IACAD Launches "Excellence in Mosque Management Competition"

- IACAD Launches "Excellence in Mosque Management Competition" – The First of Its Kind regionally

As part of its strategy for 2025-2027 and its vision to be a global model for Islamic and humanitarian work, The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai has launched the "Excellence in Mosque Management Competition," the first of its kind regionally. The competition aims to develop a global model for excellence in mosque management, highlighting and enhancing the efforts of mosque staff and administrators in several areas, including sustainable development, environmental protection, facility readiness, and service quality. The competition includes criteria that cover social, economic, and environmental aspects, reflecting IACAD’s commitment to applying comprehensive sustainability standards in mosque management and services, thus enhancing their role in serving the community.

In this regard, His Excellency Ahmed Darwish Al-Muhairi, IACAD’s Director-General, stated: "Through the Excellence in Mosque Management Competition, we aim to recognize pioneering and outstanding practices in mosque management across Dubai. We also seek to document these practices and make them accessible to all interested parties at the local and global levels, so they can benefit from them. Additionally, we aim to enhance and improve the readiness of mosques and the services provided to worshippers."

He added that Dubai has over 2,450 mosques and prayer spaces that serve the public, which necessitates continuous development and improvement in the readiness of these mosques and prayer areas. This includes ensuring the full preparedness of the staff working in these mosques, improving resource efficiency, and achieving high standards in customer service and satisfaction. He also emphasized that IACAD, through this competition, seeks to encourage mosque staff and administrators to compete in the quality of services offered, reduce the carbon footprint by optimizing electricity and water consumption, and foster innovation in mosque operations and the services provided.

His Excellency further noted that over the past decades, Dubai's mosques have achieved significant milestones, such as innovations in mosque construction, including energy-producing mosques, and improvements in mosque operations and services. Through its 2025-2027 strategy, IACAD aims to be closer to the community and strengthen initiatives that bring the public closer to mosques, such as the "Imam Al-Fareej" and "Mu'adhin Al-Fareej" initiatives, which will be announced in the coming periods. In conclusion, His Excellency clarified that IACAD, through this initiative, aims to be a key driver of positive change in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of mosque management, in line with IACAD’s strategic goals.

The competition includes criteria focused on improving mosque management processes, rationalizing water and electricity consumption, and maintaining environmental, health, and safety standards. It also includes standards for engaging with mosque visitors, responding promptly to formal feedback and complaints, improving religious services, and implementing community programs, religious lessons, and lectures.

The competition places special emphasis on providing analytical and periodic reports to measure impact and sustainability across various fields. It also seeks to enhance the mosque’s role in the community through religious and cultural activities, in addition to improving the efficiency of operational expenses by optimizing resource use and adopting sustainable technologies. The competition focuses on transforming mosques into sustainable spaces by utilizing renewable energy technologies, contributing to a reduction in carbon footprints.