Religious harmony at Corridor of Tolerance Jebel Ali
Dubai is a multicultural melting pot with more than 200 nationalities living harmoniously. Mutual respect, harmony and tolerance are woven into the communities and religious freedom is prevalent in the UAE. Jebel Ali features the region’s Spiritual Corridor that includes the new Hindu Temple, churches and a gurdwara. The area’s vast array of spectacular religious buildings promises to attract throngs of visitors in the coming years. Let’s find out more about what the Corridor of Tolerance in Jebel Ali has to offer.
Churches in Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali’s Corridor of Tolerance has several churches that cater to the sprawling community. Let’s look at the list of the churches at Jebel Ali’s Spiritual corridor in Dubai.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most prominent churches in Dubai. It was consecrated on 15 November 2001 in Jebel Ali. The 50,000 sq ft. church comprises a single building divided into three parts. The Assisi Parish Hall adjoins the church and it holds an array of church services.
The Padua Centre boasts fifteen halls mainly used for Prayer meetings and Catechesis. It also has a residential area and an office for all administrative duties.
If anyone wishes to join the services, they can get in touch with the Church to learn more about the parish program.
There is a gift shop where worshippers can purchase souvenirs or presents for loved ones. It also holds a yearly Charity Bazaar, the proceeds of which go to help underprivileged individuals and families.
- Timings: Office hours 09:00 am – 12:00 pm | 04:00 pm – 08:00 pm (Closed on Mondays)
- Contact: +971-50-227-5356 | +971-4-885-5251
Dubai Mar Thoma Church
Dubai Mar Thoma church in Jebel Ali was established in 1969 by 130 Marthomites. It’s one of the largest congregations with more than 2,400 member families. The church is more than five decades old. It holds Holy Communion services in both Malayalam and English along with a Sunday School.
- Contact: +971-4-884 5231
Christ Church Jebel Ali
The Christ Church Jebel Ali offers Congregation services in multiple languages such as Afrikaans, Hindi, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Nepali, Punjabi and Tamil to name a few.
Its the southernmost of the five Anglican churches in the Chaplaincy nestled in a strategic location between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Anglican services are available on Friday mornings.
The Church has Bible readings regularly along with other services and activities. The Christ Church Jebel Ali is a popular venue for Baptism and weddings as well.
- Timings: 09:00 am – 04:00 pm | Closed on Friday and Saturday
- Contact: +971 4 884 5436 | +971-4-884-5436 (for Weddings and Baptism)
Dubai Evangelical Church Centre
It was back in 1997 when His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum granted land to construct The Dubai Evangelical Church. The Church was primarily founded by two charter churches that support evangelical efforts.
Today the thriving church caters to hundreds of worshippers in more than 20 congregations with services in multiple languages.
It maintains a close fellowship with other Evangelical churches in the UAE such as The Evangelical Church in Abu Dhabi, The Evangelical Church in Al Ain and The Ras Al Khaimah Evangelical Church.
- Timings: Monday to Friday 09:00 am – 04:00 pm (office) | Office closed on Saturday and Sunday
- Contact: +971-4-808-9999
St. Mina Copts Orthodox Church
The St Mina Copts Orthodox Church primarily serves the Egyptian Christian community. Located in the Church Complex Jebel Ali, this Coptic Church is based on the teachings of Saint Mark, who introduced Christianity to Egypt during emperor Nero’s reign. It offers both educational and non-educational services. It also features a library with a collection of hymns, liturgies and sermons.
- Contact: +971-4-884-4000
Grand Hindu Temple in Jebel Ali
A large number of Indian diaspora calls Dubai home and they’ve paid a significant role in the emergence and development of the emirate and the UAE. Jebel Ali’s Corridor of Tolerance is now the permanent home to the newly launched Grand Hindu Temple in Jebel Ali.
Its structure is a flawless amalgamation of traditional Hindu and Arab cultures with a twist in contemporary architecture and design. A gigantic 3D-printed pink lotus adorns the main prayer hall. The intricate marble pillars are decorated with hand-carved elephants with bells and flowers.
Other noteworthy aspects of the temple include LCD screens in the knowledge and community centre. It has a dedicated section for Sri Guru Granth Sahib with Sikh Holy Book.
Devotees can celebrate mundan and other ceremonies in the dedicated Tulsi plant area. Eight full-time priests are will serve the devotees and the deities at the new Hindu Temple in Jebel Ali. It will be home to more than 15 deities. Lord Shiva, however, will take the spotlight.
- Timings: 06:00 am – 08:30 pm | Aarti and special prayers from 07:30 am
- Contact: +971-56-501-8951
Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar
Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar is a Sikh temple in the Corridor of Tolerance in Jebel Ali. Its frequently visited by Sikh devotees for worship, prayers, wedding and other festivals and ceremonies.
Anyone is welcome into the gurdwara and it’s known for its complementary meals called Langar throughout the day for everyone regardless of caste, creed and religion. More than 900 visitors can eat a meal at the main hall and more than 10,000 vegetarian meals are served every Friday.
It’s the first official Sikh Temple or gurdwara of its kind in the Gulf region. Construction on the temple started in May 2008 and was completed in December 2011. The architecture is a blend of contemporary and traditional construction styles.
The magnificent three-storey structure is spread over 100,000 sq ft. There are several daily activities and prayers throughout the day. During religious festivals, huge crowds of devotees flock to the gurdwara to take Guru Nanak’s blessings.
- Timings: Everyday from 04:00 am | Darshan 04:30 am – 08:45 pm
- Contact: +971-4-882-7550
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ARE THERE ANY MOSQUES IN JEBEL ALI?
Yes, Jebel Ali has several mosques, some of the most prominent ones are Jebel Ali Mosque 1, Masjid Al Rahman, Masjid Ruqaya and Masjid Al Noor.
Are there other temples and churches in Dubai other than Jebel Ali?
Bur Dubai has several Hindu temples such as The Shiva Temple, Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir and Shri Krishna Haveli. On the other hand, most of the churches in Dubai are located in Oud Mehta. Some of the churches in the area include The Dubai City Church, Marantha Full Gospel Church, King’s Revival Church and International Dubai.
What are some of the most prominent churches in Abu Dhabi?
There are several churches in Abu Dhabi as well that includes St. Joseph’s Cathedral, St. Andrew’s Church and St. George’s Orthodox Cathedral.
That’s all for our guide to the temples and churches at the Corridor of Tolerance Jebel Ali. Dubai is home to other religious minorities and they enjoy religious freedom. Celebrations like Diwali and Dusherra are widely celebrated at the various temples in Bur Dubai and Grand Hindu Temple in Jebel Ali.
