Rough, off-road, winding track leading to Ancient Masjid in Musandam. Driving down in a search for a place to camp, all I am anticipating is finding a remote, trackless beach. As I am taking the last turn, a strange and mysterious-looking building emerges from the contrasting azure of the sea. I just stumbled upon ancient mosque. I open my eyes widely, looking at it with curiosity and admiration.
Ancient Masjid beach in Musandam, also known as Ras Al Sheikh beach, among local people, was named after two mysterious landmarks, that proudly stand next to each other. “Ras” in the Arabic language means “head” and “Sheikh” in this case, a religious person. But as for the name “ancient masjid”, I am assuming that people refer to the smaller structure with the dome roof, which in fact is not ancient and not a “masjid”. The “masjid”—mosque, is a bigger building with a flat roof, consisting of one main room on a floor, with an empty open basement below.
The other building with a roof in the shape of a dome is actually a kind of shrine (Arabic: maqam) of a religious person named “Masood”, as local tradition says, who supposedly came from the region of Iran to teach people about Islam, however before reaching the land of Musandam, he died on the boat. His companions built the tomb to commemorate his memory and this place became a place of worship for many years after his death.
While talking to locals I got to know what people used to sacrifice animals in this place, as well as bring expensive perfumes and burn bakhoor. It seems like there are a few that still continue this tradition, looking at empty perfume bottles left on the ground, mabkhara—a traditional bakhoor burner and the specific fragrance lingering in the air. These certain customs performed in the Ancient Masjid in Musandam seem to be similar to those that I have seen in Al Ghamour in the United Arab Emirates and that I wrote about here: The Spirit of Ain Al Ghamour Hot Springs.
And even traveling around Salalah in Oman, which is believed to be the land of tombs of prophets, I found many similarities in the appearance of the tombs and the practices that people perform around them.
I covered the Ancient Masjid beach in one of my episodes from Musandam and you can watch it below:
HOW ANCIENT IS THE “ANCIENT MASJID”?
It is unclear how old the shire and mosque are, however, the local people unanimously agree that they have already been here before the Portuguese invasion of Musandam at the beginning of the 17th century. If you have visited the oldest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, which is in Al Bidayah, you may notice the striking similarities to Ancient Masjid in Musandam—the way they were built and used material. It might, or might not give us a clue about the age. However, it is only a speculation.
Around the Ancient Masjid one can spot a graveyard, supposedly a place of burial of Sheik Masood’s companions and family.
HOW TO GET TO ANCIENT MASJID?
The road to the Ancient Masjid is not the easiest, especially the last stretch before the beach is quite steep and rough. You’ll definitely need 4×4 car, with good ground clearance. Otherwise, if you feel adventurous, you can leave the car at the entrance point (26.244279, 56.214517) and then hike down. But considering a big elevation drop as you walk down, I would definitely not advise going hiking here in hot weather. Way down is constantly descending. So save your stamina for the way up.
You may encounter some minor difficulty to find the way as there is construction going on and a few dirt roads have been made. Basically, after exiting from the main road, you will take the left turn here: 26.244673, 56.214463, and stay on this path until you reach the area right by the sea. At this fork of the road: 26.254503, 56.214091, the left is going to take you to the flat area on the top of the shore which is a good option for camping if it is not too windy, and the right is a steep, rough descent to the beach and the Ancient Masjid eventually (26.255023, 56.215057).
IS CAMPING ALLOWED AT THE ANCIENT MASJID BEACH
I am sure that looking at the photos you are wondering if it is allowed to camp at the Ancient Masjid beach. Generally, it is allowed to camp anywhere in Musandam, as long as you respect local culture and religion and do not litter the place. Keep in mind that Ancient Masjid is an important religious place for many and there is a cemetery around.
BREATH-TAKING UNDERWATER WORLD
Do not forget to pack your water shoes as the sea bottom here is quite rocky and of course the snorkeling gear! The beach is surrounded by a rocky shore, so that is home to coral reefs, plenty of colorful fish, and incredible underwater life. The waves at the Ancient Masjid beach in Musandam are usually quite calm as the location is inside the bay.
In the below video, you can have a look at the snorkeling possibility in Musandam from minute 1:52, at the Ancient Masjid beach.
REMEMBER!
- Do not leave any garbage behind, including food. Even organic waste can take months to biodegrade and meanwhile it will attract animals. It may make them stop eating their natural food and rely on what humans leave behind and make them sick.
- Have always a bag ready to collect trash left behind by other inconsiderate people—in the end, you are saving nature.
- Hike or camp over gravel and rocks. In some areas, the vegetation can take years to grow back.
- Leave natural and historical items where you find them.
- Minimize cooking over a campfire—use the stove instead—it is less impact on the wilderness.
UAE OFF-ROADER GUIDE
If you are looking for more off-road trails to discover around the United Arab Emirates, I can recommend this ultimate guide that is packed with many routes, giving very detailed information and answering all questions you could have about off-roading in the UAE.
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FIELD GUIDE TO EMIRATES
To learn more about UAE’s natural & archaeological treasures, check: https://amzn.to/34DwUlp
I hope you found this article about Ancient Masjid in Musandam helpful and it gave you an idea of where to head to next weekend. If you are looking for more places to explore in this area, I recommend you to check: Visit a Place From One Thousand and One Nights – Cave in Ras Al Khaimah or Is Al Jazirah Al Hamra—Ghost Town—Really Haunted?
