"We have to open before Ramadan, because we have already prepared programmes for the holy month," Arab News reported Indonesia's Akmal Salim Ruhana as saying. Ruhana heads the mosque affairs sub-directorate at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. "This is an expression of the good relations between the two countries, Indonesia-UAE diplomatic relations, and the closeness and friendliness of the two presidents."
A spokesman for the Surakarta City Government said that the mosque "has the potential to be a learning centre for a moderate generation of Islam." He added that it will also serve as an important tourist attraction for visitors from around the world.
The mosque is about one-fifth of the size of the original in Abu Dhabi and can accommodate up to 14,000 worshippers. Moreover, it features design elements unique to the region, such as the batik art form, indigenous to Indonesia.