If there’s one scenery that can represent Malaysia besides its beautiful beaches and rain forests, it would be these beautiful mosques. Being captivated by their beauty ourselves, here’s a compilation of 20 most beautiful mosques to visit in Malaysia. Not only they are sacred, their stunning architectural designs are surely a feast for the eyes.
Note: The list is compiled without the priority of ranking.
1) Zahir Mosque, Kedah
Dubbed one of the grandest and oldest mosques in Malaysia, Zahir Mosque is Kedah’s state mosque and it was built in 1912. Located in the heart of Alor Star, Zahir Mosque has been voted the top 10 most beautiful mosques in the world.
2) Malacca Straits Mosque, Malacca
Located on a man-made island near Malacca city, the Malacca Straits Mosque is known for its Middle Eastern and Malay craftsmanship. The mosque looks like it is floating when the water level is high. The construction cost of the mosque is said to be about 10 million Ringgit.
3) Blue Mosque, Selangor
The Blue Mosque is rightfully known as Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. Located in Shah Alam, the Blue Mosque is the state mosque of Selangor and it is the country’s largest mosque as well as the second largest mosque in Southeast Asia. Like its name suggests, the Blue Mosque is known for its distinguish large blue and silver dome.
4) Sultan Sulaiman Mosque, Selangor
Sultan Sulaiman Mosque is Selangor’s royal mosque, located in Klang. The mosque is constructed by the British in the early 1932 with a combination of Western Art Deco and Neoclassical cathedral style. The late Sultan Salahuddin was buried in the mosque’s grounds.
5) Putra Mosque, Putrajaya
Putra Mosque was constructed in 1997 and it is the principal mosque of Putrajaya. Located next to the Prime Minister’s office, the Putra Mosque’s signature would be its pink dome that is constructed with rose-tinted granite. The Putra Mosque can accommodate 15,000 worshippers at any one time.
6) Floating Mosque, Terengganu
The Floating Mosque or the Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque is the first real floating mosque in Malaysia. Situated in Kuala Ibai Lagoon near the estuary of the river (4km away from Kuala Terengganu), the Floating Mosque, gracefully painted in white, is the result of modern and Moorish architecture that incorporates element like marble, ceramics, mosaic works, and bomanite paving.
7) Jamek Mosque, Kuala Lumpur
Built in 1909, Jamek Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia. The mosque is designed by a British Architect. The name Jamek is Arabic in origin which means a place where people congregate to worship.
8) Sabah State Mosque, Sabah
The Sabah State Mosque, as its name suggests, is the state mosque of Sabah. Located at Sembulan roundabout, the Sabah State Mosque was built in the 1975 and has a capacity of 5,000 worshipers at any one time.
9) Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, Sabah
Despite being the second main mosque in Kota Kinabalu after the State Mosque, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque is no less in terms of its extravagance. Cost 34 million Ringgit to build, the architectural design of this mosque is based on the Nabawi Mosque, the second holiest site in Islam, in Medina. The magnificent blue and gold dome is Arabic-inspired. The mosque also has a nickname called the Floating Mosque since it is surrounded by a human-made lagoon.
10) Iron Mosque, Putrajaya
Also known as the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, the Iron Mosque is the second principal mosque in Putrajaya after the Putra Mosque. It is however almost twice the size of Putra Mosque and can fit up to 24,000 worshipers. The mosque employs architectural wire mesh and its main entrance is strengthened with glass reinforced concrete to increase the integrity of the structure.
11) Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, Johor
The Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is constructed between 1892 and 1900 under the direction of Sultan Abu Bakar. The appearance of the mosque is based on colonial English Victorian Architecture at the same time also includes some Moorish architecture and minor Malay influence. The Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque sits on top of a prominent hill, overlooking the Straits of Johor.
12) Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang
Located in the Georgetown, Kapitan Keling Mosque is a mosque built in 19th century led by a prominent Indian Muslim leader, Cauder Mohudeen. “Keling” is a Malay term for the people of Indian origin (used back then) while “Kapitan” was used to describe a representative of the Indian community. Some of the highlights of the mosque would be the interior aisles which are formed by a series of horseshoe arches, crowned with King Edward’s plaques.
13) Al-Bukhary Mosque, Kedah
Located in Alor Setar, The Al-Bukhary Mosque is named after its founder Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary. The design of the mosque was inspired by the mosques found in Turkey and Iran. It has seven top-shaped blue domes and the highlight would be the main dome which features intricate Arabesque motifs, reminiscent of Uzbek madrasas in Samarkand.
14) Hadhari Mosque, Terengganu
Located at Bandar Jerteh, Besut, Jerteh Hadhari Mosque is the largest mosque in the Besut area. Built in year 2005, Hadhari Mosque was meant to replace a smaller mosque at the area due to increasing residents in Jerteh.
15) Al-Hussain Mosque, Perlis
This pride of Perlis built next to Kuala Perlis Jetty is a floating mosque that cost 12 million Ringgit to build. The mosque is donated by businessman Tan Sri Mohd. Ariffin Yusof and it adopts a modern tropical concept. Its unique features include the majestic golden and blue dome which represents the colour of the Perlis state flag. At night, the minaret comes alive in various colours – with different colour signalling a different prayer time.
16) Ubudiah Mosque, Perak
Stands majestically in the town of Kuala Kangsar, Ubudiah Mosque is Perak’s Royal Mosque that is known as one of the most beautiful mosques in Malaysia. Designed by the same designer who designed the Ipoh Railway Station, Ubudiah’s beauty lies with the golden dome and minarets that create the spellbinding sight, from near and afar. Ubudiah Mosque cost RM 200,000 to build in 1917 – considered to be an astronomical figure for those days.
17) Sultan Ahmad Shah State Mosque, Pahang
Constructed between 1991 and 1993, Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque is the state mosque of Pahang located in Kuantan. Inheriting a modernist style, Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque is covered in light blue and white, giving it a soft but elegance appearance.
18) Puchong Perdana Mosque, Selangor
Constructed between 2004 and 2006, Puchong Perdana Mosque is located in Puchong. The mosque was constructed on the lake (Puchong lake), giving it the floating impression. The Puchong Perdana Mosque is simple but elegant with the combination of golden dome and building covered in white.
19) Federal Territory Mosque, Kuala Lumpur
Sitting on a 5 hectare land along Jalan Duta, the Federal Territory Mosque is a major mosque in Kuala Lumpur which can accommodate 17,000 worshipers at any one time. Completed in year 2000, the mosque inherits a blend of Ottoman and Malay architectural style. It has 22 domes made from a composite material of glass fibre fabric mixed with epoxy resin to make it durable and light.
20) Crystal Mosque, Terengganu
The list would not be complete without the magnificent Crystal Mosque situated on the island of Wan Man, in Kuala Terengganu. A grand mosque made of steel, glass and crystal, the mosque’s crystal-like effect comes alive with a mesmerizing display of lights. This unique structure adopts a contemporary style injected with Moorish and Gothic elements and was built between year 2006 and 2008.
Which beautiful mosque is your favourite? Share with us.
