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Watch: Thousands gather on Eid Al Adha across UAE mosques, pray for peace and unity
Prayer halls and outdoor spaces filled up at mosques as worshippers gathered for a quiet moment of prayer before the day's celebration began
- PUBLISHED: Wed 27 May 2026, 8:00 AM UPDATED: Wed 27 May 2026, 9:02 AM
The Eid prayer sets everything in motion. Long before sunrise, roads across the UAE begin to get busier as families quietly make their way to mosques and open prayer grounds for Eid Al Adha prayers.
On Wednesday morning in Dubai, the sound of the call to prayer cut through the early morning silence as men, women and children — many dressed in freshly pressed traditional clothes, children clutching parents' hands with sleepy excitement — walked side by side toward the mosque.
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By the time worshippers arrived, prayer halls and outdoor spaces were already filling up. Similar scenes unfolded in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and across the Emirates: rows forming quickly, neighbours greeting each other after weeks apart, familiar faces spotted in the crowd, and "Eid Mubarak" exchanged warmly even before prayers began.
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Residents exchange hugs and prayers
There were quick embraces, quiet smiles, and moments of pause before everyone settled shoulder to shoulder. Then, as the prayer started, the atmosphere shifted completely. Phones disappeared, conversations stopped, and for a few moments, the rush of daily life seemed distant.
Thousands stood together in silence and devotion, united by faith regardless of nationality or background. The calmness inside the mosque carried a different kind of warmth — one built on togetherness, reflection and gratitude.
And once the prayers ended, the morning opened up into celebration. Worshippers lingered outside mosques longer than usual, catching up with friends, making video calls to relatives overseas, organising family lunches and visits for the rest of the day.
Children ran between groups collecting Eid greetings while older residents exchanged hugs and prayers for health and peace.
Across neighbourhoods, the sounds of laughter and conversation slowly replaced the quiet stillness of dawn. For many, Eid begins with prayer, but it is these moments afterward — standing outside a mosque talking to loved ones and strangers alike — that make the morning feel deeply personal, grounding the celebration not only in faith, but also in human connection.
