Zahir Mosque

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Picture of Zahir Mosque in Alor Star, Kedah.

The Zahir Mosque is Kedah's state mosque. It is located in the heart of Alor Star, the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia.

[edit] History

The mosque was built in 1912, a contributory effort of YTM Tunku Mahmud Ibni Almarhum Sultan Tajuddin Mukarram Shah. The site of this mosque was the cemetery of Kedah warriors who had died while defending Kedah from the Siamese in 1821. The architecture of the mosque was inspired by the AZIZI Mosque in Langkat town in north Sumatra. This mosque is enhanced with five prime large domes symbolizing the five Islamic principles.

Its official opening ceremony was held on Friday, 15 October 1915 by the late HRH Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah. Tunku Mahmud read the Friday sermon while HRH Sultan Abdul Hamid Shah led the Friday prayer. Behind Zahir Mosque is the Syariah Court building complex and Pre-School for Children aged below 6 years old.

[edit] Design

The Zahir Mosque occupies a site of approximately 124,412 square feet. Its center hall (Prayer Hall) measures 62 x 62 square feet and is surrounded by verandahs of 8 feet wide with 4 mezzanine areas. Each mezzanine area is roofed by a dome. The main dome is located at the north-eastern part of the mosque building. It is one of the grandest and oldest mosques in Malaysia. The state's Quran reading competition is held annually within the premises of the mosque. This mosque has been voted the top 10 most beautiful mosques in the world.^{[citation needed]}