Ewe Paik Leong visits a few of Klang Valley’s mosques, some quite recently refurbished
1. Masjid Tengku Ampuan Jemaah, Shah Alam
SET beside a man-made lake, this mosque was built with funds contributed by the Selangor Royal Family, Selangor State Government and Sime Darby. Four square minarets which taper upward from four corners of the structure stab at the sky, and the main dome is crowned with a star and a crescent moon. A red carpet stippled with rows of white eight-pointed stars adorns the floor of the prayer hall while its doors feature intricate carvings of hibiscus and arabesque designs. The mosque can accommodate 4,000 worshippers at any one time.
2. Masjid Abu Hurairah, Kg Batu, Kuala Lumpur
THIS mosque was originally built in 1975, demolished and rebuilt about two years ago. The facade of the new structure features horizontal and vertical lines. The dome sits on a square block which in turn rests on another block with four trapezoids. Each trapezoid contains glassed windows to let in light. The bottom half of the minaret is square with louvred windows while the top half is octagonal and is capped with a small dome. Inside the prayer hall, panels of geometric designs in fretwork embellishes its walls and pillars.
3. Masjid Ar-Rahimah, Kg Pandan, Kuala Lumpur
THIS mosque attracts attention with its octagonal-faceted main dome. The main porch is supported by lancet arches and is flanked by two small porches on each side. The left small porch is crowned with a small dome, and a minaret rises from another small porch, and it is topped with a conical roof. There are two other small domes from the sides of the building. Inside the prayer hall, lancet-shaped ribs overlap on the upper sections of the walls, adding a dramatic tone to the space.
4. Masjid Jamek Kg Baru, Kuala Lumpur
THE original structure was built in the late 1880s on a piece of land donated by Bachik Abdullah. Last renovated in 2015, the present structure sports horseshoe-shaped windows on its facade wall, Islamic calligraphy on a circular panel on the underside of the main dome and rectangular panels of geometric designs on its side wall. A standalone minaret has clock faces on four sides. The main entrance has an archway embellished with geometric designs, Islamic calligraphy and arabesque motifs on tiles.
5. Masjid Al-Mukarramah, Bandar Seri Damansara, Petaling Jaya
THE best place to admire this mosque is from a high spot far away where its structure can be seen in its entirety. A dome sits on the main structure which has short octagonal-shaped towers at its corners. The octagonal-faceted tholodate (please see diagramme of dome attached) of the dome are buttressed by eight half-hemispheres. Flat-roofed arcades run along the perimeter of the main structure and — lo and behold! — they are topped with 32 hemispherical domes. Two three-tiered minarets complete the picture.