Malaysia: land of varied mosques
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Ubudiah mosque, is located in Kuala Kangsar, Perak. Built in 1917
during the reign of the 28th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Murshidul'adzam Shah I. It was commissioned on the orders of the Sultan who vowed that he would build a mosque of great beauty as thanksgiving for recovery from an illness which plagued him in those early days. Colonel Huxley, from the Public Works Department, were ordered by the Perak Government to build the mosque and he commissioned A. B .Hubbeck, a government architect and Mr.Caulfield as the chief engineer. On Friday, 26th September 1913, Sultan Idris Mursyidul'adzam Shah, officiated the construction of the mosque.The mosque was officially opened in 1916 by Sultan Abdul Jalil Nasarudin Syah, successor to Sultan Idris. The cost to built the mosque is said to be about $200,000 and it took 4 years to complete. It consist of 'Moghul' style onion domes, symmetrical in design with a central dome of imposing dimension, four wings with four smaller domes and a total of 24 minarets of diverse heights.
According to story, one day during a ceremony and a feast to celebrate circumcision of Raja Khalid, son of Sultan Abdul Jalil, His Highness elephant, named Kulub Chandan and his mahout, Kulub Said, fought another elephant named Kulub Gangga and his mahout, Uda Dabok (the latter belong to Raja Chulan). The marbles and materials for the mosque were totally destroyed. The battle lasted about several hours, only when Raja Chulan called his elephant by name and commanded it to stop fighting.
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Located in Shah Alam, Selangor The Sultan of Selangor, His Highness Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah decreed that a State Mosque to be built when he declared Shah Alam the new state capital of Selangor on 14th February 1974. The State Mosque, completed on 11th March 1988, has the tallest minaret and biggest dome in the world. It is presently the largest in Southeast Asia, able to accommodate a maximum of 24,000 people. The mosque occupies three floors. Offices, conference rooms, a library, reception rooms and classrooms are located on the ground floor. The main prayer hall is on the first floor and the gallery on the second floor.
The main prayer hall is one of the largest in the world. It has two levels, with the upper gallery level reserved for ladies. The carpet is made of fine worsted wool with geometrical patterns on a blue background. All floors in the main prayer hall are carpeted.
The double-layered space frame Dome soars up to 350 feet above ground and is 170 feet in diameter, becoming the largest religious dome ever built in the world to date. To match the majestic size of the dome, four minarets were built. They are positioned at the corners, guarding the Dorm, and rising over 460 feet, marking them the tallest in the world to date. Decorative khat can be seen in the outer and inner parts of the Dome and on selected parts of the main prayer hall. The calligraphy is the work of the famous Egyptian calligrapher, Sheikh Abdel Moneim Mohamed Ali El Sharkawi, assited by local calligraphers.
National mosque
It was built in 1965 and Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first Prime Minister, provided the initial design It was design by Public Work Department team led by Howard Ashley, Baharudin Kassim and Hisham Albakri. A mix of Islam and modern design, constructed of reinforced concrete with Italian marble finishing. The central prayer hall is covered with strange looking folded plate roof fan shaped and several smaller domes. The-fan shaped roof which has 18 spokes, symbolizing 13 states of Malaysia plus 5 pillars of Islam. The 48 smaller domes was inspired by the design of the Great Mosque in Mecca. The grand hall, screened by white grilles of a design reminiscent of the great mosque at Agra and Fatephur Sikri in India, which with its verandas can accomodate 8,000 people. There is also a hall used for various purpose that can accomodate 500 persons. The minaret rising 73m above the inner pool. A mausoleum at the end of the main building reserved for Malaysians' prominent person.
Kapitam Keling mosque
Located in Jalan Kapitan Keling, Penang. It was first built by India Company's troop when they first arrived in Penang at the end of the 18th century. The present building was built by Cadeer Mohideen, an Indian Muslim leader(kapitan), who obtained a grant of 18 acres of land in Nov 1801. In 1903, the area has been reduced to only eight acres for building roads and houses. Cadeer Mohideen died in 1834 and was buried not very far from the mosque. It features domes, turrets and minarets. Its exterior is ochre yellowed and interior,white marble floor and high ceiling. There is a tall tower on the ground where prayer time is announced. The Islamic Information Centre is also located in that tower on the ground floor.
The term 'keling' derived from the ancient Hindu kingdom on the Coromandel coast of South India. It was generally used to denote all those who came from there.
