The Invitation

In Islam, one of the several signs a Muslim be given privilege to reside the heaven during afterlife is those whose heart attracted to visit and utilize the mosque when they are young. The word ‘young’ rings a bell inside my mind.

While personally speaking, I’m not a holy person that visits the mosque very regular. Of course, Friday prayers are an exception. My affinity to perform prayer in mosque doesn’t come to a level where I can barely know every folks there by their nickname or fondly calling the imam pak long or pak ngah and enjoy cups of Kopi Radix shoulder-to-shoulder. Obviously, miles further from organizing activities for the institution which involves lots of people. The Islam way of easing-the-way allows us to perform five main fardhu prayers at the comfort of the home with the family. This further strengthens the family relationship; a chance for positive family get-together beyond the eating table alone. Instead, performing one at the mosque is never intended to be wrong either. Its time to meet and greet neighbors and create new friends and also discuss current matters.

Mosque and its surrounding can be the best ground as meeting point for online traders or birthday gatherings, perhaps, a place to sell goreng pisang for hi-tea? . Perhaps, all these worldly businesses do injustice towards mosque divine purpose? Well, has mosque been too ‘enclosed’ these days?

Mosque played important role in the lives and culture who’s Islam has influenced. For instance, souqs and bazaars are located near or in the compound of mosque in trading nations/regions which Islam has spanned. So, the worldly business of those people of trading ran along with spiritual needs of Islam. Merchanaries; of different religion, also does trade at the bazaar/souqs near the market within the compound of mosque. Same goes to marine-ports in Islam regions. There are mosques which is laid side by side with ports where ships unload their cargos.

“Live like you’re going live a thousand years and devote yourself like you are going to depart tomorrow”

The arrival of majestic and iconic mosques around Malaysia that spanned feet high and hundreds meters wide is something to marvel about, but, Its huge presence sometimes gives impression of Islam in Malaysia as a stern, Arab-centric and ‘conquering’ instead of easing-of-ways and culture tolerant. The future mosque shall be communal based mosque, appearing in midst of thriving housing estates around Klang Valley. We are looking at mosque that caters to 100-200 jemaahs.

In the quest to attract the young towards mosque, the architecture of it has to be more challenging and fresh too. Apart from the roles of mosque has to be expanded to certain dynamics and creativity. Unfortunately, these efforts sometimes are hampered due to stigmata and the fixed imageries that we are accustomed to.

All the dynamics and creativity which a mosque should be refreshed should not be all that jazzy and radical. We picture buildings like gigantic Mid-Valley or classy BB’s Pavillion, since those places really entice the young to come over. Well, for a mosque, a sense of humble and openness is what we should imbue. There should be a sense of welcoming mood radiated through-out every corner and curves bounding of a mosque. A gigantic ala-Stargate gateway is not what we seek. An open-terrace or garden paved with chequered-like concrete imprint is good enough with railings as tall as the waist can be sufficient alternative to the green mesh wire.

The ablution ( air sembahyang/ wudhu’ ) area should be located far away from the praying area; a longer walking distance wouldn’t hurt, plus, it’s healthy to walk more. Along the shaded walkway, there should be some spanned ‘dumbwalls’ which traps the breeze and create a bottleneck wind effect along the walkway. Thus, after the ablution, the jemaah will come drier and fresh as they arrive at the praying area. If this can be attained, then the trouble of smelly carpet that some jemaah endure can be hindered. It benefits all jemaah.

Upon entering the praying area, there should be only simple planes of walls, probably on the east and west elevation. The rest remained open. This exposed elevation allows non-muslim, youngsters to see the activities going on the prayer hall (fig2, right ). No mirrors or glass required, this exposed elevation combined with raised platform allows passerby to witness jemaah doing their prayers from head to toe. Overhangs are made to avoid rainwater blown by winds into the praying area with shrubs planted along the edges of platform to avoid water corroding the soil underneath.

FYI, Muslim prays towards the sunset hemisphere, which is the east. The prayer area can be separated into sectors divided by path which formed east-west axis ( fig.1, below ). On occasion such as Friday prayer where the number of jemaah is higher, crowd dispersion is important since townfolks nowadays have office hours to catch-up. They did not have time for longer than usual doa, while others may have the time to do so. The usual four-tiered wall bounded mosque forces these early leavers to walk infront which I think is very improper and disrespectful towards the elderly.

There was a time when I attended a Friday prayer in Kedah where an old man got struck by heart attack a few saf ahead of mine, there was trouble in bringing him out quickly when the ambulance arrives. With a path which are exposed to sunlight and floored with grass or pebble stones, there would be little chance which prayers would obstruct the way thus preserving the functionality. A path also helps jemaah to attain a further front saf ( prayer line ) quickly and easier, as these straight path requires no gap making in tight lines of already sitting jemaah.

The existence of this pathway grid made it possible for youngster or non-muslims to figure out what is there at the kiblat and imam preaching cradle. There are no holy-water, sharp pike or supernatural holy inscription which can bazoo any in-believers into oblivion. Just a simple Quran as a guidance.

If the mosque is made to be a neighborhood mosque that caters to a smaller scale of jamaah, then the compound should do away with car parking. This in effect cuts noise and light pollution which comply with the exposed prayer area. Walking is recommended with open gardens and cluster of tall-trees providing shading for the neighbors to meet and come together to have a chat or two before the azan start to air. These parking-less compound then shall be replaced with community area instead, a small scale single-person operated kueh-mueh kiosk, goreng pisang or cakoi stall and fruit stalls are something to make mosque compound much alive. Wide shouldered planter boxes of irregular shapes were put to enhance the greenery and provide almost maintenance-free seating.

I doubt there is any wrongness for any non-Muslim to enter mosque compound, so I suggest there should be minimal usage any wall or split leveling (except for women section which required extra privacy). Since if I enter other religion place of worship, I would become more cautious/anxious as I stepped on higher level as they might attains higher spiritual importance. Instead, shrubs or planter boxes can be a pleasing and ‘friendlier’ bordering method since it never disrupts visual contact.

Ensuring the diversity role of mosque which accommodates people who has a quest to spread goodwill regardless of religion, skin colour and ethnicity, a library and multipurpose room is attached to the prayer area. To curb the image of mosque is for the problematic, dead and old, there should be inclusion of interactive (no, I’m not talking about token gaming machines). Islam encourages its followers to do sports activities, which itself coined the term ‘riadah’. So, the inclusion of children playground and soothing landscape provide an extra positive vibe for families to blow off some steam after a hard day work. A squash and half-size futsal court perhaps.

Architects and architects to-be should heed and anticipate the diversification roles of mosque. Furthermore, we have a certain level of dictation towards the human behavior that utilizes our building, its time to practice it to good use. While, injection of creativity may spurn questions like the mosque main priority and sole purpose, it’s the challenge of putting those in balance. With careful execution, its time to see the young choosing mosque due to its uber-cool image that simply outmatched any café or bars.

Most pleased, we could see mosques of the near future been irresistibly inviting towards the non-Muslims community too.

End note: Thank you for reading this entry. I would like to invite my fellow friends and architecture mates to contribute some ideas and vision of the young-enticing communal mosque. Apologize if there are any inaccuracies or irrationality especially regarding the sensitive religion matters, please do correct me if I’m wrong. This is the second time I made an entry on architecture; the first was ‘The Mandatory’