Most Muslim populated with less mosque facilities

Undoubtedly Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country on the face of earth since we lost East Pakistan otherwise Pakistan was the most populated independent Muslim country in the world but I will enumerate some instances about the country just to shock or please you alike as I have found and experienced during my short visit to Jakarta-capital of Indonesia.

 Indonesia, at this point of time has 202,867,000 Muslims followed by my beloved Pakistan and of course Bangladesh which boasts of having 174,082,000 and 145,512,000 respectively means that there is a huge gap in between the Muslim populations of the first three most populated sovereign countries. I have been invited by H. E. Nasser Bareh Al-Enezi, Kuwaiti Ambassador in Jakarta to attend his country’s National Day (25^th February) both in 2010 and 2011 and hence I came twice to Jakarta for some days in Feb / Mar. Precisely speaking this year on Friday 25^th February I was in a luxurious shopping complex called Grand Indonesia Mall when Friday prayers time approached and the driver told me that it will be difficult for us to return to my hotel Ritz Carlton, Pacific and then offer the weekly prayers hence he wished that we pray somewhere nearby. I appreciated his concern and told him to find the nearest mosque so that we do not miss the prayers. We have heard azan nearby and it was found out that in the same complex Friday prayers are offered in the parking lot on 6 which was very good news for me. I had noticed that all the shops were open right from the ground floor to the top 6^th floor and I wondered neither the sellers nor the buyers paid any attention to Friday prayers’ azan. No shop neither closed nor even pulled down the shutters while on the other hand the purchasers too were flocking in as if either the prayers are over or not due yet. Government offices work from 0800 to 1700 hours each day including Friday when there is with I hour break facilitating the Muslims to offer their weekly Friday prayers.

I followed the driver and we both scaled to the huge parking lot which I am told is kept emptied each Friday so that the weekly prayers can be offered there which is a good idea in any case. There must be odd 600+ people seated for the prayers listening to the preacher. There was no proper place for ablutions except that three taps were fixed to a bid water tank and each one is to stand in knee deep water to perform ablutions and of course without drying because no tissue rolls could be seen. The place was not air-conditioned but perhaps there must be some electrical fans or air coolers in front rows I believe. We were at the far end and naturally there were no praying mats for us though I could notice that even next three rows didn’t have the same in any case. Luckily the person next to me had a newspaper and it was so nice of him to spread two pages for me also to offer my prayers. Allah blesses the unknown co Muslim for his courtesy and the respect towards me. Dress and appearance wise bulk majority of those who offered the prayers looked like drivers and or daily wage earners and though I could not see all the worshippers so I cannot say quite emphatically as to how many worshippers belonged to middle class or upper strata but yet they must would have been just a very few in any case.

Why and how a proper mosque could not be constructed by the owner of the shopping complex is a quite perplexing question for me at least if not others. You must have your answers to the question which necessarily cannot be the same like mine but to me there could be three arguments in the favor of not constructing a mosque in the giant most expensive shopping mall. May be it had been thought that (a) the shopping mall be closed on Friday hence there is no question of Friday prayers at the mall or (b) the shops will be closed at their own for an hour during mid day time which does not warranty to have a mosque at the place or (c) no Muslim shoppers will be coming there on Friday so why to have a mosque. Are you with me, if I dare, to pen that ever since investment on mosque could not generate any income for the owner so he / she did not feel like investing on mosque unless each person is obliged to pay some money to pay some money if wish to pray in the mosque of the shopping paradise?

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With my honest and solemn prayers

Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / Camp Jakarta, Indonesia