This article was first published in April 2016.
Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan or Federal Territory Mosque is a familiar part of the landscape around Mont Kiara area and I have admired the Turkish-inspired dome many a times from Publika. When my visitors some time ago expressed a wish to visit a mosque, I thought it was about time I saw it from the inside.
Masjid Tour Programme at Federal Territory Mosque
A quick google revealed that they actually have their own Masjid Tour Programme (MTP), fully run by volunteers – what a great idea! We had hardly set foot inside when we were warmly welcomed by the two resident guides. We were given hooded robes and a short introduction to Islam inside the cool office, with topics that presumably are often asked – like origins of religion and polygamy – on the agenda.
We were then guided around the mosque, starting with the area for ablutions.
The mosque is beautiful and can apparently accommodate more than 17,000 worshippers. We visited in the morning between prayer times and were allowed in to the impressive prayer hall.
Our guides were happy to answer our questions and were obviously well prepared for the most common questions tourists would have about their faith and the cultural practices amongst Malaysian Muslims.
Our guides told us that the tourism authorities would like to see more visitors in the mosques of KL, hence the provision of such guiding services. My European visitors were impressed by the welcome and the rare opportunity to ask questions about Islam. A visit here would be also great practical introduction for kids that are curious about religions.
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Thank you for share