Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi - is a center of tourism and commerce, sport and recreation. The main landmark is the Palace of al-Husn, also known as the Old or White Fort. Next to the fairgrounds on Al Musaffah Road is the so-called Cultural Heritage Village, which played traditional way of life and way of life across the country.

Merging of past, present and future times is expressed in the peaceful coexistence of the mosques, museums, modern supermarkets, oriental markets, schools, cultural centers and arts. In Abu Dhabi, as in any Muslim city are built many mosques. From anywhere in town you can see the intricately decorated with multiple minarets.

The street Khalid Hamdan - is the focus of small shops and boutiques. Huge shopping centers, that are present in Sharjah and Dubai, are not so abundant in Abu Dhabi. The largest is Abu Dhabi Mall, and one of the most popular - Al Hana Shopping Centre, located in the center, not far from the main promenade.


The fish market - is a very picturesque place in the port area, worth a visit if not gastronomic goal, at least for photographing. The most popular restaurants of the city - Al Safina and Al Dhafra (near the fish market). Keep in mind that alcoholic beverages in Abu Dhabi are served at restaurants located within hotels. In normal urban schools reigns immutable "dry law".

In Abu Dhabi are offered a lot of interesting and varied tours: you will be offered a ride on a camel and fly in a helicopter, take a desert safari with a night under the stars and ride the sand skiing, to visit camel rides and take part in an exotic night-hunting for crabs, to shoot in the Sheikh's elite club and to fish in the waters of the Persian Gulf.

Dubai's World of Islands

Dubai's World of Islands - one of the megaprojects in the UAE, goes under water. The islands of the archipelago are modeled after a system of continents on a smaller scale and fragmented. The photographs can be clearly seen by NASA as 300 islands gradually merge with each other and drown.

Small undercurrents persist in keeping their areas, despite the artificial boundaries of the archipelago, and now everyone is wondering who and how all counted. At the moment, the project managers were forced to admit that the island is gradually receding into the sea. Given that 70% of all the islands have already been sold to private individuals, the news that the "islands show strong signs of erosion" was a bolt from the sky.

Will there be some compensation for all drowned island or debited to the "natural force majeure" as yet unknown.

Every Muslim at least once in your life should make the Hajj - to visit Mecca. In centuries past it was difficult, troublesome and sometimes even dangerous. Hajj takes place under conditions of sufficient funds to visit Mecca and to ensure the family before returning pilgrim. If there are conditions, and Hajj is not accomplished, the sharia threatens the offender is a heavy punishment in the hereafter, and despising that debt equates to an unbeliever. On the contrary, the hajj fulfilled promises complete forgiveness of sins committed before that time, and the perpetrators of this pilgrimage proudly wore their white turban - a sign of the hajj.

In the past, everyone who came to Mecca had to find a matvafa - a guide who will provide not only a pilgrim accommodation and food, but will make sure that he did not commit errors in performing the rituals and prayers. Hajj procedure has so many subtle nuances that no Muslim (even the most earnest) on their own are difficult to handle.

At the heart of the hajj is tawaaf - a seven-fold treatment of the Kaaba. This procession symbolises the divine order in which all beings are subject to a single center - the solar system, as embodied in God. During breaking the Kaaba pilgrims reverently kiss the Black Stone, because deeply believe in Judgement Day he will call and talk to Allah the names of all the faithful, who kissed it with clean lips.

On the eighth day of Hajj from Mecca sent a huge procession to the hill of Arafat, to listen to the sermon of the Imam and perform special prayers. Approaching the hill, all the pilgrims pray without ceasing, and exclaim: "Lyabbayk" ("I obey you!"). In the valley at the foot of the hill Arafat, believers should spend the night, and only visited this hill the pilgrims receive the title of "Haj".

Kaaba Black Stone

In a small valley among the mountains, hidden from the world, is Islam's holy of holies - the city of Mecca. It is to him five times a day, turning the eyes of Muslims around the globe.

In contrast to other eastern cities of Mecca was not surrounded by a wall, and a natural fence of her have always been a mountain. Through the entire city stretches wide street Massana, to which many tiers down from the mountains slip at home - big and small. Middle of the street, at the very bottom of the valley, is located the area where the mosque stands the famous Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which means "House of God." Muslims believe that in this place is the center of the universe, because it did not even land, overturned on the ground of the sky. And in the last day of the world it to heaven and back.

