NATIONAL MOSQUE - Kuala Lumpur

MASJID NEGARA - NATIONAL MOSQUE

National Mosque - Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

 

BACKGROUND

The National Mosque is  located in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Built between 1963 and August 27, 1965, the National Mosque is a symbol of the greatness of Islam as the official religion in Malaysia. It can accommodate 15,000 worshipers.

LOCATION

Located in the strategic area of ​​Kuala Lumpur City Centre, located next to the National Mosque of Malaysia Railway Station Building, Earth Force, General Post Malaysia, the Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park and nearby Lake Gardens. National Mosque area of ​​13 acres and the main building the approximately 3 acres. The whole area of ​​the mosque is surrounded in part by a concrete wall and partly by ornate railings. There are seven door for  non-Muslim tourists. There are also a public toilet located nearby build by Kuala Lumpur City Hall, located near the entrance specially for local and foreign tourists.

Before the establishment of the Shah Alam Mosque, the National Mosque is one of the most modern mosque in Southeast Asia. It is located in an area of ​​13 acres, the opposite side of the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. Construction of the National Mosque symbolizes the spirit of unity and tolerance. It was designed by the Malays, built by the Chinese and Indians and funded by the contribution of the Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus.

Design and supervision of the building was done by architects Design and Research Division, Federal Department of Public Works. They take about three years to complete. Before starting the design of the National Mosque, the main architect, Baharuddin Abu Kassim visited mosques in India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Republic and Spain.

At first glance, measuring 245 feet high tower looks like a rocket. Shaped like a folded umbrella and umbrella roof looks like a flower. The RM10 million building covers an area of ​​five acres. It contains a prayer hall measuring 22,500 square feet, a conference hall, interment, library, office, yard, tower room and a room royal imam. Interment to seven warriors located in the western part of the country. Also available is a radio and television rooms, air-conditioned prayer hall is located in the gallery area.

There are three large doors and a special door for royal use. On the ground floor an entrance hall there are rooms for ablutions,bathroom,places to store shoes and rest rooms for people coming from outside Kuala Lumpur. Before getting to the prayer hall on the first floor there is a large courtyard. In the middle of this page there is a 48 foot concrete umbrella ribs while there are fountains in within.

The prayer hall of reinforced concrete and mounted with Italian marble. There are nine sliding aluminum doors along three walls of the  prayer hall.. Carving of  the Quranic script traversing the wall above the door inside the prayer hall. Measuring two feet high writing blended with golden mosaics and a shiny blue. The ripple like roof that radiate red light rose, dotted about in the midst of the grid overlay terrazzo throughout the gallery. Fluffy umbrella-shaped concrete roof and decorated with glass mosaic and white gold marble.

Roof measuring 84 feet tall has a diameter of over 200 feet and is supported by 16 pillars that measure over 3 feet in diameter. Pillars are paved with terrazzo. In the middle of the roof there is an aluminum engraved with verses of the Quran - as a replica of the Blue Mosque dome in Istanbul, Turkey. Formerly "mihrab" form angular shaped like a door but has been modified curved as arch. This chamber inlaid verses of the Quran in Morocco calligraphy. The wall that surrounds the chamber was modified by Moroccan architecture. Pulpit, where Imam preach lies to the right of the mihrab. Pulpit shaped like balconies are built of wood.

Flatter than the four parts of the wall is a gallery for women and visitors who want to see inside the prayer hall. The interior of the gallery was decorated by a cloud motive lattice clearly shows the Islamic culture and resemble clouds motive found in the Grand Mosque and Patehphur Sikri Taj Mahal in India. Lattice exterior paved with terrazzo. The nine gates and lattice galleries bring sunshine into the prayer hall as well as decorative lights, concealed lights on the roof and aluminum rosette 16 slap lighting (chandeliers) gift of kings, governors and ex- President of Singapore.

The prayer hall can accommodate 3,000 patrons and able to accommodate 5,000 people were on the veranda in the three sides of the chamber. Main Hall  is protected from the outside by a lattice of aluminum curtain with authentic Islamic motive.. Terrazzo floor is constructed of pieces while the roof was constructed of concrete and has some small dome  built of blue mosaic. On the western side there is a conference hall complex. The great thing is concrete roof corrugate. This Main prayer hall curtained  terrazzo lattice beyond. The air-conditioned hall can accommodate 500 people representative of a religious conference. There is a library.within the Mosque complex.

Intention to build this mosque arose a month before Independence Day. An event formerly known as the Federal Executive Council decided to erect a mosque as a gesture of appreciation to the former Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, for his services to the people. After gaining independence, the Conference of Rulers approve the project. However, He did not want a mosque named after him, but rather suggests it was named "National Mosque".

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