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Three Houses, One Vision – How the UAE’s Abrahamic Family House is Redefining Inter-Faith Dialogue

 



When you step onto the stone-plinth of the Abrahamic Family House on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, you are not just visiting a building. You are entering a bold statement: a mosque, a church and a synagogue standing side-by-side, equal in size and purpose, sharing common ground while respecting their separate faiths.

A landmark of coexistence

In early 2023 the UAE inaugurated this pioneering complex, inviting worshippers and visitors alike. The architecture — designed to give each of the three faith-homes the same external dimensions and to signal equality — allows each to express its own traditions while remaining visibly part of a unified vision.

More than 200 nationalities live in the UAE, which means the project reflects a multicultural reality in which multiple faiths and identities coexist daily.

Islam’s role in the vision

For Muslim-majority audiences in the Gulf, the Abrahamic Family House sends a resonant message: Islam does not fear dialogue — it embraces it. The mosque at the centre of this complex bears the name of a leading Islamic figure, signalling a deep connection to Islamic scholarship and faith.

This initiative exemplifies Islamic teaching of human dignity: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair)…” — and shows how a Muslim nation can remain rooted in its faith traditions while opening a welcoming door to other believers.

Jewish and Christian participation

The inclusion of the first purpose-built public synagogue in the UAE signals a historic moment for Jewish life in the Gulf. The complex gives Judaism visibility in a way few Gulf states have historically provided.

Likewise, the church offers a calm, luminous space for Christian worship and community programmes. In doing so, the UAE affirms that Christianity has full place in the shared life of the country.

More than bricks and mortar

Beyond the three worship spaces is a shared forum and landscaped garden, intended for conversations, workshops and reflection. The centre is described as “an abode of learning and dialogue”. The first year welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors and hosted wide-ranging programmes marking important holy days, demonstrating the active, public nature of the project.

Why it matters

In a region often associated with religious division, the UAE’s bold architecture and policy choice show a different path — one in which faiths retain their identity yet choose to coexist with respect. For Gulf audiences, it reinforces that Islam can lead with compassion, open-mindedness and a genuine embrace of others.

As more Gulf creatives, youth and visitors engage with the Abrahamic Family House, the story becomes one of human bridges. And when that happens, unity doesn’t mean uniformity — it means standing together in difference, lifting each other through shared values of justice, mercy and humanity.

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