Abrahamic Family House

The Abrahamic Family House (بيت العائلة الإبراهيمية) is an interfaith complex on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. 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.

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

History
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.

Purpose


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.

Design
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.

Naming of Church, Mosque, and Synagogue
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.

In popular culture
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, Zofia Jeziorna and Robert Townson, brought together vocal ensembles, composers and musicians from Christian, Jewish and Muslim backgrounds to celebrate dialogue among different faiths.