The Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Mosque in Al Mushrif, an area in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has recently undergone a name change.

It is now known as ‘Mariam, Umm Eisa’, which translates to ‘Mary Mother of Jesus’ in English.

The decision to rename the mosque was made by Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, with the intention of fostering unity among followers of different religions.

The news has been received positively by various religious leaders in the community, including Andrew Thompson from St Andrew’s Church and Jeramie Rinne from the Evangelical Community Church. Both express their delight and support for this gesture of shared religious significance.

“Mary, as the mother of Jesus, is of course a holy, special figure in our communities. She is a woman who symbolises obedience to God.

“We look forward to growing in deeper understanding with our neighbours, and we celebrate with them the new name of the mosque,” Thompson said.

Jeramie Rinne, senior pastor of the Evangelical Community Church in Abu Dhabi, also hailed the news.

“Mohammad has made another generous gesture of religious tolerance in renaming the mosque.

“The UAE continues to set the pace in this region for peaceful coexistence and cooperation. We are very encouraged and feel blessed to be a part of this nation,” he said.

A church in Al Ain was said to have recently opened its doors for Maghrib prayers.

Church workers reportedly laid down carpets on the wooden floor for over 200 Asian Muslim workers to say their prayers.

See the photos below: