Susanna Laine had to make a complete turnaround at the mosque door - published a picture of her outfit: "I was about to give up"
Finnish presenter Susanna Laine faced a wardrobe challenge when visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, needing to adhere to strict dress codes before gaining entry.
Susanna Laine, a popular presenter from Finland, visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, one of the largest mosques in the world, as part of her travels. While the mosque offers guided tours that showcase its architecture and culture, visitors must comply with stringent dress codes. For women, this includes covering their hair, arms, and ankles, while men are required to wear long pants and shirts that cover their shoulders. Given these requirements, many tourist-friendly mosques provide rental clothing for guests who may not be appropriately dressed.
During her visit, Laine believed she had adhered to the dress code, but upon arrival at the mosque, she was still turned away for not having the correct long pants. This led to a moment of frustration, where she contemplated giving up on her visit altogether. However, after some persistence and eventually acquiring the appropriate attire, she was able to enter the mosque. In sharing her experience on Instagram, she expressed her relief and shared pictures of her visit, highlighting both the challenges of the dress code and the awe-inspiring beauty of the mosque.
Laine remarked on the mosque's capacity, noting that it can accommodate up to 40,000 visitors at a time, comparing it to the size of her hometown, Seinäjoki. Her experience not only underscores the importance of dressing appropriately when visiting cultural and religious sites but also celebrates the grandeur of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as a significant global landmark that emphasizes inter-cultural understanding and respect.