IPOH: From afar, visitors may think that the red and white building located in Taman Tasek Jaya is a Chinese temple.
Take a closer look, however, and one would find an inscription at the entrance stating “Masjid Muhammadiah”.
Mosque committee deputy chairman Mohd Hafiz Ng Abdullah said the second Chinese mosque in the country was definitely unique as the architecture was 100 per cent Chinese.
“The roof is imported from Longyan in China and at first glance people may mistake the mosque for a Chinese temple. The mosque and its minarets are adorned with Chinese motifs with a local touch.
“There are similar mosques in Kelantan and Melaka but their architecture is not 100 per cent Chinese. In Kelantan, it has Thai architectural influence,” he said when met at the mosque.
Constructed in 2013 at a cost of RM4 million, the mosque sits on a 0.4ha piece of land previously occupied by Madrasah Muhammadiah built in 1973 by the late Abdul Latif Mohd Kassim and his seven friends.
The mosque was officially opened by Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah on July 18, 2014.
Hafiz said the roof and minaret have hibiscus flower designs and a dragon motif, which is closely related to Chinese heritage.
“The mosque has a beautiful design. The main prayer hall is equipped with air conditioning and the ceiling has a lotus flower motif,” he said.
Hafiz said Ramadan was a special time for the mosque as it serves several purposes.
He said it was not just a place to pray, but an educational centre and tourist attraction.
“We welcome everyone from different backgrounds, religions and races to celebrate the fasting month with us. Every day, we will be having a buka puasa programme here that can accommodate between 400 and 600 people.
“People from different religions and races will gather here and they can enjoy a wide spread of dishes that we prepare, from Indian dishes to authentic Malay food, as well as Chinese food.
“Besides the breaking of fast programme, the mosque also provides tadarus classes between 8.30am and 11am daily. This mosque brings unity to the local community, made up of various races and religions, and they all lend a hand in cleaning the mosque,” he said.
The mosque is popular and no longer has enough space to hold the congregation comfortably.
Hafiz said construction of “phase two” of the Muhammadiah mosque would begin after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
The project, he said, was expected to be completed within a year and 18 months.
“We are going to turn the new place into a permanent open area with facilities such as classrooms for educational, dakwah, cultural and other activities to promote racial harmony.
“With this, we hope to bring together people of all races and religions to share our experiences in order to promote unity and racial harmony,” he said.
Hafiz said the mosque committee members were still collecting funds to build the second building and those who wished to donate could do so via CIMB bank account 86-0124134-4 or contact 019-5779748 for further details.