CAIRO, 17th August, 2025 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sunday visited Egypt's Islamic Cultural Centre in Cairo's New Administrative Capital. The centre spans an impressive 467,000 square meters.

Upon his arrival, H.H. Sheikh Sultan was welcomed by Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, the Egyptian Minister of Awqaf, Counselor Adnan Fanjari, the Egyptian Minister of Justice, and Eng. Khaled Abbas, Chairman of the Administrative Capital for Urban Development.

H.H. Sheikh Sultan expressed his great pleasure and gratitude for the warm reception. He praised the centre's pioneering services, which he noted reflect Egypt's profound care for Islamic culture and its leading role in promoting Islamic values and principles. This, he said, contributes to strengthening the status of the Islamic faith regionally and internationally.

The Deputy Ruler of Sharjah commended the centre's unique architectural designs, which blend heritage with modern creativity. He also praised the exceptional religious facilities, calling the centre a comprehensive environment that serves Islam and Muslims, promotes virtuous values, and enhances the civilisational and cultural role of mosques.

H.H. Sheikh Sultan stopped at an observation deck overlooking the Government District, which offers a unique view of the Presidential Palace and the legislative and executive authorities. He listened to a briefing on the centre's location and design, which combines a modern Islamic style with traditional Egyptian architectural heritage, such as the Mamluk style. The centre is also notable for its central location with the Grand Mosque of Egypt at its heart, surrounded by gardens and cultural and service buildings.

He then proceeded to the House of the Quran, located beneath the mosque's plaza. H.H. learned about its Readers' Room, which displays personal belongings and chronicles the lives of Egypt's most revered Quranic reciters, including Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al-Husari, Sheikh Taha Al-Fashni, and Sheikh Mustafa Ismail.

H.H. Sheikh Sultan walked through corridors decorated with Quranic verses leading to the Quranic halls. Each of the 30 rooms is dedicated to a specific part of the Quran, with the walls of each room engraved with the entire text of that section. The rooms are equipped with audio devices for listening to recitations to aid in memorisation. He also viewed the centre's master plan, its beautiful designs, the murals inscribed with Quranic verses, and some of the historic Qurans and religious artifacts in the centre's collection.

He concluded his visit at the Grand Mosque of Egypt, which is the largest mosque in the republic and the third largest in the world. It can accommodate 12,000 worshippers inside, with a total capacity of approximately 137,000. The mosque features a unique architectural design with two minarets, each standing 148 meters tall, and a main dome with a diameter of 29.5 meters and a weight of 500 tonnes, along with 20 smaller domes. The mosque's wooden minbar is recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest in the world.