Masjid Negara: A National Legacy

What does our Masjid Negara have in common with Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem? Well for one, both holy places were built on the site of former churches. Masjid Negara, completed in 1965, was built on the place where the Venning Road Brethren Gospel Hall once stood. The site of the church, built in 1922, was acquired by the Malaysian government due to its location and accessibility. It is just a couple of hundred meters from the bustling Kuala Lumpur Railway Station allowing worshippers arriving from all over the nation easy access. The sane can be said for the Al-Aqsa Mosque which is believed to stand on the ruins of ancient churches and Jewish temples built centuries earlier.

Tomorrow, 27 February 2017, marks the 54th anniversary of the Masjid Negara foundation stone laying ceremony. That momentous event was officiated by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Syed Putra Ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail.

The construction budget at that time was capped at RM 10 million. Despite being a considerable sum of money, the builders were prudent in their spending and opted for terrazzo flooring instead of the more luxurious marble to keep costs down. Everyone was aware that from the total sum, about RM3 million was contributed by ordinary Malaysians from all walks of life. Even Malaysian students studying abroad played their part. Donation drives where held nationwide and people came out in droves. They ordinary man on the street gave whatever he could spare during a time when the nation was still at its infancy and income was generally low.

Masjid Negara was officially opened on 27 August 1965 and immediately gained fame as the largest mosque in the country offering its worshippers sanctuary within its 5 acre compound. It was reported that the congregation size for the Friday sermon on that opening day was nearly 10,000 strong even though the actual capacity of the mosque then was only for 8,000 people.

Visitors on that memorable day would have noticed that the entrance gates were covered with gold coloured silk curtains and the lights at the Great Hall was not switched on until Tuanku Syed Putra switched on the radio-transistor controls. Then, the lights came on and everyone present simply stood in awe at the majestic grandeur of their surroundings.

At first glance, Masjid Negara's architecture is a breath of fresh air setting it apart from the numerous Western designed colonial buildings that crowd Kuala Lumpur during the 1960s. Observers at that time were inspired by its modern Islamic design that represents the aspirations of a young and growing nation.

The architects of the mosque, Baharuddin Abu Kassim, Hisham Albakri and Howard Ashley, had initially intended to gild the main dome but due to cost constraints they finally settled for pink as a substitute. At the same time, a general blue and white colour scheme was used throughout the exterior as well as interior walls.

The overwhelming number of people at Masjid Negara on opening day has Baharuddin, the principal architect, to thank for their comfort. He and his team had ingeniously adopted the use of two key features in Islamic architecture when designing the National Mosque. Firstly, white decorative grilles and tiered roofing were incorporated into the design. The former admits a continuous flow of fresh air into the prayer halls while the latter provides protection from the sweltering tropical sun. Secondly, numerous long reflecting pools and flowing fountains were strategically placed throughout the complex to help cool the air effectively. These series of natural cooling mechanisms were further complemented by using white terrazzo tiles to line the Prayer Hall floor. These tiles were constantly cold to the touch and helped to bring
down the temperature further.


Unlike most mosques, Masjid Negara's roof is not dome shaped. Instead, its unique design is based on an open umbrella which symbolizes the  sovereignty of Malaysia under the patronage of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. At the same time, the top of the 245 feet high minaret is made to look like a closed umbrella that is used to signify the strength and unity of the people.

The idea to build Masjid Negara was first mooted by Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj during a Federal Executive Council meeting on 30 July 1957. Merdeka was just a month away and the premier thought that a national mosque would be a great way to symbolize the nation's success in achieving independence without bloodshed. In the midst of planning a year later, an idea was put forward to name the new mosque after Tunku Abdul Rahman in recognition of his efforts in steering the country towards nationhood. However, Tunku in all his humbleness, declined the honour and instead named the new mosque, Masjid Negara as a tribute to the new nation itself.  

Masjid Jamek used to be Kuala Lumpur's main mosque prior to the building of Masjid Negara. It is located at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang Rivers, the same location where Kuala Lumpur is said to have first started. Often referred to as the Friday Mosque by the locals, Masjid Jamek was built at a cost of 32,625 Straits dollars. These funds came from the Malay community living in the city as well as the British colonial government at that time.

The foundation stone of Masjid Jamek was laid by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah on 23 March 1908. A mere twenty months later, on 23 December 1909, the monarch declared the Mughal architectural styled mosque officially open. Its architect, Arthur Benison Hubback also designed the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and Kuala Kangsar Ubudiah Mosque in this similar style.

However, unlike Masjid Negara, this older mosque was built on the land which used to serve as an ancient Malay burial ground. Before Masjid Jamek was built, the Muslim community prayed at several small mosques located around the nearby Java Street (now Jalan Tun Perak) and Malay Street area.