Divine Style

Holy

& Sacred

Architecture

Sacred Islamic architecture is a religious architectural practice concerned with the design and c on s t ru c t i on o f p l a c e s o f worship and sacred or intentional space. A common feature in mosques is the minaret, the tall, slender tower that usually is situated at one of the corners of the mosque structure. Domes have been a hall-mark of Islamic architecture since the 7th century. The prayer hall, also known as the musalla, has no furniture inside. Usually opposite the entrance to the prayer hall is the qibla wall, which is the visually emphasized area inside the prayer hall. The qibla wall is normally set perpendicular to a line leading to Mecca.

Masjid Jamek

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Masjid Jamek is situated at the confluence

of the Klang and Gombak Rivers in the

very heart of Kuala Lumpur, it is

undoubtedly one of the oldest mosques

in the Malaysian capital. Construction

of the mosque began in the early 1900s

and was completed in 1907, being

commissioned by the British colonial

government as part of efforts in

developing the capital.

The Jamek Mosque is uniquely situated amidst a tranquil canopy

of shady coconut trees in the middle of a bustling metropolis. It is one of

the main mosques for Muslims in Kuala Lumpur to conduct weekly

Friday noon prayers. Visitors can access the mosque by foot from the

nearby Masjid Jamek LRT station.

Its architectural style, designed by the then resident Architect

General of British Malaya, Arthur Benison Hubback, bears

significant Moorish and North Indian influence.

The mosque was built atop a former Malay

cemetery, with funds partly contributed by the British

colonial government and partly raised by the local

Malay community.

Wooden Door made of Arabian Design

along with a golden handle. There are three

doors like this that get people inside the

Mosque, that is the prayer room (Musalla).

Hexagonal shape along with six cornered

stars made of strips of wood and glass to form

a window. All around the mosque, this kind of

window are found. This is a sort of Arabian

Design.

The Prayer room (Musalla) is in a

rectangular shape but is divided into three

octagon. The one in the middle is bigger.

Lots of columns were used for the support of

the mosque as well as to enhance the beauty

of the Musalla.

In the ceiling of the octagons, there are Morrocan Design. The middle have five Morrocan Designed

Lighting of different heights and the other two octagon have only three lightings.

Open drawers are kept at each side of the mosque to keep the Holy Qur’an and small foldable table so that the

people need to sit down to read the Holy Book, instead of holding in the hand, they can put it on the small table.

Masjid Negara

National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur

Building of the mosque was completed in 1965, with

proposals to name it the Tunku Abdul Rahman

Putra Al-Haj Mosque, after Malaysia’s first

Prime Minister. He, however, rejected the

idea, instead choosing to name it the

National Mosque as a sign of

thanksgiving for the country’s

attainment of independence

without bloodshed.

Several fountains and reflecting pools can be found within the mosque’s compound.

The National Mosque underwent major renovations in 1987. It incorporates bold and modern

architectural designs reflective of aspirations or a modern, progressive Malaysia.

This is the Musalla, 16 columns are placed inside the mosque forming a

round shape, that is coming from the dome which looks like an open

umbrella. The walls are all covered with small complicated design.

Wide glass doors are the entrances of the Musalla (Prayer Room). There are nine doors like

this on three sides of the mosques that is three on the back entrance and another 6 divided on the

right and left side. Above each doors, Quranic writing are written in gold on dark blue background.

Triangular and Hexagonal shapes have been used to make see-through walls all around the

compound of the mosque.

The Mihraab (a semicircle niche) found

in the front of the mosque which indicates the

Qibla. It’s wholly decorated with mosaic creating

a combination of Arabian & Moroccan Design.

With a total capacity of 15,000 people, the National

Mosque today effectively takes over the role of Jamek

Mosque as Kuala Lumpur’s principal mosque.

The compound of the mosque consists of lots

of columns that have been used for the handling of

the mosques and also enhances the compound.

Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah

Shah Alam, Malaysia

Construction of the mosque began in 1982 and was completed

in 1988, bearing a combination of Malay and Modernist

influences in its architectural design. It is situated in Shah

Alam, the Capital of Selangor in Malaysia.

Open space for walking around and also for prayers, consists of columns with ceramics along designed ceramic floors.

This walkway gets you directly to the main entrance of the Prayer Hall which is really big and large. This

door is exactly opposite to the mihraab of the mosque which is why it is considered as the main entrance.

View from the main door is awesome and beautiful giving you the impression of

entering a grand hall with a big chandelier in the middle and one just at the entrance.

This is the prayer room which can accommodate a total capacity of 24,000

worshippers at a time. Those straight lines are for the people to stand side by side

during the prayer. Doors are found side by side which makes the mosque have

very litte walls.

This is two intersecting doors which can

be found at particular points of the mosque.

Some part of the door are made in the form of

mosaic and the rest are see-through Arabian

design.

Awesome Lighting Chandelier.

The Prayer Hall is carpeted with Arabian

design carpets. It has squares and triangular shapes

in green, yellow and white colours on dark blue

background.

These see-through Arabian design walls are found all around the compound of the mosques.

Masjid As Syakirin (KLCC Mosque)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Masjid As-Syakirin shares the same location as

two hugely-popular tourist attractions, Suria KLCC and

Petronas Twin Towers, at the heart of Kual Lumpur

City Centre (KLCC). Nicknamed ‘Jewel in the Park’,

the mosque faces the soothing lushness of KLCC Park.

Originally built in 1998 to cater for a congregation of 6,000 worshippers, the mosque was renovated in

2009 to accommodate for an additional 5,000, increasing its capacity to 11,000 worshippers at a time.

Double open doors found one after the other. They are found all

around the prayer hall on the left side, right side and the back.

It’s strikingly-modern, futuristic architecture was built by highly-skilled craftsmen from Uzbekistan out of marble and

granite with a combination of West Asia and East Asia design elements. This mosque is unique in the sense that is doesn’t

feature a minaret as part of its structure.

This is the mihraab of the mosque,

the semicircle of the mihraab is designed

very delicately and very modern.

View from the semi floor of the prayer hall which is actually reserved for ladies only.

Compound of the mosque is covered with

transparent roof. Consists of lots of columns which

enhances the look of the covered space.

This book is made out of my passion for Mosques. As I am studying in Malaysia

and my assignment for one module gave me the opportunity to explore on Architecture

and Design of Religious Places, so I chose to explore myself on the beautiful and

amazing masques that are found here in Malaysia around Kuala Lumpur.

After doing this book with patience, am very well satisfied with my first book and I

would like to dedicate this book to my Dad Mr Ahmad Iqbal Mamode, to my both

belated Mom, to my sister, to my entire family and all my close friends.

This Coffee Table Book has been created with love and passion by Mr Abdullah

Mamode(0319562) from Mauritius Island studying at Taylor’s University Lakeside Cam-

pus. This book is for the “Culture and Civilisation” module Final Project with tutor Miss

Ida Marlina Mazlan.

This Coffee Table Book consists of four different Mosque in Malaysia. It’s all

about an exploration on their Architecture, Building, Design and Beauty. Those four

mosques are Masjid Jamek in Kuala Lumpur, the National Mosque (Masjid Negara) in

Kuala Lumpur, Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam and last Masjid

As-Syakirin in Kuala Lumpur beside the Twin Towers.