Ask Ali: Why non-Muslims are allowed to enter mosques

Dear Ali: According to surat al tawbah ayat 17 and 28, non-Muslims are not to enter our mosques, so why are they admitted to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque? DI, United Kingdom

Dear DI: Many scholars agree that non-Muslims are allowed to enter mosques only if they comply with certain rules such as those you will see posted outside the mosque, including:

- Wear modest clothing.

- Respect the surroundings.

- Be supervised (normally by a tour guide).

Also, bear in mind that the areas non-Muslims are allowed to enter are separate from the area where Muslims pray. Non-Muslim visits, therefore, are respectful and promote our peaceful faith, our beautiful and breathtaking architecture and our way of worshipping.

Not all mosques allow non-Muslims to enter, however. Two that do are Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai. There are proper rules and guidelines for everyone to follow, and supervision by guides and mosque staff.

Visits by non-Muslims cause no harm because, if you think about it, it's difficult to explain what happens inside a mosque to non-Muslims and especially to anti-Islam types who think we enter a mosque to seek inspiration for "jihad", when in reality we go to simply say our five daily prayers and read the Holy Quran.

Without these opportunities to show non-Muslims the truth we have only mostly images from Mecca of three million Muslims walking in a circle around a square-shaped building. I believe after careful study and well-managed plans by clerics and scholars, we are allowed to welcome non-Muslims to our mosques so that they can learn, accept, understand and appreciate our great religion.

Dear Ali: I am moving to the UAE from the US state of Minnesota. I know it is very hot there. How is a woman supposed to stay cool in the summer months if shorts are unacceptable, as I have read? Or can expatriate women wear shorts? AK, United States

Dear AK: If you look at the kinds of outfits people wear in really hot places, you will realise that they try to cover as much of their bodies from the sun as possible. They prefer light, loose clothes from natural materials that soak up the unavoidable sweat and allow air to circulate.

A lot of my western female friends, who at first could not believe that a bit more cover in the heat would make them more comfortable, now are happy with their choice of light and comfortable Indian cotton dresses and trousers, which they can easily find here.

Trust me, the direct sun on your skin will not only make you feel uncomfortable, but also is not the most healthy thing - and I am sure you want to protect yourself from possible skin damage caused by excessive UV exposure.

As for the cultural aspect to your question: the UAE is a modern but nonetheless Islamic country and therefore we appreciate it if people dress modestly out of respect for our culture and religion.

Of course, you can wear shorts or swimwear if you are at the beach or on a fishing trip, but in public places it is considered inappropriate. Women should preferably cover at least the knees and shoulders.

Language lesson

Arabic: Jamee

English: Mosque

Jamee is another word for mosque but is inclusive of amenities such as a library. "Ana baser el jamee" is how a person would say: "I am going to the mosque". We refer to our beautiful Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as Jamee Sheikh Zayed.

How to help or find other cats to adopt

There are many that often look for volunteers or other types of assistance. They include:

Animal Welfare Abu Dhabi

Sandy Paws

Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter

Feline Friends Abu Dhabi

Animal Action UAE

Yanni Animal Welfare

Middle East Animal Foundation

Rescue Animals in Need United Arab Emirates

Ras Al Khaimah Animal Welfare Centre

UAQAC Umm Al Quwain Animal Care

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

COMPANY%20PROFILE

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

How to apply for a drone permit

Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request

What are the regulations?

Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less