,000 worshippers (the main prayer room, which has a distinct square shape, can welcome 6,500 worshippers at a time). It has an interesting central dome that rises 50 metres from the floor and has a minaret that is striking in its magnificence.
The corridor archways feature Islamic geometric frameworks, while verses from the Quran are inscribed in Thuluth script on the bar connecting the top of the walls and the internal courtyard. The corridors, which are designed to look like a wall around the Mosque, are connected through the five minarets that symbolise the five pillars of Islam. The north and south corridors have been divided into halls, each containing a decoration from a specific Islamic culture. A canopy of domes, similar to the domes of Bilad Bani Bu Ali mosque in A’Sharqiyah Region (Eastern Region) crowns the top of the corridors. The Mosque also includes a library that contains 20,000 reference volumes in science, Islamic culture and humanity, in addition to the Institute of Islamic Sciences where young people learn the disciplines of religious knowledge.
The Mosque has several other firsts and credits that make it a must-visit destination, whether one is a visitor, tourist or a long time resident. Its location within the city, in proximity to the busy commercial area, makes it one of the most convenient places to visit. With accessibility opened to non-Muslims, unlike other mosques, it has become a part of every tour/travel organiser’s itinerary. However, a dress code has to be followed while visiting this beautiful edifice, which is open to the public every day, except Fridays, from 8.30 am to 11 am.