Wallet friendly Asian Fusion Dinner in Business Bay

Craving Thai Curry, Dim Sum and maybe an Indonesian dessert? And want it all in a quiet evening without having to fork out too much? Then, head down to Tangerine in Business Bay’s Bay Avenue.

In a hunt for a wallet friendly place for Iftar, that wasn’t the lavish buffet, we came across this place on Zomato’s search.  Personally, I can’t down the huge portions that Dubai’s Ramadan eating has come to be know for..

I am a slow and small eater that can never do justice to a buffet..so Tangerine style is perfect for me.

A Tom yam soup, some cute har gao dim sum, some green curry and then to cool off with a lovely coconut milk and candied cherry dessert, with a soft drink, all at 75 AED or about $27…

Check out the pictures:

  Clover dumplings? 
  Yummy green curry- with the thai  eggplants I love 🙂

  

Sushi on a budget in Dubai

if you want sushi in Dubai that’s not too pricey, Lovin Dubai recommends these places:

https://lovindubai.com/feature/places-to-get-sushi-without-emptying-your-pockets

I know I’m gonna head to Chez Sushi really soon on Al Wasl Road  😉

  
And if you must go to a mall- try Yo Sushi in Dubai Mall for the counter experience, they have some weird exotic flavors..

My Ramadan 30: The most colorful mosque in the world- The Kaleidoscope Mosque, Shiraz, Iran

As we are halfway through Ramadan, the mosque of the day had to be one that was unique and special: The Nasir Ul-Mulk mosque, of Shiraz in Iran- or the better known as the Kaleidoscope Mosque.  

The mosque was designed in 1888 during the Qajar dynasty, and it’s main feature is not its exterior but it’s stained glass interior that creates different lit up reflections at different times of the day- with the best reflections being at sunrise. 

That area of Iran is said to be known for its stained glass and intricate pattern designs.

   
 Today, the mosque has the title of the most colorful mosque in the world.

This time, we covered our mosque inside out, but its important to mention its architectural style and exteriors, typical to the era and the region- whenever I think of Iranian mosques, the geometric patterns and indigo blue as the main color come to mind, and I’ve always wondered what the significance is. 

The mosque is currently under restoration by the Nasser Ul Mulk foundation. 

   
 Photo and information credit: 

http://muslimheritage.com/article/mosque-whirling-colours-mixture-architecture-and-art-nasīr-al-mulk-mosque-shiraz-iran

The 12th mosque- of 20th century design, the Istiqlal mosque, Jakarta, Indonesia

Our mosque of the day, the Istiqlal mosque..a mosque from 20th century Indonesia..When the wave of independence from colonization begun in the region..
Smack in the heart of Jakarta, surrounded by government offices, the marble facade mosque was constructed in 1951 and designed by a Christian architect Frederich Silaban. The mosque featured cutting edge technology and design for its day. With vast prayer halls and courtyards, the mosque can host up to 120,000 people, making it Southeast Asia’s biggest.

  

   
The circular interiors and the spiritual connect..

 
Info credit:

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/features/5-great-mosques-in-indonesia/
Photo credit: fineartamerica.com

My Ramadan 30: 10/30: Mevlana Rumi’s mosque and masoleum, Konya, Turkey

Today’s mosque of the day is one that is very special to me and my family- the masoleum & mosque of Rumi in Konya, Turkey
In the heart of South Central Anatolya lies one of the most famous Sufi sites of the world- the home of Jalalulin Rumi, dating back to 1207 AD.

  
Jalaludin Rumi was born in Afghanistan in 1207, and then fleeing the Mongol invasion, they settled in Konya, which is where the family and Rumi embraced Sufism and went on to becoming an Islamic scholar- partially through his fathers influence and through the influence of scholars Burhanuddin and Shams Tabrez.

  

In their dedication and meditation, it would lead them to perform movements much like the whirl that the dervishes do today- it may seem like a dance now, but it was actually one where they were enchanted by the love of God and spirituality.

  

In 1273, on the 17th of December, Rumi passed away, and in his honor, his students and followers preserved and erected a tomb and masoleum for him, where a mosque was also later built.

