Dubai-based toy maker launches Lego-style Muslim building blocks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A Dubai-based Moroccan entrepreneur last month launched Muslim Blocks, a Lego-style toys modeled after important Islamic holy places.

His company also released two sets of blocks of the Kaaba and Masjid Al Nabawi.

Moroccan national Abdellah Zejli said he has found that toy stores do not offer options that are both fun and educational for Muslims.

His sets come with detailed instructions that not only show children how to build the structures but also include facts and background stories about each structure.

Zejli recommends that parents play with their children while they build the sets.

He says this is a nice way to spend time together and introduce children to their religion.

Since launching the brand on July 1, Zejli has received more than 1,000 orders.

In addition to direct customers, stores have also approached Zejli to stock Muslim Blocks.

He said that in addition to orders from the United Arab Emirates, orders have also been received from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Zejli plans to launch a set featuring the Al-Aqsa Mosque late next month, followed by miniatures of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi or the newer Sharjah Mosque.

He plans to donate $5 from each sale to charitable organizations.

The Kaaba miniature consists of more than 300 interlocking blocks. It features the most prominent parts of the building, such as the Maqam Ibrahim, the Black Stone, and the Kiswah, the Great Shroud.

The Masjid Al Nabawi set is also made up of more than 300 bricks and provides more detail on the various features of the mosque, from the domes to the screens in the courtyard and the protruding minaret.