AT A TIME when inter-faith comprehension among Malaysians is so fragile and seemingly lopsided, Bangsar’s Saidina Abu Bakar Mosque in the heart of Kuala Lumpur deserves praises for indirectly fostering inter-faith understanding during what is believed to be one of its tazkirah Ramadan (brief religious lecture) sessions.
Instead of inviting an ustaz (religious scholar) to deliver sermons and religious talks centring on observing the holy month, the prominent mosque broke away from the norm when its management decided to invite a Sikh doctor ‘to preach’ about quit smoking instead to its congregation.
“More than a place of worship,” tweeted Saify Akhtar (@saifyakhtar) in his caption to a 16-second video clip of a Sikh gentleman lecturing to the mosque’s congregation.
“Last Friday (April 7), Saidina Abu Bakar Mosque invited a Sikh doctor to give a lecture inside a mosque. It was a well-timed topic on how Ramadhan is the best month to quit smoking and he offered to help.”
The Twitter user who is also the CEO of Main Market-listed Pertama Digital Bhd went on to share his observation on his latest discovery.
“Lectures in mosques is nothing out of ordinary but usually the topics lean on religious values. Last Friday’s lecture reminds me of the golden age of Islam where mosques are also re-purposed as a palace of knowledge.
“I encourage more mosques will do this. Invite more subject matter experts regardless of their religion. This is how we can attract people to go to the masjid. A place of worship and knowledge.”
And below are some responses to Saify Akhtar’s thread:
Hilmi (@HilmiHimself): He looks like my quit smoking doctor in Tanglin.
zy (@zymasri): Awesome! Kudos to both of them! Good example for all other mosques to follow suit. Thanks for sharing!
アマル(@amarekun): Alhamdulillah, this is good. Hopefully, no walaun (probably referring to PAS leaders) or PN MP to spin this matter.
For the uninitiated, the mosque named after Prophet Muhammad’s successor (Caliph) Abu Bakr is among the earliest classic examples of a post-modern mosque in Malaysia.
“Nestled in the urban suburb of Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur, the mosque represents the pan- Islamic style that is heavily influenced by the Mughal and Arabian architectural typologies, designed to suit the local vernacular language in a modern manner,” revealed Mosqpedia.
“The mosque’s construction was initiated by the local Muslim residents in Bangsar of around 3,500 people living and working in the surrounding areas in 1976.” – April 12, 2023
