The Imam Hussein Mosque (also known as the Ali ibn Abi Talib Iranian Mosque) is a Shia mosque located near the old Textile Souk in the Bur Dubai district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Architecture

The mosque is inspired by Persian architecture and is notable for its colorful exterior and interior. It features a facade and onion dome marked with extensive Persian faience tilework, and an azure blue background featured in floral patterns. Islamic calligraphy from the Quran is inscribed in rosettes, amidst swirls in colors of green, yellow, red and white. The mosque has its origins among the city’s Iranian community.

There is another Iranian Mosque in Satwa inspired by similar elements.

The Imam Hussein Mosque is UAE’s only Iranian mosque with an intricately designed structure that reflects Persian architectural style. Contrary to most other Dubai’s mosques that have plain, simple exteriors, this mosque boasts of a highly decorative facade. A striking characteristic of its outer walls is azure blue colored faience tiles embellished with intricate floral motifs as well as curvilinear twirls in a riot of colors like red, green, yellow, and white.

Located on the Al-Wasl Street, next to the Iranian Hospital, in Jumeirah, Iranian Mosque Dubai sprawls over an area of about 2,500 square meters. Built with the support of Iranian Red Crescent, it comprises several interior halls, along with an office section and guest-house. Highlights also include a library that provides a repertoire of about 14,000 books of diverse topics and languages including Arabic, English, Urdu, and Persian. In addition to serving as a prominent place of worship for Shia sect of Muslims, the mosque is also a venue for a plethora of religious and cultural activities.

The mosque is one of the largest and most attractive in the city. Built in quasi-Fatimid (Egyptian) style, it’s reminiscent in appearance, if not quite in size, of the great mosques of Cairo, with a pair of soaring minarets, a roofline embellished with delicately carved miniature domes and richly decorated windows set in elaborate rectangular recesses. As with many of Dubai’s more venerable-looking buildings though, medieval appearances are deceptive – the mosque was actually built in 1979.