Baitul Mukarram National Mosque
Baitul Mukarram, also spelled as Baytul Mukarrom (Arabic: بيت المكرّم, Bengali: বায়তুল মোকাররম; lit. 'The Holy House'), is the National Mosque of Bangladesh. Located at the center of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, the mosque was completed in 1968.[1][2] It has a capacity of 42,000+.[3]
| Baitul Mukarram National Mosque | |
|---|---|
বায়তুল মোকাররম জাতীয় মসজিদ | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| District | Dhaka District |
| Ownership | Government of Bangladesh |
| Year consecrated | 1959 |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Topkhana Road, Dhaka |
| Country | Bangladesh |
Shown within Dhaka Baitul Mukarram National Mosque (Dhaka division) Baitul Mukarram National Mosque (Bangladesh) | |
| Administration | Ministry of Religious Affairs |
| Geographic coordinates | 23°43′46″N 90°24′46″E / 23.7294°N 90.4128°ECoordinates: 23°43′46″N 90°24′46″E / 23.7294°N 90.4128°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Abdulhusein M. Thariani |
| Type | Neo-islamic |
| Style | Islamic Architecture |
| Founder | Government of East Pakistan |
| Funded by | Abdul Latif Ibrahim Bhawani |
| General contractor | Thariani & Co. |
| Groundbreaking | 27 January 1960 |
| Completed | 1968 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 42,000+ |
| Height (max) | 99 feet |
History
The mosque complex was designed by architect, Abdulhusein M. Thariani.[4] In a meeting held at his house on 27 April 1959, owner of then Bawani Jute Mills, Abdul Latif Ibrahim Bawani invited GA Madani, Haji Abdul Latif Bawani, MH Adamji, S Sattar, Muhammad Sadiq, AZN Rezai Karim and Major Umrao Khan.[5] In that meeting he proposed to Major General Umrao Khan, then military administrator of East Pakistan, of building a grande mosque in Dhaka. Umrao Khan agreed to help on building such mosque. Same year, 'Baitul Mukarram mosque committee' had been established and 8.30 acre of land between new Dhaka and old Dhaka had been chosen. At that time, there was a large pond in present mosque's location. It was known as 'Paltan pond. The pond was filled up and on 27 January 1960 then president of Pakistan Ayub Khan commenced the work. Pray for first time took place on Friday, 25 January 1963. On 28 March 1975, the Government of Bangladesh entrusted the management of the mosque to the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh.[6]
The plan included shops, offices, libraries and parking areas within the complex. Though there has been a tradition of dome mosque for Muslim, this building did not maintain the rule of traditional mosque in that time. A Mosque without a dome over the roof of its main prayer hall must have been a unique experiment. The mosque was built when the country was the Part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
in 2008 the mosque was extended, financed by a donation from the Saudi government.[7][8]
Architecture
The mosque has several modern architectural features whilst at the same time it preserves the traditional principles of Mughal architecture which has for some time been dominant in the Indian sub-continent.[citation needed] Baitul Mukarram's large cube shape was modeled after that of the Ka'abah at Mecca[4] making it a noticeable structure unlike any other mosque in Bangladesh.
Exterior design
The mosque is on a very high platform. The Baitul Mukarram National Mosque's building is eight storied and 99 feet high from the ground level. According to the original plan, the main entrance of the mosque was to be on the eastern side. The 'shaan' on the east is 29,000 square feet with ablution space on its south and north sides. Ablution or Wu’du Place cached an important part when the Baitul Mukarram was begun. The absence of a dome on the main building is compensated by the two superficial domed entrance porticoes, one on the south, and the other on the north. The height of these porticoes consists of three rabbit's foot shaped arches, the middle of which is bigger than the rest.
Interior design
Two patios (roofless inner courtyard) ensure that enough light and air enter the prayer hall of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. The prayer niché of the hall is rectangular instead of semi-circular. Excessive ornamentation is avoided throughout the mosque, since minimizing ornamentation is typical of modern architecture.
Garden
The garden is laid out in a style borrowed heavily from Mughal gardens, however unlike the traditional Mughal gardens which represent the Islamic Heaven, the garden does not have the Char-Bagh system most likely due to not having enough room for such a garden. The future of this garden is unknown, if the Bangladeshi government extends the mosque, it will most likely have to remove the garden.
Khatibs
| Serial No. | Name | Term | Notes |
| 1 | Abdur Rahman Kashgari (1912–1971) | 1963–1971 | |
| 2 | Usman Madani | 1971 | Acting |
| 3 | Amimul Ehsan Barkati (1911–1974) | 1971–1974 | |
| 4 | Abdul Muiz (1919–1984) | 1974–1984 | |
| 5 | Ubaidul Haq Jalalabadi (1928–2007) | 1984–2007 | Longest-serving khatib[9] |
| 6 | Muhammad Nuruddin (1954–2009) | 2007–2009 | Acting |
| 7 | Mohammed Salahuddin (1944–2022) | 2009–2022 | |
| 8 | Ruhul Amin Faridpuri | 2022–present |
Gallery
Corridor
Design of inner arch
Main entrance and Minaret
Newly built ceiling
Inside view of the Mosque
New extension of the mosque
Domed entrance porticoes
The mihrab
Prayer place for the imam (to the left of the minbar)
Interior (lower angle)
See also
References
- ^ Md. Shahidul Amin (2012). "Baitul Mukarram Mosque". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ^ Thariani and Co: Architects and Engineers. Booklet in section under projects completed "mosques".
- ^ Tan, Tai Yong; Kudaisya, Gyanesh (2000). The Aftermath of Partition in South Asia. Routledge. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-415-17297-4.
... the Al-Baitul Mukarram, the largest mosque in East Pakistan, which could accommodate 42,000+ devotees for congregational worship.
- ^ a b Khan, Hasan-Uddin (1990). "The Mosque". Expressions of Islam in Buildings. Proceedings of an international seminar sponsored by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Indonesian Institute of Architects, held in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 15–19 October 1990. Geneva: Aga Khan Trust for Culture. p. 119. ISBN 978-2-88207-006-7.
It takes the historical model of the Kaaba in Mecca as its formal reference. Architect: A.H. Thariani
- ^ "বাইতুল মোকাররমের শুরুর কথা". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 28 January 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "বায়তুল মোকাররমে প্রথম নামাজ আদায়ের ৫৮ বছর". Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 25 January 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Saudi donation for extension work of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque". The Daily Star. 21 October 2008.
- ^ Kollol, Kadir (14 April 2021). "বায়তুল মোকাররম: পারিবারিক উদ্যোগে তৈরি হয়ে যেভাবে বাংলাদেশের জাতীয় মসজিদ হয়ে উঠলো". BBC Bangla (in Bengali). Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Khatib Obaidul Haq passes away". The Daily Star. 8 October 2007.
External links
- Baitul Mukarram the National Mosque of Bangladesh
- Baitul Mukarram National Mosque