The territory of "Sacred Mosque" - a sacred place for Muslims around the world. Have repeatedly referred to in the second sura of the Quran: "And no matter where you came out, pay your face in the direction of the mosque, and wherever you are, turn your face toward her." The area is similar to the traditional eastern courtyard, only a very large size. It is surrounded by three, and where the four rows of columns of marble, granite and stone of the ordinary. On top of the column are connected by pointed arches and domes are covered with small white, and towering above them seven slender minarets.

Go to Mecca turned their eyes the ancient Arabs, because of their pagan gods were also in the Kaaba. This church was the true pantheon of gods and could satisfy all requests. It was centered about 360 different idols and sculptures of deified persons. Among them - the Arab gods Ilatov, Uzza, Hubal and others, the Assyrian-Babylonian Marduk, Assor, Sin, Sumas and Astarte, the Jewish patriarch Abraham and Mary with the Christ Child in her arms.

According to legend the Arabs, the Kaaba was built as an altar for prayer, the ancestor of humans Adam. Adam suffered greatly from the fact that not only lost paradise, but also the temple where he used to pray to heaven. Then God will have mercy, and a copy of the temple was lowered to the ground.

In the center is a large stone cube height of about thirteen feet with a flat roof. This is the Kaaba, once a pagan sanctuary, and now the main temple of the Muslim world.

According to one version, it was Adam's guardian angel, overlooking the stone after the fall made his charge. When the Black stone descended from heaven, he was so white and shone so that it could be seen for four days' journey to Mecca. But gradually, from the sins of the human it darkened and darkened, until he was turned to black.

The nature of the Black Stone is still unknown. Some scientists consider it a very large meteorite, other researchers see it as a big chunk of volcanic rock of unknown, because the stony Arabia is replete with many extinct volcanoes.

When in 1630, Mohammed returned to Mecca from Medina, he threw out all the pagan idols of the Kaaba, but respectfully kissed his staff to the Black Stone. But even before Muhammad preached in Mecca decided to repair the severely ramshackle Kaaba. When it was necessary to move the black stone or other place it was a dispute between the families, which one is most worthy of this sacred mission. And then Mohammed will solve this problem very clever: he spread on the floor of the Kaaba his coat, put on his black stone, and then the elders of all the noble families raised the cloak from the stone.

Arabic Superstitions

Ceramic turquoise amulets in the form of eyes or a palm, and other talismans designed to keep their owner from envy, misfortune, evil eye or a hex, you can see everywhere in Egypt: at the front door in Cairo apartment, rear-view mirror almost every car on the clothing of most young children.

So beware, lavishing the usual "Western" duty compliments. As "looking good" or "how quickly your children are grown up!" may look like an open challenge if you do not accompany them with salutary expression of the small Shaa-lla! - "The grace of God!".

The Egyptians, like many Arabs believe that particularly vulnerable to evil eye are young children. Therefore, asking about their health, you have every chance to hear the answer "sick", "bad eating", etc. things. In the Egyptian hinterland still dress young boys in girl's dress, and even pierce their earlobes for earrings - so it's easier to trick Satan.

Another way to protect children from the evil eye - to give the child any stupid name, for example, Shahhat - "beggar." It is believed that bad luck certainly lose interest in the media is so unattractive nicknames and pass over.

In the 19 century, a western orientalist said that Egyptian mother, even in affluent families decorate children in indelible cast-offs and recommend them to go grubby, in order to divert the eyes of envious. He had seen as a respectable, well dressed and scented Egyptian woman walks with her child, whose face was smeared with soot. It was a well-established method of concealment of children of Satan and evil men.

The Egyptians still believed that to show someone the soles of their shoes means a person to express utter contempt. So be careful in how you sit when talking with his Arab companion.

Shoes left in the hallway criss-cross each other, provoke conflict, mostly family. These will and superstition set. For example, you can not mow at night hair and nails (like bad luck there with us), cleaning the apartment, too, should be dealt with only in the afternoon. And in any case we can not touch the needle and thread after sunset.

As for the very evil eye, from which the Egyptian mother so cherish their children, then the Egyptians fear is bright blue eyes, not black as it is accepted here. Therefore, the amulet made in the form of "Fatima Eyes", is usually blue.