Inside Central Souk - Sharjah

This is a view of inside the Central Souk in Sharjah. The hanging flag with red, black, white and green stripes is that of the U.A.E. When it's time to pray, the adhaan is given off quite beautifully and echoes all across the souk.

All praises and thanks are to Allaah (subhaanahu wata'aalaa) alone 

The Central Souk - Sharjah

This is a partial view of the Central Souk in Sharjah - called As-Souq al-Markazi in Arabic (السوق المركزي). It is an indoor shopping center and one of the known markets for buying 'abayas, the other place being outdoors in a different part of the city. However we must warn the sisters not to waste their time searching for over-head jilbaabs, because as surprising as it may sound, they are not typically sold in the country it seems due to the current trend being different, AllaahulMusta'aan, and the one or two you may find will probably not be of the best material. But the good news is that there are plenty of tailors available at low cost but who truly do an excellent job in making just the perfect over-head jilbaabs with the best material if you give them a sample, and they can turn out to be much better than the read-made ones you may buy from elsewhere.

All praises and thanks are to Allaah (subhaanahu wata'aalaa) alone

The city of Sharjah

This is what it typically looks like in the city of Sharjah - pronounced Ash-Shaariqah (الشارقة) in Arabic. It is not as rich as cities like Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain in terms of lifestyle, development, clothing and food; and while it is more conservative than Dubai, I would not label it as the most conservative city (as is commonly believed) if I compare it to Al-Ain. However, it is known to be a city where many people of the Sunnah and Salafiyyah reside, where the scholars visit to give talks, and where there are beneficial opportunities to study the deen. 

All praises and thanks are to Allaah (subhaanahu wata'aalaa alone)

Leaving Dubai Airport

This is as we drive away from Dubai airport. The black and white brick pattern along the roads commonly indicates that parking is allowed, whereas black and yellow indicates that parking isn't allowed.

All praises and thanks are to Allaah (subhaanahu wata'aalaa) alone

First steps into Dubai Airport

This is the first scene upon entrance into Dubai Airport. Compared to the European, American and other Western airports, this is so refreshing and lively. It is wonderful to start seeing public messages in Arabic alongside the English as well, which is pretty much everywhere and presents endless opportunities to learn new vocab. There is a restroom area just a few steps later (to the left of the picture), which is again a blessing and so convenient for arriving passengers, something that we didn't find so easily while travelling through some of the Western airports! 

All praises and thanks are to Allaah (subhaanahu wata'aalaa) alone