Assalamualaikum and may peace be upon you.
We left Royal Opera House Muscat and made our way to Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.
This water fountain located in a roundabout in Muscat features a prominent stone structure topped with the national emblem of Oman — two crossed swords with a khanjar (traditional curved dagger) in the center, rendered in gold. The base of the fountain is built from light-colored stone, arranged in a tiered, geometric design.
The water sources for Muscat's city fountains primarily come from desalinated seawater and groundwater sources. The government operates large-scale desalination plants along the coast, which provide the main and most reliable source of water for the fountains. Groundwater sources, including wells, supplement the water supply but are limited due to arid conditions. Desalination remains the most effective method for meeting the water needs of the city's fountains and other public water uses.
Al Zawawi Mosque.
The Al Zawawi Mosque, located in Muscat, Oman, is a significant architectural and cultural landmark. Built by Omar Zawawi in memory of his father, Abdul-Mun'im Al-Zawawi, the mosque opened in 1985. It is notable for its entire Qur'an engraved on metal plates on its walls, a testament to the mosque's spiritual and cultural importance. The mosque features a golden dome crafted from pink marble adorned with 22-carat gold leaf, a towering minaret of approximately 45 meters height, and distinctive arched gateways and triangular windows.
Building of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs (MARA).
This ministry is responsible for overseeing all matters related to endowments and religious affairs in the Sultanate of Oman.
The gardens of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, as seen from Sultan Qaboos Highway, are a breathtaking showcase of symmetry, color, and serenity. They frame the mosque’s majestic domes and minarets with lush greenery, creating a striking contrast against the white marble architecture and the backdrop of Muscat’s rugged mountains.
Driving along Sultan Qaboos Highway, the gardens act as a lush foreground to the mosque’s gleaming marble, making the entire complex appear like an oasis of tranquility amid the city.
The gardens are not just decorative—they create a peaceful buffer between the busy highway and the mosque’s sacred grounds. Visitors often remark on how the greenery softens the monumental scale of the mosque, making the approach feel welcoming and serene. The interplay of sunlight on marble and flowers adds a dynamic beauty that changes throughout the day
From Sultan Qaboos Highway, the view of the mosque framed by its gardens is one of Muscat’s most iconic sights. The combination of grand Islamic architecture and carefully curated landscaping reflects Oman’s cultural emphasis on harmony between nature and design. It’s a living symbol of elegance, spirituality, and national pride.
At the far horizon is the magnificent gleaming white Mohammed Al Ameen Mosque. The Mohammed Al Ameen Mosque in Muscat is a grand marble-clad landmark completed in 2014, known for its striking domes, minarets, and lavish interiors.
Situated in Bawshar, Muscat, the mosque can accommodate around 2,730 worshippers. The beautiful mosque features three domes and two minarets, built with marble, gold plate, crystals, and timber. It stands as a symbol of modern Omani architecture, blending traditional Islamic design with contemporary craftsmanship.
A government building - the Consumer Protection Authority Office.
I quickly notice how the city’s rhythm is punctuated not only by the call to prayer or the hum of traffic, but by the quiet presence of Sultan Qaboos’ portrait gazing down from signboards, shopfronts, and government buildings. On a roadside Oman Oil advertisement, his image is not simply decoration - it is a reminder of the man who shepherded Oman into modernity, whose face became synonymous with stability and progress.
The effect is subtle yet powerful. These portraits lend Muscat a sense of continuity, as if the Sultan’s watchful presence still guides the nation’s daily life. For locals, the image carries layers of meaning: respect for a leader who transformed their homeland, pride in the “Omani Renaissance” he initiated, and reassurance that the values he embodied - unity, dignity, and modernization—remain woven into the fabric of society.
In this way, the cityscape becomes a gallery of national symbolism. The Sultan’s portrait is not just about nostalgia; it is about anchoring the present in a shared memory. Even as Muscat grows with gleaming malls, highways, and modern institutions, the image of Sultan Qaboos reminds you that this progress is inseparable from his legacy.