And all traditions, including the dervishes, continued to take place until World War I and the rise of Attaturk and secularity, and it wasn’t until 1953, that they were allowed to whirl again….
A scholar that dedicated his life to the teachings of Islam, and wrote some of region’s best prose, and portrayed the religion in a moderate manner which welcomes everyone is why we should take a moment to understand and appreciate this place and the teachings of Sufis. 

 

My mom visited Konya in 2009 and was mesmerized when she walked in to the chambers of what the Turkish government calls a museum, and they recreated his life in the masoleum..fascinating! 
Someday I hope to go with my family and kid inshallah. 
Photo credit and information: http://www.sacred-sites.com

My Ramadan 30: 9/30, KetchiMalai Mosque, Beruwala, West Sri Lanka

Good Evening and Happy Suhoor everyone!

Tonight we bring to you our ninth mosque, all the way from the beautiful island of Sri Lanka- The KetchiMalai Mosque from Beruwala, in Western Sri Lanka.

Beruwala Kechimalai Mosque, Sri Lanka

  

The mosque is best viewed from Galle Road, a road in the town where it’s built. 

Beruwala is a town in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. 

The name Beruwala is derived from the Sinhalese word for the place where the sail is lowered.

 It marks the spot for the first Muslim settlement on the island, established by Arab traders around the 8th century AD. 
A large population of Sri Lankan Moors, many of them jewelry traders, still live in the town—particularly in the area called “China Fort”. 

The mosque is known by the town’s residents as Masjid-ul-Abrar, the Mosque of the Righteous, and in Sinhalese as Kechimalai. 
The mosque was first built by Arab traders on a rocky peninsula overlooking the town.

Today, the mosque stands as a landmark of the town of Beruwala and as Sri Lanka’s oldest mosque.
It is of colonial moorish architecture, as it stands tall and white upon a rock, surrounded by swaying coconut palms. 

   Close up view of the architecture

 
Viewed from the Galle Road, The road in Beruwala where the mosque can be seen best from, it almost looks picturesque. 
The history of “Ketchimalai” mosque, goes back generations, and with its myths and legends lay hidden many tales.

 What brings them all together is the civilization of centuries that was created around this town and the mosque.

It goes to show that a mosque no matter where is a symbol of peace and togetherness, and helps bring people together. We must always remember that and not be plagued by what the mainstream media portrays about Islam. One person does not make a religion.

The recent events of Orlando deeply saddened me as an American Muslim, therefore today’s mosque location is Sri Lanka- where they fought their differences but today live in religious harmony. In a developed country, we should be able to do that without hate against certain groups. Someday. 

Image Source: http://www.beautifulmosque.com/Kechimalai-Mosque-in-Beruwala-Sri-Lanka
Information source:

(Translated from Wikipedia Arabic)

Beruwala, Sri Lanka

My Ramadan 30: 7/30: Al Noor Mosque, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

My Ramadan 30: Dear Readers, today’s mosque of the day was one I had to dedicate to our very dear Sharjah fans- Al Noor Mosque on the Sharjah Corniche.
  

Al Noor mosque was said to have been inspired by the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul

Sharjah is a city in the United Arab Emirates famous for its cultural and Islamic heritage and conservation, especially in the Middle East region. It is said the city and its outskirts has over 500 mosques…
The Al Noor’s multiple domes and pointed minarets were modeled in an Ottoman Turkish architectural style, however the ornamentation on the outer walls seems more Arabian.

  
Illuminated for the Festival of Lights in February earlier this year. 

This mosque was constructed in memory of HH sheikh Sultan Al Qassemi’s eldest late son, and each February has one of the most beautiful illuminations ever seen.

My Ramadan 30, Day 4/30: The Bibi Khanym Mosque in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

As we almost complete the fourth day of Ramadan in the UAE, I would like to present a mosque which has gone through a history of looting, neglect and then finally it’s restoration- the Bibi Khanym Mosque in Samarkand, Uzbekistan 
Commissioned in 1399 by Timur (Tamerlane), this conqueror decided to build a new mosque in Samarkand which was his new capital. 

