I am a strong believer that getting to understand your environment thoroughly is essential for a positive and successful assignment in a new country. Malaysia, being so welcoming and accommodating to expatriates, it does require some effort to do so as no one will force you to adapt (as can be the case in other cultures).
Understanding the many faiths in this country, helps get a deeper knowledge of the values that matter to Malaysians.
Islam is the largest religion in Malaysia. Its impact on society goes beyond the religious and spiritual aspect. To fully understand Malaysia, one needs to understand how religion has been influencing culture, language, customs and even politics. The visit to the mosque with volunteers gave participants clues to decipher this essential aspect of Malaysia.
The Federal Territory Mosque or known by the locals as Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan (MWP) is a mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The mosque was constructed between 1998 and 2000. It was opened to the public on 25 October 2000. The mosque can accommodate 17,000 worshippers at any one time.
The mosque not only serves as a place of worship but a tourist attraction too, due to its beautiful architecture and design. The ‘Visit the Mosque’ programme which was initiated in 2009 provided opportunities for local and foreign tourists to visit the mosque, with thousands of visitors each year.
During the visit we had a general introduction to Islam, an explanation and live experience of the call to prayer. We were explained the rituals connected to the prayer and we had a tour of the mosque. Thank you to the volunteers for sharing with us insights into Islam in Malaysia and the history of the mosque.
The visit took place on January 29th, 2019. We will be organising a few more visits this year. Contact Josephine f you are interested to attend.
The visit ontact Josephine for more information