Abrahamic Family House

The undertaking was inspired by the Document on Human Fraternity signed by Pope Francis on behalf of the Catholic Church and Ahmed El-Tayeb on behalf of the al-Azhar Mosque on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi. It houses the St. Francis Church, Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue in separate structures.

Abrahamic Family House
بيت العائلة الإبراهيمية
Abrahamic Family House, November 2023
General information
Location	Cultural District, Al Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.
Town or city	Abu Dhabi
Country	United Arab Emirates
Coordinates	24°31′51″N 54°24′22″E / 24.530933°N 54.406101°E / 24.530933; 54.406101
Construction started	2019
Completed	2023
Opened	1 March 2023
Inaugurated	16 February 2023
Governing body	Higher Committee of Human Fraternity
Affiliation	Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque St. Francis Church Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue
Technical details
Size	82,882 sq ft (7,700.0 m2)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	David Adjaye
Architecture firm	Adjaye Associates
Other information
Public transit access	Bus Route 94(Bus Schedule)
Website
Official Website

The implementation of the project is supervised by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF).

The project was announced by Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, on 5 February 2019 at a meeting of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity at the New York Public Library.

It was officially inaugurated on 16 February 2023 by Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.

 

The Abrahamic Family House aims to serve as a community for inter-religious dialogue and exchange and be a physical manifestation of the Document on Human Fraternity. It will provide learning resources as well as spaces for worship.

The complex seeks to represent interfaith co-existence, preserves the unique character of the religions represented and build bridges between human civilization and the Abrahamic messages.

The design of the Abrahamic Family House has been prepared by the award-winning architectural and design firm Adjaye Associates, headed by Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye, who unveiled the plan of the project during a New York City event.

The three cubic houses of worship sit upon a secular visitor pavilion, and aim to represent the diverse worshippers, residents, and visitors of Abu Dhabi. Adjaye highlighted that he wanted to “create a building that starts to dissolve the notion of hierarchical difference – it should represent universality and totality – something higher, that enhances the richness of human life". The design of this religious complex comprises three unaligned cubes sitting on a plinth, and each of them has a different orientation. The silhouette of the building makes the cubes look unified, and each of them is illustrated with colonnades, screens and vaults. The site also includes a cultural center that will promote the values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence while the unique character of each faith is preserved.

The space's design is similar to that of the Tri-Faith Commons in the US.

The three houses of worship have been named after the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Catholic friar St. Francis of Assisi, and the 12th century Jewish philosopher and rabbinical scholar Moses Ben Maimon – Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque, St. Francis Church, and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, respectively.

The Abrahamic Family House inspired a symphony titled "Symphony of Three" composed by Ihab Darwish, John Debney and David Shire. The symphonic performance commissioned and produced by Abu Dhabi Festival, and co-produced by Ihab Darwish and Robert Townson, brought together vocal ensembles, composers and musicians from Christian, Jewish and Muslim backgrounds to celebrate dialogue among different faiths.

• Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque - Mosque located within the complex
• St. Francis Church - Church located within the complex
• Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue - Synagogue located within the complex
• Document on Human Fraternity
• Higher Committee of Human Fraternity