Tag Archives: Islam

Jama Musjid

Delhi final (2 of 10)

Wikipedia: “The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā (Persian: مسجد-ا جہاں نما, Devanagari: मस्जिद जहान नुमा, the ‘World-reflecting Mosque’), commonly known as the Jama Masjid (Hindi: जामा मस्जिद, Urdu: جامع مسجد) of Delhi, is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India.[1] Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, it is the best-known mosque in India. Construction began in 1650 and was completed in 1656. It lies at the beginning of the Chawri Bazar Road, a very busy central street of Old Delhi. The later name, Jama Masjid, refers to the weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims, Jummah, which are usually done in a mosque, the “congregational mosque” or “jāma masjid”. The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate, including an antique copy of the Qur’an written on deer skin.”

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Nizamiye mosque

Arabiya News reported on 04 October 2012 as follows:

“South Africa on Thursday inaugurated a giant mosque complex built by Turkey, with 55-meter (180-foot) Ottoman minarets towering over a religious center the authorities described as the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

The Nizamiye mosque dominates the clear skies on the main highway between the capital Pretoria and economic hub Johannesburg.

President Jacob Zuma cut a red ribbon at the entrance to the structure, flanked by government ministers from South Africa and Turkey.

Built in three years, the complex houses a central mosque, bazaar, Islamic school, sports grounds and a clinic.

Wealthy Turkish property developer Orhan Celik built the complex with the blessing of Nelson Mandela, revered Nobel Laureate and the country’s first black president.

Mandela had insisted that a clinic be included.

The magnificent yellow structure, with its 24-meter (80-foot) diameter dome, is a replica of the 16th century Selimiye Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the town of Edirne in Turkey.”

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Early morning at Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque

The Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque originally featured in a previous post God is Greatest and later on in Early evening at Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque 2.

This Mosque is close to a work friend’s heart and he really seemed to enjoy the last batch of photos I took.

Therefore, a recent 06:30 visit was called for as the sun was rising over the Overport and Sherwood valleys.

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Early evening at Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque 2

The Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque originally featured in my previous post God is Greatest.

HDR photography at night is a huge challenge for me right now. Arthakker seems to have it down to a fine art.

Below is attempt # 2 and # 3 at the Mosque. Photo # 1 is here.

Still a bit raw but nevertheless an improvement on previous attempts.

Please look at all 3 photos and let me know which one you prefer. Any hints are most welcome.

#2

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Last but not least, is attempt # 3

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Early evening at Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque

The Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque originally featured in my previous post God is Greatest.

HDR photography at night is a huge challenge for me right now. Arthakker seems to have it down to a fine art.

Below is attempt # 1 at the Mosque.

Still a bit raw but nevertheless an improvement on previous attempts.

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God is Greatest 2

This is a follow-on of my previous post “God is Greatest 1 which featured photos of the Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque at 45th Cutting Sherwood Durban.

A post and photos of the Umgeni Road Temple (Sri Vaithianatha Easvarar Alayam) followed.

Over the past few weekends I have visited a few other places of worship.

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Kendra Hall

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Grey Street Mosque

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St Anthony’s

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Clairwood Siva Soobramaniar Temple

To end off, I would like to share a quote I noticed on Andrew Vokes’ blog last night:

He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven” ~ Thomas Fuller

I also found the following quote on Andrew’s Facebook page:

Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody” ~ Mark Twain

This got me thinking of Lance Armstrong once again; in that he, like most (all) of us, has a dark side.

I also read another article about David Walsh, the journalist who hounded Lance Armstrong about doping for 13 years.

As much as I admire Lance’s courage in certain areas of his life, I have to give David full-score and a huge pat on the back for pursuing what he believed to be true and never giving up – his relentlessness being rewarded in the end.

Both heroes but on opposite sides?

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 Mohammedeya Musjid

God is Greatest

I have been very fortunate to experience a number of spiritual paths in this lifetime.

“All paths are one” sits very well with me although I have been more drawn to Buddha. Click here if you think he is that smiling overweight chap that you see on people’s mantelpieces.

I see the Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA Mosque at 45th Cutting Sherwood Durban every time I leave home and return.

Adhan (the Islamic call to prayer – listen here) solemnly drifts across our valley; enhancing the peaceful feeling in this area.

The Soofie Saheb website reveals the following about the arrival of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA in Durban, South Africa:

“It was a normal morning in the winter of 1895 when a ship S.S Hoosen, docked at the Durban Harbour. On board was a person, simple in dress in a yellow garb and a cloth hat.

As he stood on the deck of the ship looking at the people on the wharf to welcome their respective relatives and friends, little did the people realise that he was to make such a great impact in their life-style, to make them God-fearing and to bring about spiritual, mental and social upliftment, and an enhancement in the quality of their lives.

His was a name that, with the Grace of Almighty Allah, will till Eternity, remain on the lips of the people, a name that will remind future generations of his selfless sacrifice for the Deen of Islam and for the general upliftment of the masses in South Africa.

Custom formalities being over, the passengers now disembarked and on the wharfside, relatives embraced, hugged and met each other. Some were helping the passengers with their heavy luggage, tin trunks and suitcases along the gangway from the ship, others were stacking the luggage on the horse wagon on the wharf, while some were being driven away by their relatives and friends.

Looking at the scene as he came down the gangway, this humble son of Islam, with a walking stick in one hand and a small cloth-covered bundle in the other (in it were his spare koortha, loongie, singlet, miswak, towel, a Quraan, a tasbih and a book with various wazifas) carefully stepped on to soil of Southern Africa with confidence knowing that the blessings of Allah and his Pir are with him.

As he walked he greeted the people, some returned his greetings while others just stared at him curiously. No one offered to give him a lift into town or even ask him whether he had a place to stay. Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA made his way to the Jumah Musjid which was then a very simple building in Grey Street.”

It is interesting to read the tale of how the first Mosque came about at Riverside.

Given all of this, it was set in stone that I had to take a few photos of the 45th Cutting Mosque to share with some of my Muslim friends:  Allāhu Akbar (God is Greatest).

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