 (Wikipedia)

At the time, the large dome and asymmetrical structure was seen as unusual and after the reign of Timur, other monarchs abandoned this construction- which left it to weather destruction and earthquakes.
 

Photo credit: travelswithmoose.blogspot.com 

It wasn’t until in 1905, when restoration began in czarist times, and then in 1974, in Soviet times that the Bibi Khanym was brought about to the attention of historians and conservationists in the Uzbek SSR, and the major parts like the beautiful turquoise cupola dome and the Quran in the outdoor courtyard have been restored. 

  The intricate interior of the Bibi Khanym mosque
There is a personal reason as to why I picked this mosque today. Someone plagiarized (looted) my idea on the mosque a day and published it in the Gulf News without my consent, and that person should know that this is global heritage and what they did is petty. Also, they cannot plagiarize my brain and due credit needs to be given.

My Ramadan 30: 3/30: Qolsharif monument, Kazan, Russia

With the third day of Ramadan upon us, and all the changes one goes through fasting, I decided to pick an Islamic monument that’s been through a lot of identity change-Qolsharif, in Kazan, Russia.

  

Qolsharif was originally built in the 16th century, and then destroyed by the Czar Ivan the Terrible in 1552, only to be rebuilt into the city’s Kremlin (parliament building)- hence its somewhat Neoclassical style buildings around.

The monument also can be seen to have influenced some cathedrals, it is rumored that St Basil’s cathedral in Moscow and the Qolsharif were built around the same time and therefore share similarities. 

  

During the socialist era, the monument remained as a secular building…but this controversially displeased the Tartar majority from the region. 
In 1996, the rebuilding of the Qolsharif began- funded by many Muslim countries, namely  Brunei, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 

  

The monument was reopened to the public in 2005 as an Islamic museum, with styles from Ottoman, Bulgarian and Neoclassical architectural styles.

The historical journey of this place is what made me mesmerized. Enjoy!

My Ramadan 30: The Dongguan Mosque, Xinning City, China

For each day of Ramadan we are discovering unique mosques and Islamic architectural monuments of the world. 30 or 29 depending on how many days there will be this Ramadan. Join me for a trip around the world as we go finding them…

The Dongguan Mosque, Xining City, China

The Great Mosque of Xining is one the four largest mosques in northwest China and is the largest and most important mosque in the Qinghai Province. Locally, it is known as the Dongguan Masjid, or the East Gate Mosque, due to its eastern location in the city alongside the Muslim Hui neighborhood. According to an inscription added to the mosque during a major reconstruction in 1914, the mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty under Emperor Hongwu (1368-98). However, it is known that the mosque was destroyed and rebuilt entirely as recently as in the late nineteenth century and renovated in 1914.

The Masjid’s (mosque’s) illumination at night. It is known as the Great mosque of Xinning but referred to by locals as the Donnguan Masjid.

Built atop an irregular two-level brick platform, the mosque complex consists of a grand eastern gateway that opens into a large rectangular courtyard that is flanked by two lecture halls to the north and south, with the prayer hall to its west. The five-arched gateway is anchored at either end by Bangke (Chinese architectural feature) towers, which served as minarets and moon-watching pavilions. They rise to three-stories above a tall base: The first two stories are built of brick and have a window on each façade, while the third story is an open pavilion with a pyramidal roof. Built at a later date than the mosque, the wide gateway features neo-classical elements. It leads into the courtyard flanked by lecture halls, where a set of stairs climb up to the prayer hall straight ahead.

A view of the mosque with the front entryway and the Bangke moon watching towers on either side. And the renovated features..

When traveling here, the first thing you can see is the elegant arched door on which is written ‘Dongguan Mosque’. On either side of the front door stands the Xuanli Lou (Xuanli Pavilion). The Xuanli Lou is special as the place where the Imams invite people to pray…

An imam prays for peace in the outer courtyard of the Mosque

Sources: Multiple: Getty Images, Islamicfinder.org and https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/qinghai/xining/dongguan.htm