Do not let your eyes fool you. The picture above was not taken from the UAE, rather, it is a mosque in the Philippines that resembles the magnificent architectural structure of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid, named after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam who funded its construction, is the largest mosque in the Philippines built for the emerging Muslim population in Mindanao.
The photo above, which was titled “Majestic Reflection”, was taken by Hajar Kabalu. It won first place during the “Tulad Kutawato sa Shariff Kabunsuan Photo Contest”.
Kabalu’s photo clearly shows the grandeur of the mosque which reportedly cost $48 million to construct.
The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid opened its doors to worshippers and visitors in 2011, and Muslims in the Philippines set out on a pilgrimage every year to this magnificent structure.
A total of 800 male and 400 female worshippers can occupy the grounds of the grand mosque in the Philippines. On the other hand, a total of 41,000 people can occupy the floral-decorated grounds of the largest mosque in the UAE.
The Grand Mosque of Cotabato, like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, has 4 minarets that are 141 feet tall and 14 gold domes while the rest of the structure is pristine white, reflecting the brightness of the sun and sky.
More photos of this mosque taken by adventurers:
