KUCHING: A proposed floating mosque for the city will have rooms for holding marriage and related ceremonies. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who disclosed this yesterday, said the Kuching City Floating Mosque, just like Darul Hana Mosque, would have facilities for those purposes.
“In this technological era, whether we like it or not, we must find new approaches. That is why when we developed the Darul Hana Mosque, our philosophy is that marriage is building a mosque, a family mosque,” he said.
“We allocated spaces for ‘akad nikah’ (marriage ceremony). As our lives have changed and many Muslims don’t live in villages anymore, we encourage marriage ceremonies to be held in mosques. Hence, Darul Hana Mosque even has a room for doing make-up.”
He suggested that after a ceremony, those involved could also hold “berzikir” in the mosque.
“I have been informed that a number of couples have held their ‘akad nikah’ at Darul Hana Mosque,” he said when officiating at the closing of a “marhaban” competition organised by Sarawak Malay National Association (PKMS) at CIDB Sarawak Convention Centre, Jalan Sultan Tengah here yesterday.
Johari expressed a belief that when a marriage ceremony is held in a mosque, it becomes a serious matter and will help to make Muslim marriages stronger and last longer.
He thought that weddings at home might be taken lightly, but those conducted in mosques would be treated more seriously.
“Because of that, in the transformation of the social lives of Muslims and Malays, we must change our approach,” he said.
Johari also urged the young people to be active in activities organised by surau and mosque committees.
He said an activity such as a “marhaban” competition could be beneficial, apart from animating Islamic arts and provide advice that is still relevant in the present era.
Recalling a speech by PKMS deputy president Dr Wan Ali Tuanku Madhi more than three decades ago, he pointed out that PKMS consistently held two main activities, which are giving incentives to its members’ children annually since 1979, and organising the “marhaban” competition every two years since 1988.
He said these two activities were chosen as the association’s main activities as they had a big impact on the community.
He said the incentives, for example, had benefited a total of 5,153 Malay students and most of them have become professionals and successful in their careers, locally as well as overseas.
A number of them are also holding high positions in the public service.
At the function, the Chief Minister announced an allocation of RM100,000 to PKMS for its new building, Wisma PKMS, to be built on a two-acre plot at Jalan Muhibbah.
