Iftar @Masjid Wilayah

Last Tuesday I decided to visit masjid Wilayah for iftar. The weather was fair and I think I could get good shots of the masjid. The sun was about to set and it was a perfect moment. The first time when I visited masjid Wilayah I was awed by its design. I couldn't believe that I was in Malaysia. It is so majestic and yet it is quite obscure.

After climbing two flights of staircase I reached the second level. This is where the main hall is with a large courtyard and a fountain in the middle. It is quite breathtaking to see it for the first time. The above shot was taken after iftar and Magrib while waiting for Isha and tarawih.

Masjid Wilayah is also a favourite place for celebrities to have their 'akad nikah ceremony. Its size and beauty give an illusion of being in a large palace. A kind of place that just married couples will feel like in a fairy tale and hoping to be happy ever after.

Behind the man congregation is the women section. I am not sure of other times but during tarawih that was the arrangement. It was without a divider and just a space in between just like during Rasulullah time. I managed to get a quick shot before the rest came.

More info: Masjid Wilayah

Iftar @al-Bukhary

Masjid al-Bukhary is situated at Jalan Hang Tuah in Kuala Lumpur. Tightly located beside the main road and the Monorail track. I was always curious about its beauty everytime I passed by from monorail. So last week I decided to drop by for iftar.

It is fairly new masjid completed sometime last year. It is a modestly build without much expensive materials. Mostly emulsion paint and moulded plaster. It is not air-conditioned and fairly opened so the public could take a peek from the main road and the monorail. Yet with all the thriftiness it still look elegant. Climbing from the side stairway I could see the beauty of the interior shining trough.

I stayed from Maghrib till Isha'. Teraweh was a bit tough in this masjid because there is no air-conditioning and the small fans are too remote. Here is the shot of the jemaah preparing for salah.

The dome also looks impressive even without the usual chandelier.

One thing great about iftar at al-Bukhary is the bubur lambok. It sure gets my vote. The spices help to rejuvenate the long day fasting taste buds. Al-Bukhary will definitely be my frequent place for iftar this Ramadhan.

Iftar @Asy-Shakirin

Last Friday I decided to go to Masjid Asy-Syakirin near KLCC for iftar. It is also known as Masjid KLCC. It is a moderate sized masjid and a hidden beauty. Tourists who visited KLCC rarely knew of its existence. A walk in the park probably will get them there. I met a couple of tourist who wanted to see the masjid but it was late. People at the masjid were preparing for iftar. They were busy setting up tables and chairs because it was a special iftar that evening. It was sponsored by Khazanah Nasional a government related company. Here is the pix taken before iftar:

But I am not there for that free food. An ordinary bubur lambok is fine for me. I am more interested to see the beauty of Asy-Syakirin. It is not a pretentious masjid because from the exterior it kind of look ordinary. But the interior is well crafted. It has an interesting dome where at a certain angle you can see the KLCC towers through its glass panes.

I felt comfortable at Asy-Syakirin. It is a city masjid for a city guy like me. So I stayed over from Maghrib till teraweh. It was a modest crowd packing up around three quarter of the main hall. There is also a lower hall which is used during Juma'at. During iftar women hanged around that area. The women prayer area is upstairs at the balcony, the first class seats :). Here is the ordinary class area for men :) :

Iftar @Masjid Jamek

Ramadhan 1429 is finally here. Last Monday was the first day of Ramadhan in Malaysia. I spend the first two days with family back in JB. It was a public holiday. There were no fireworks or concerts to usher the holy month, just a moment of peace.

On Wednesday I finally went back to KL to start work. I felt a change in the air. Ramadhan bazaars are everywhere and the masjids were busy preparing for Iftar. This Ramadhan I intend to visit various masjid in KL for Iftar and start a photo journal of Ramadhan. The first stop is Masjid Jamek. It is an old masjid in the city surrounded by palm trees. For a moment I felt I was somewhere else. It has a certain Moorish feel to it and a memory of an old friend from Memphis.

After collecting the Lambok poridge, drink, fruit and dates the crowd sat around in the extended wing talking to each other or just keeping to themselves. The women has their own private area. There are many foreigners that came. Some were tourists or just expatriates like me. Though diversed in nature but we gathered as one in the special month of Ramadhan.

More info: Masjid Jamek