Dates packed in Qubbet Al Shakhra model packets

The Dome of the Rock, Qubbet Al Sakhra located in Jerusalem is one of three most sacred shrines for Muslims around the world. An equally important religious and historical monument, the Masjid with the unique golden dome located in the Haram al-Sharif, Jerusalem is now replicated in the form of a package for Arabian chocolate and dates, manufactured by a UAE-based company. 
 
Curious visitors to the Gulf food exhibition are amused by many golden domes piled up aesthetically in the exhibition stall of Al Mealim Sweets, a UAE company, exhibiting its unique product range in this unique religiously developed packaging. Visitors stop at the company's stall, part of it designed with a golden dome of Qubeet al Shakra.

 “We have this unique package for our luxury Arabian sweets and dates. The tin package is shaped in the form of Qubeet al Shakra and each packet of chocolate will cost just Dh 50. We have launched it for the first time in the world in the Gulffood Exhibiton, 2014 in Dubai. Everyone who passes by our stall comes back after seeing the mini Qubbet Al Saklhra displayed in our stall,” says the manager of Al Mealim Sweets LLC.

“Many people wanted to buy this Arabic sweet because of the packet, which is a mini Qubbet Al Sakhra. We have just launched it and the display pieces are not meant for sale. Many of them took our contact details to place orders for the sweet,” he said, adding that after eating the Arabian sweet or Arabian date contained in the packet, the miniature form of the Mosque can be kept as a monument.

The UAE based company claims that it has searched throughout Arabia for authentic Arabian sweets and has come to the market with such unique products, “The sweets and the packets are manufactured in our factories in Jabel Ali Free Zone and Al Qouz. It will be available in the Duty Free Shops,  supermarket chains, all the leading hotels in the UAE as well as Careefour,” he said. “We will be distributing it in all the Gulf countries, especially Qatar and Saudi Arabia. It will be in great demand as the shrine is a holy place for Muslims around the world.” The golden dome is the top lid of the tin packet and is used to open and close the shrine sweet packet. The original shrine in Jerusalem is a religious tourist spot and thousands of Muslims visit the Masjid every year.

The company produces Arabian sweets like Baklava, Balluria, Asabe, Turkiya, Mamul with

dates, etc.  “Qubbet Al Sakhra is one of the most sacred places for Muslims. It is a Holy shrine and for the Palestinian people, it is quite unique. I have seen date packets with pictures of the Holy Shrines, but this is the first time that I come across a sweet packet, which is a replica of the Qubbet Al Sakhra. It  is a very attractive packaging,” said a Gulfood visitor, curiously looking at the displayed sweet packets.

Ibn Battutta, the 14th  century travel writer has said about the Shrine:  “The Dome of the Rock is a building of extraordinary beauty, solidity, elegance, and singularity of shape… Both outside and inside, the decoration is so magnificent and the workmanship so surpassing as to defy description. The greater part is covered with gold so that the eyes of one who gazes on its beauties are dazzled by its brilliance, now glowing like a mass of light, now flashing like lightning.” 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.