Administrative Resolution No. (83) of 2020

Prescribing the Rules and Requirements for

Construction, Alteration, and Maintenance of Mosques in the Emirate of Dubai[1]

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The Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department,

After perusal of:

Law No. (2) of 2011 Concerning the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department;

Executive Council Resolution No. (25) of 2013 Concerning Mosques and Religious Activities in the Emirate of Dubai;

Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2020 Approving the Organisational Structure of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department; and

The legislation establishing and regulating free zones and Special Development Zones in the Emirate of Dubai,

Does hereby issue this Resolution.

Definitions

Article (1)

The following words and expressions, wherever mentioned in this Resolution, will have the meaning indicated opposite each of them unless the context implies otherwise:

Emirate:

The Emirate of Dubai.

IACAD:

The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.

Director General:

The director general of the IACAD.

Mosque:

A place designated for prayers, including mosques built by individuals on endowed and non-endowed land. Mosque courts and appurtenances to mosques will be treated as mosques.

Donor:

A Person wishing to construct a Mosque on a land plot he owns or on a land plot owned by the IACAD; or a Person wishing to perform any alterations or additions to, or maintenance of, a Mosque.

Person:

A natural or legal person.

 

Allocation of Land Plots for Construction of Mosques

Article (2)

Allocation of a land plot on which a Mosque is to be constructed will be subject to the following:

1.    Land Plots Owned by Persons

a.    A Donor wishing to construct a Mosque on a land plot he owns must register the land plot as an Endowment in the name of the IACAD.

b.    A land plot registered as an Endowment in the name of the IACAD pursuant to the provisions of sub-paragraph (1)(a) of this Article may not be substituted, altered, or used for any other purpose without first obtaining the written approval of the IACAD, which will be issued in coordination with the competent entities in the Emirate.

2.    Land Plots Owned by the IACAD

a.    The IACAD will, in coordination with the competent entities in the Emirate, allocate to a Donor the land plot on which the Mosque will be constructed.

b.    Where a land plot owned by the IACAD is allocated to a Donor to construct a Mosque thereon, this land plot will remain the property of the IACAD and will not be conveyed to the Donor by reason of that allocation.

c.     The allocation of a land plot on which a Mosque is to be constructed will terminate upon completion of the Mosque construction; where the Donor fails to complete, or reneges on, constructing the Mosque; upon the death of the Donor; or upon the lapse of the allocation term prescribed by this Resolution.

Procedures for Construction of Mosques

Article (3)

A Donor wishing to construct a Mosque in the Emirate must comply with the following procedures:

1.    An application for construction of the Mosque will be submitted to the IACAD on the form prescribed by it for this purpose, supported by the required documents.

2.    The IACAD will consider the application referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article and will issue its decision to approve or reject that application within fifteen (15) days from the date of its submission.

3.    Where the application is approved, the applicant must appoint a consultant, submit the construction plans of the Mosque, and obtain a building permit from the competent licensing authority in the Emirate, within six (6) months from the date on which the IACAD approves the application. The IACAD may, upon the request of the Donor, extend this time frame once for a period not exceeding three (3) months.

4.    The IACAD may cancel the allocation of a land plot designated for constructing a Mosque if the Donor fails to appoint a consultant; to submit the required construction plans; or to obtain the relevant building permit, within the time frame referred to in sub-paragraph (3) of this Article.

5.    The Donor must complete the Mosque construction works within a period not exceeding two (2) years. The IACAD may, upon the request of the Donor, extend this time frame once for a period not exceeding two (2) years. The IACAD may cancel the allocation of the land plot designated for constructing the Mosque where construction works are not completed within that time frame.

6.    Upon completion of the construction works, the Mosque will be handed over to the IACAD in accordance with the procedures adopted by it in this respect.

Obligations of Donors

Article (4)

A Donor must:

1.    comply with the construction standards, plans, designs, area, capacity, and Qibla direction certificate approved by the IACAD;

2.    not change the use of the Mosque; or add new services or facilities to, or cancel any existing services or facilities of, the Mosque without first obtaining the written approval of the IACAD and the relevant permits from the competent licensing authority in the Emirate;

3.    bear all expenses and costs of the construction and operation of the Mosque, and of handing it over to the IACAD;

4.    subject to obtaining the completion certificate from the competent authority in charge of licensing construction works in the Emirate, sign the relevant document for handover of the Mosque to the IACAD; and

5.    repair any defects in the Mosque within the first year of its operation.

Naming Mosques

Article (5)

a.    The IACAD will be responsible for naming Mosques. The IACAD may, upon the request of a Donor, adopt the Mosque name proposed by him.

b.    In naming a Mosque, it must not be assigned the name of any other Mosque in the Emirate.

Alteration, Addition, and Maintenance of Mosques

Article (6)

a.    No extension or maintenance of a Mosque, or additions or alterations thereto, may be carried out without first obtaining the written approval of the IACAD and the relevant building permit from the competent licensing authority in the Emirate.

b.    An applicant for an approval to carry out extension, alteration, addition, or maintenance works must undertake to comply with the procedures and standards adopted by the IACAD in this respect.

Construction of Mosques in Free Zones and Special Development Zones

Article (7)

a.    An authority supervising a free zone or a Special Development Zone in the Emirate must:

1.    include the number, locations, area, and types of the Mosques to be constructed in the zone it supervises in the zone master plan approved by it; obtain the approvals to this master plan from the competent entities in the Emirate; and notify the IACAD of the same;

2.    upon approving the master plan by the competent entities in the Emirate, demarcate the land plots allocated for constructing Mosques and apply for issuing their title deeds in the name of the IACAD;

3.    consider, in coordination with the IACAD and the competent entities in the Emirate, the need for constructing Mosques within real property projects; and

4.    construct, and bear the operating costs of, at least one Mosque within the zone it supervises.

b.    The allocation of land plots for constructing Mosques, and the procedures for construction, alteration, or maintenance of Mosques in free zones and Special Development Zones, will be in accordance with the provisions of this Resolution.

Grievances

Article (8)

Any affected party may submit a written grievance to the Director General against any decision or measure taken against him under this Resolution within fifteen (15) days of being notified of the contested decision or measure. The grievance will be considered and determined, within fifteen (15) days from the date of its submission, by a committee formed by the Director General for this purpose; and the decision issued in respect of the grievance will be final.

Consistency with Legislation in Force

Article (9)

The provisions of this Resolution will apply without prejudice to the functions vested in the competent entities in the Emirate, including the authorities supervising free zones and Special Development Zones, in relation to supervising, monitoring, and licensing construction works, in accordance with the applicable legislation relevant to these entities.

Issuing Implementing Instructions

Article (10)

The Executive Director of the Mosques Affairs Sector of the IACAD will issue the instructions required for the implementation of the provisions of this Resolution.

Repeals

Article (11)

Any provision in any other administrative resolution will be repealed to the extent that it contradicts this Resolution.

Publication and Commencement

Article (12)

This Resolution will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into force on the day on which it is published.

Dr. Hamad Al Sheikh Ahmed Hamad Al Shaibani

Director General

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department

Issued in Dubai on 5 May 2020

Corresponding to 12 Ramadan 1441 A.H.



©2020 The Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai

[1]Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete English version of this legislation. However, for the purpose of its interpretation and application, reference must be made to the original Arabic text. In case of conflict, the Arabic text will prevail.