MASJID NEGARA

Masjid Negara (National Mosque) is located in Kuala Lumpur. Built between 1963 and August 27, 1965, Masjid Negara stands as a symbol of the grandeur of Islam as the official religion of Malaysia. It can accommodate up to 15,000 worshippers. Situated in a strategic area of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Masjid Negara is adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Daya Bumi Building, the General Post Office of Malaysia, the Islamic Arts Museum, the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, and is near the Perdana Lake Gardens. The mosque covers an area of 13 acres, with the main building occupying about 3 acres. The entire mosque complex is partly surrounded by concrete walls and partly by decorative fences. There are seven main entrances. Facilities for non-Muslim tourists are also provided, with dedicated entrances for both domestic and international visitors.

Before the construction of Shah Alam Mosque, Masjid Negara was one of the most modern mosques in Southeast Asia. It is located on a 13-acre site, opposite the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. The design and supervision of this building were carried out by the architects of the Design and Research Division of the Federal Public Works Department. They took three years to complete it. Before starting the design work for Masjid Negara, the chief architect, Baharuddin Abu Kassim, studied mosques in India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Republic, and Spain.

Masjid Negara Fountain

At first glance, its tower, which stands 245 feet tall, resembles a rocket. Its shape is like a closed umbrella, while the roof resembles an open umbrella. The building, which cost RM10 million, spans over 5 acres. It includes a prayer hall of 22,500 square feet, a conference hall, a cemetery, a library, offices, courtyards, a tower, a royal room, and an imam's room. The cemetery for seven national heroes is located on the western side. There is also an air-conditioned radio and television room situated in the prayer hall gallery. There are three large doors and a special door for royal use. On the lower level of the front space, there are several rooms for ablution, bathrooms, shoe storage, and resting areas for visitors from outside Kuala Lumpur. Before reaching the prayer hall on the first floor, there is a large courtyard.

The prayer hall can accommodate 3,000 worshippers, and an additional 5,000 people can be accommodated on the veranda along the three sides of the hall. The veranda is shielded from the outside by aluminum lattice curtains with traditional Islamic lattice patterns. The floor is made of terrazzo, while the roof is constructed of concrete with several small domes made of blue mosaics. To the west of the complex is a conference hall, notable for its undulating concrete roof. This air-conditioned hall can accommodate 500 religious conference delegates. A library is also located here.

The idea to build this mosque came about a month before the country’s independence. A council, formerly known as the Federal Action Council, decided to erect a mosque as a tribute to the former Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, in recognition of his services to the people. After independence, the Council of Rulers approved the project. However, Tunku did not want the mosque to be named after him and instead suggested it be called "Masjid Negara" (National Mosque).

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