The tip of the Arabian Peninsula (1)

The seven United Arab Emirates (UAE) are ruled by their respective ruling families. Among the most famous emirates are Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Fujairah. The royal families choose a president and a prime minister from among themselves every five years.

Islam is the state religion, with the majority of the population being Sunni Muslims. The split between Sunnis and Shiites originated from the acknowledgment of the blood relationship of the new caliph with the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD.

Sunnis adhere to the Sunnah, which is based on the teachings of the Prophet, thus establishing the Sunnah as the basis of their actions.

Shiites believe that Muhammad designated his son-in-law Ali (it seems that not much has changed regarding naming in Islam;-) as the first caliph. They consider the imams to be legitimate leaders and interpreters of the Islamic community.

Some impressions from Dubai from 2006.

The Burj Khalifa (still under construction at the time) reached an impressive height of 828m since its completion in 2010, while our Berlin TV Tower stands at a hefty 368m.

Burj Al Arab (height of 321m) is a hotel that was completed in 1999 and is a landmark of the city with its sail-shaped architecture.

Bur Dubai Grand Mosque (the Grand Mosque of Dubai), where