A little bit about the country
Today, nestled in the Indian Ocean scattered across miles of turquoise waters is a Muslim nation that was once ruled by kings and queens.
It was in the 14th century that the famous Moroccan explorer, Ibn Battuta recorded of a very bizarre chain of events that had the entire population convert to Islam. As stated by Ibn Battuta, the event was that of a sea creature that had tormented the Maldivian population threatening to unleash havoc if a virgin was not sacrificed every month. An Islamic scholar named Abul Barakaath Yoosuf Al Barbary was on visit to the island at this time and chose to disguise himself as a girl and kept reciting the Quran overnight in view to beat the monster. Next morning, he was found by the King very much alive and reading the Quran; the king later converted to Islam and ordered his fellow countrymen to do the same. Since that day, Islam has grown to become intrinsically linked with the country.
A symbol of faith
The Grand Friday Mosque also known as the Islamic Centre is a strong symbol of its main religion, Islam. The mosque is named after its much celebrated national hero Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam who liberated the country from the Portuguese invaders. The mosque is the largest in the Maldives and among the largest in the South Asian region with the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 devotees at a time.
Many deem the mosque to be one of the finest in the region and its architectural traits bear testament to this. Its dome, gold in colour glows brilliantly whilst the woodcarvings within the minaret showcase the skill of the Maldivian artists. The centre consists of a library and conference spaces which have hosted high-level conferences such as the SAARC General Meeting.
How and when to visit and where to stay
It is said that almost all visitors take time off to visit the mosque. It is located just opposite Sultan Park in the island nation’s capital of Male. Well of course visiting such an exotic island offers you nothing but the very best. Maldives resort options such as the Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon are located within easy reach from the main island and offer quality accommodation. The visit takes between 30-60 minutes and the best time to head to the centre is before noon prayers.
Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life. Google+