It shapes the atmosphere of the city - imbuing them with reverence, a quiet pride, and a sense of belonging that transcends commerce. The portrait transforms asphalt and billboards into a space of reverence, where commerce and culture meet under the gaze of a unifying figure.
It’s a fascinating detail for travelers: the way a single portrait can transform a promotional signboard into a cultural marker, turning an everyday roadside scene into a reflection of Oman’s political identity. So, when you see his portrait on an Oman Oil signboard, it’s not just advertising fuel- it’s a visual reminder of the Sultan’s enduring legacy and the company’s role in the national story.
From a roadside signboard to the Grand Mosque’s marble courtyards, Muscat tells its story through layers of symbolism. Sultan Qaboos’ portrait is the thread that ties them together - whether on a fuel company’s advertisement or in the grandeur of a national landmark. For me, these moments form a narrative of belonging: the cityscape itself becomes a living text, where every image and structure speaks of identity, memory, and pride.
Leaving the bustle behind, the road opens toward the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Its golden dome gleams in the sunlight, minarets rising like sentinels. The memory of the roadside portrait now feels like a prelude, a quiet introduction to the grandeur ahead. Where the signboard carried symbolism in the everyday, the mosque embodies it in monumental form—a physical testament to the Sultan’s devotion to faith, culture, and nationhood.
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque offers ample parking spaces for visitors, with a large parking lot just outside the mosque.
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque welcomes visitors not only with its majestic domes and minarets but also with thoughtful touches before one even step inside. The vast parking lot, shaded by rows of leafy trees, feels like a calm prelude to the grandeur ahead. Neatly trimmed hedges and bursts of pink and crimson blooms soften the urban edges, turning a functional space into a garden-like approach. As you walk along the paved paths, stone benches invite you to pause, take in the fragrance of flowers, and let anticipation build before entering the mosque’s serene courtyards.
As I step into the mosque courtyard alongside Maher, our tour guide, a quiet sense of expectation rises within me. The grandeur ahead feels almost palpable, promising to mesmerize and immerse me in its presence. I look forward to moments of stillness — spaces for self-reflection and gentle introspection — before the vastness of this sacred place. The architecture beckons with its harmony of Islamic tradition and contemporary artistry, every arch and motif a testament to intricate design. It is a world where devotion and beauty converge, inviting me to lose myself in patterns that speak of both heritage and innovation.
The approach to the mosque feels ceremonial. A patterned walkway, flanked by stone walls and trees, leads visitors toward arched doorways that frame the grandeur beyond. Locals and travelers alike move along this path, some pausing to capture the moment, others simply soaking in the serenity. It is a gentle transition from the everyday into the extraordinary.
Before exploring the grand mosque here's some information about Sultan Qaboos based on this incredible portraiture of the Sultan.
🔵The portrait of Sultan Qaboos below is a condensed biography in imagery. At its center, the Sultan stands dignified, cane in hand, embodying authority tempered with wisdom. Around him unfold scenes of heritage and progress: camels and children in traditional dress, mountains anchoring the land, and symbols of modern infrastructure and military strength.
🔵This visual narrative reflects his legacy:
📘Visionary leadership: Sultan Qaboos inherited an isolated country in 1970 and opened it to the world, fostering diplomacy and stability.
📘Modernization: He invested heavily in roads, schools, hospitals, and institutions, transforming Oman into a model of development in the region.
📘Cultural preservation: While embracing progress, he safeguarded Omani traditions, ensuring that heritage remained central to national identity.
📘Unity and pride: His image became a symbol of cohesion, displayed across public and private spaces as a reminder of shared belonging.
The portrait was a visual prologue, a reminder of the Sultan’s legacy, so when I stepped into the mosque, I did not see only architecture—I saw continuity. The same reverence for heritage, the same embrace of progress, the same unifying presence that the portrait conveyed was now expressed in monumental form.
The entrance arches of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque are a breathtaking prelude to the grandeur within. They rise in perfect symmetry, carved from pale sandstone that glows warmly under Muscat’s sun. Each arch is tall and slender, tapering to a graceful point in the classic Islamic style, evoking both strength and elegance.
