DUBAI, 13 March 2008 — Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai, has ordered the construction of a museum presenting the “life, legacy and the divine message” of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Emirates news agency WAM reported yesterday.
The state-owned agency did not say when the building would start, where the museum would be erected, or how long it will take to complete.
WAM said that visitors will learn about the milestones in the Prophet’s life, including his marriage, God’s revelation to him, propagation of the divine message around the world, his migration from Makkah to Madinah, his farewell pilgrimage and the passing away of God’s last messenger.
The report also did not say how the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, which was set up by Sheikh Mohammed earlier this week and which was assigned the colossal task, would present the Prophet’s life. Islamic law opposes any depiction of the Prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.
Dubai, with a modern outlook, has in the past few years asserted itself as Middle East’s business hub and a popular tourist destination, attracting Western tourists and expatriate workers of 200 nationalities.
Sheikh Mayed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the newly appointed chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, said the construction of the museum affirms Dubai’s intention to be “a bridge between the East and West” and an important link between the “Islamic world and the rest of the world.”
