VISITING JOON MOSQUE IN MANDALAY

16th DECEMBER 2019 ~ While we were roaming the streets of Mandalay that evening, we found another mosque which was actually very near to the first mosque where we went to perform our prayers. Joon Mosque looked much bigger and more spacious than Mandalay Central Mosque.

It was after the Maghrib prayer (performed after the sunset), and there were not many people in the building or the front facade. However, it was bustling with activities and we could hear voices of people reciting the verses of the holy Qur'an. There were groups of people reading the holy books at the ground floor of the mosque, which was below the main prayer hall.

At the same time, next to the mosque, there was another building from which voices of children could be heard. That should be some sort of religious school and they were having night classes, I guess.

the school

A HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF JOON MOSQUE

The Joon Mosque the gift offered by Haji U Pho and his beloved wife Hajima Daw Ei, A purveyor by royal appointment and comrade to His Majesty King Mindon, founder of the city and palace of Mandalay, and to his successor King Thibaw, was erected in the year 1224 Myanmar era (1862AD) together with two plots of land, Joon compound and Ulla Im compound with the intention of raising fund for the mosque.

During the Second World War, the mosque suffered damage on 4th April 1942. The administrative committee built the new mosque in the year 1951 with the contribution donated by the devotees of the Islamic faith from all walks of life.

Again in the year 1984, the mosque was partly gutted in the Great Fire of Mandalay. Unfortunately in the wake of the fire, the mosque deteriorated into near collapse during the earthquake in 1989.

The resolution to build the mosque was passed at the mass meeting held on 1st October 1992 by the administrative committee. Under the aegis of nine members of the admin committee, a construction committee comprising of 48 members was formed to rebuild the mosque for the third time. The work of rebuilding the mosque with the donation contributed by the devotees of the Islamic faith from all walks of life was fully completed in the year 1995. By the blessing of the Almighty Allah, may this mosque exist till the last day of universe.

[text from the carved stone at Joon Mosque]

ablution area

I always feel welcomed as if I am at home every time I visit a mosque in a foreign land where the Muslims are the minority. The feeling is just indescribable. May Allah grant me with good health to visit more mosques in other places for many more years to come.

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