📘Geometric precision: The arches are framed by intricate geometric motifs, etched into the stone with remarkable craftsmanship. These patterns catch the light, casting delicate shadows that shift throughout the day.
📘Sense of procession: Passing beneath them feels ceremonial—like crossing a threshold from the bustle of the city into a sacred space of calm and reverence.
📘Material and light: The polished marble beneath reflects the arches, doubling their presence and creating a luminous effect that heightens the sense of grandeur.
📘Symbolism: In Islamic architecture, arches often represent gateways to spiritual understanding. Here, they embody Sultan Qaboos’ vision of blending tradition with modernity, guiding worshippers and visitors into a space that is both timeless and contemporary.
Standing before these arches, visitors can feel the mosque’s scale and serenity begin to unfold. While the mosque's minarets rise like a sentinel, the arches themselves frame the courtyard beyond, inviting visitors into a world of marble expanses, patterned floors, and hushed reverence. They are not merely architectural elements—they are guardians of the threshold, embodying the dignity and harmony that define the mosque.
Stepping into the courtyard, the scale of the mosque unfolds. Marble floors shimmer under the sun, reflecting arches and colonnades that stretch with perfect symmetry. The tall minaret rises like a sentinel, while groups of visitors wander quietly, their presence adding life to the serene expanse. Here, architecture and atmosphere merge into a space both majestic and contemplative.
From the outside, the mosque rises in white stone, its minaret and domes etched against the sky. The dome, adorned with intricate designs, rises above arched doorways, its geometric patterns catching the light with subtle brilliance. Gardens stretch around it, with trimmed lawns and trees lining the walkway. The scene is serene yet commanding, a reminder of how architecture and landscape together create a sanctuary of peace.
A long corridor stretches ahead, its arches repeating like verses in a poem. Wooden slats above filter sunlight, casting patterns of shadow and light across the polished floor. Lanterns line the walls, their ornate designs adding depth to the rhythm of stone. Walking here feels like moving through time, guided by symmetry and silence — a passage where architecture becomes poetry.
This niche is a jewel box of colour. Interlocking stars and shapes in vivid blues and oranges create a tapestry of geometry, framed by a pointed arch. The craftsmanship speaks of centuries-old traditions, where geometry becomes art and devotion finds expression in design. It is a detail that invites lingering, a reminder that beauty often lies in the smallest corners.
Stepping toward the entrance of the ablution area feels like crossing into a quieter rhythm of the mosque. The archways, adorned with delicate mosaics and lanterns, guide visitors with understated elegance. Even here, where the purpose is practical, the artistry of Islamic architecture shines — every tile and curve whispering of devotion and care.
Within the ablution hall, serenity deepens. The polished stone basins and flowing faucets are arranged with symmetry, inviting worshippers to cleanse in quiet reflection. Light filters through the skylight above, casting gentle patterns across the floor, while lanterns add a warm glow to the space. It is more than a place of ritual washing — it is a reminder of the importance of purity, both physical and spiritual.
Look upward, and the ceiling becomes a canvas. Wooden panels carved with geometric motifs frame triangular skylights, their blue glass glowing softly. Lanterns hang below, casting warmth against the pale stone walls. The interplay of light and shadow transforms the ceiling into a living artwork, reminding us to find beauty not only around but above.
This lantern is a masterpiece in itself. Hexagonal in shape, with filigree metalwork and marbled glass panels, it glows with earthy tones of cream and amber. Mounted against carved stone, it becomes both decoration and illumination — a symbol of how light, in Islamic design, is always more than functional.
The gardens surrounding the mosque are a tapestry of color. Beds of purple, pink, red, and yellow flowers form intricate patterns, bordered by walkways that invite exploration. Beyond the walls, mountains rise in the distance, grounding the scene in Oman’s natural beauty. It is a place where nature and design meet in harmony.
From this angle, the mosque’s minaret rises proudly above polished marble and carved arches. The courtyard reflects the sky like a mirror, amplifying the sense of openness. On one side, gardens bloom in vibrant hues, offering a gentle contrast to the solemnity of stone. It is a scene that captures both strength and serenity.
To be continued.
Till the next coming entry, inshaAllah. Meanwhile do take care.
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