Tengkuteugah Zuharah mosque
Located in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, named after the present Sultan's mother. It was built on the estuary of Sungai Terengganu and its intricate design gives viewers the impression that the mosque is actually floating on water. It is beautifully lit at night and provides a holy landmark for the city.
Abu Bakar mosque
Located in Abu Bakar Road, Johor Baharu, Johor. Set on top of a hill on a spacious ground overlooking the Straits of Johor. The foundation stone was laid by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1892, after whom the mosque is named. It took eight years to complete at a cost of M$400,000. It was finished in 1900, a few years after the death of Sultan Abu Bakar. It can accommodate 2,000 worshippers.
Jamek mosque
Sultan of Selangor officially opened Jamek Mosque on 23rd December 1909 in the presence of a large group of Malays from all over the states. The Resident of Selangor, H.C. Belfield, and other officials attended the first part of the ceremony which was held outside the mosque. A.B. Hubback, a government architect, designed the mosque and other notable building on this period. The money was raised by subscription from the Malay community and government funds. It was constructed on the site of the first Malay cemetary. This is the city's oldest surviving mosque, located at the confluence of the Sungai Kelang and Sungai Gombak and set amongst coconnut trees. Curved step lead to the water's edge.
The design, was inspired by the Moghul Mosque in North India. Cupolas and minarets tops the brick walls and arched colonnades. Three domes surmount the prayer hall; the central dome is 21.3m high and is flanked by two lower domes. The prayer hall opens out onto a wall sahn (courtyard), which has now been covered over. At the corners are two red and white striped minarets 26.8 m high, identical in design with chatris (umbrella shaped cupolas, usually dome and open-sided) on the top. A large number of small chatris to the entrances and corners of the mosque
Until the opening of the National Mosque in 1965, Masjid Jamek served as Kuala Lumpur's principal mosque. In 1979, RM4 million ringgit was spent to renovate and refurbish the mosque.
India mosque
Located in Masjid India road in Kuala Lumpur. It began in 1863 as a wood and atap hut. It was located near Klang river which provided water for the ablutions prior to prayers. In 1945, it was rebuilt to accommodate congregation of 1,000 worshippers.
This site was later gazetted in October 1964 as a "reserve for a mosque". As a result, a new mosque, which could accommodate a congregation of 3,500 was constructed. Its opening in 1966 was officiated by the Sultan of Selangor. Apart from the initial grant of RM75,000 from the Federal Government and RM25,000 from the Selangor State Government, the bulk of the funds for the building was donated by the Indian Muslim community
The mosque, built in the southern Indian style, is a three storey structure with onion-domed chatris (open sided umbrella-shaped cupolas) and arch windows with Islamic motifs. the single minaret is topped by a chatri. It has verticaly-striped ventilators intersected by balconies. The first floor is the prayer hall reserved for the men and the second is for women. General assemblies are held on the ground floor.
At the time the site was gazetted, a board of trustee was appointed by the South Indian Muslim Masjid commitee to maintain the mosque. While the operational cost of the other mosques are subsidized by the government, this is a private institution supported primarily by members contributions and public donations. The members elect the imam, the nazir and committe which manages the mosque. Service is conducted in Arabic and Tamil languages.
Nilam Puri mosque
It is believed to be built by Muslim missionaries from Champa with some assistance of local religious men. This is the oldest mosque in Malaysia and it is situated in a small town called Nilam Puri, 10 km south of Kota Bharu, the state capital.
This unique and historic mosque was originally located at Kampung Laut on the banks of the Kelantan river opposite Kota Bharu, however, because of the danger of floods, the mosque was dismantled and re-built on its present location. The mosque was made entirely of Cengal wood without the use of nails.
Al Muhammadi stone mosque
It is located along Sultanan Zainab Road facing Padang Merdeka. Built on the site of an old mosque which was destroyed in a flood during the reign of Sultan Mulut Merah. The Sultan instructed that a new great mosque must be built on the same site. Construction of the mosque began in 1916 and the building was completed in 1926 during the reign of Sultan Ismail.
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World Islamic Tourism Mart / Malaysia
WITM 2012 InCoMTHU Conference will feature quality and world renown speakers not only from Malaysia but from around the globe. In its 6th Year, the WITM InCoMTHU Conference 2012 will have speakers fro (16/05/2012)
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