The white structure, which resembles the holy Kaaba at times, has been a symbol of Bangladesh for over 50 years. Whether it is our memory from Bangladesh Television visuals or the political nature of the mosque itself, it always comes and stays in our minds as a national symbol, the national mosque of Bangladesh. It holds a unique iftar mehfil (party), accommodating more than 2000 people daily for free.
Why is it unique to have Iftar together?
Iftar in Dhaka means a rush to return home, and to escape that rush, many take refuge in the mosque, known as the house of Allah.
Iftar is the meal when worshippers of Allah fast during the day to adapt to and understand the sufferings of the needy and helpless.
Baitul Muqarram tries hard, using the arrangements from the Islamic Foundation, to keep all the necessary iftar items in the large bowls.
A bowl is suitable for six people who sit together to achieve a common Sunnah from the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (S).
A hadith says that Prophet Muhammad (S) said that the food most beloved to Allah is that in which many hands partake.
It is believed that if many hands eat from a bowl, it takes less food for a person to fill up his tummy.
Baitul Mukarram abides by the hadith and arranges large bowls with chickpeas, puffed rice, Potato chops, brinjal fried, peyaju, and Jilapi. These items are traditional iftar food in Bangladesh.
Each person gets a 250 ml water bottle.
People of different classes and backgrounds come to Baitul Mokarram for the grand feast, and they form a family for a while.
It is really a gathering of the masses. They raise their hands just before Iftar when the imam asks for mercy and peace from Allah.
It's a place where people forget where they are from and what they do; they mix together like the food in a bowl; they do not hold any particular identity apart from Muslims who are fasting.
The beauty of Iftar enhanced by Sabr
The main purpose of Ramadan is Sabr, which means tolerance. If you ever come to Baitul Mokarram for an iftar before Sabr, you will witness a great showcase of Sabr.
Angry and hustling Dhaka city dwellers often come quickly after entering the mosque premises. They offer dates and water to people they hardly know sideways.
They tried to ease each other's burdens by smashing all the peyaju, beginning with the chickpeas and Puffed rice, commonly known as 'Chola Muri' in Bengali.
They create space for the other people so that everyone can sit and eat comfortably, they help each other open the bottles, and they are the same people we often see shouting at each other for two seconds of pause on a busy road in Dhaka city.
We talked to a man who was new in Dhaka and was travelling to Mohakhali.
Imad Uddin had just arrived in Dhaka at 5 p.m. and was confused about where to sit for IftarIftar.
Then he learned about the arrangement of the Baitul Mokarram mosque, which was a great relief for him because it cost nothing, and he could also get proper rest on the beautiful white premises of the mosque.
Baitul Mokarram is always unique in Ramadan
On the first night before Ramadan, the mosque was buzzing with prayers. People arrived from different parts of the city to stand for the first tarawih, a significant prayer of Ramadan. At the end of Ramadan, they get rewards for completing the Quran, the holy book of Islam, by concluding tarawih on Ramadan days.
At the stadium gate of the mosque, there is an Islamic book fair going on. The fair, organized in the southern courtyard of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, will continue throughout the month of Ramadan. It will be open to the public from 12 noon to 8 pm every day of Ramadan.
Baitul Mukarram was a home for the tired, stressed Dhaka duelers for many years.
A dreamer's journey of aspiration and prosperity casually starts from Gulistan, one of the busiest streets of Dhaka; as soon as a person sets foot in Dhaka city, those dreamy eyes get to see the vast courtyard of Baitul Mukarram, where there is shade and comfort.
The outer mosque is structured so that anyone can take a moment of break, whether he is praying or not.
Apart from Ramadan, the mosque is always busy with clerics and religious preachers from all over Bangladesh. The mosque is accompanied by a unique market where you can find almost anything.
It is a market for the tabling people who roam around Bangladesh to spread their Islamic knowledge and virtues.
You can find Islamic salat time clocks, special mosquito preventers for travelling people, and jaynamaz.
Lots of jay namaz of different designs and brands are available in this market.
History and architectural features of the national mosque
Prominent architect T. Abdul Hussain Tharyani was appointed to design the mosque complex. He was one of the premier architects of South Asia. The complex design included shops, offices, a library and car parking facilities.
Built on an area of about eight and a half acres of land by a family initiative more than sixty years ago, this mosque has become a place of prestige for Muslims in Bangladesh.
Urdu-speaking Abdul Latif Bawani, the owner of Bawani Jute Mills, and his nephew Yahya Bawani formed the 'Baitul Mukarram Mosque Society' and planned to build the mosque in 1959.
The construction of this mosque began in 1960. Two years later, in 1962, it was almost completed. However, the entire work was completed in 1968.
The Baitul Mukarram Mosque was initially built to accommodate thirty thousand people for prayer.
It was later expanded in 2008 with funding from the Saudi government.
Now, the national mosque of Bangladesh can accommodate 40,000 worshippers at a time. It is situated in the centre of Dhaka, so people from many shops and offices, as well as people travelling nearby, come to this mosque. Balconies surround the main room of the mosque on three sides. The north side of the third floor has a women's prayer area. 1,500 women can pray there at once.
On Eid days, the mosque becomes even more special. Even people from outside Dhaka city come early in the morning for Eid prayers. The mosque performs multiple Eid prayers to accommodate the large number of worshippers.
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