(VOVWORLD) -Mubarak mosque stands out for its Islamic architecture imbued with the cultural identity of the Cham ethnic community in Chau Phong commune, An Giang province. It’s one of the most beautiful mosques in Vietnam and was recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic in 1989.
 Mubarak mosque in Chau Phong commune, An Giang province (Photo: Do Quyen/VOV4) |
Mubarak mosque resembles an ancient and mysterious Arabian and Persian mosque, featuring arched domes, tall minarets, and the crescent moon symbol. Its main gate has a distinctive design, shaped like two elephants meeting head on, their tusks interlocked.
The mosque’s dominant colors are blue and white from the exterior to the interior decorations. The grand hall is surrounded by long, wide corridors. The walls along these corridors are decorated with intricate motifs and Cham script excerpts from the Quran. Inside the grand hall, bright chandeliers hang from the ceiling.
 The main hall of Mubarak mosque (Photo: Do Quyen/VOV4) |
At the four corners of the roof stand four small minarets, while at the center of the front-roof rises a large, two-tiered, oval-shaped tower. The top and the base of this tower bears the figure of a star set within a crescent, the star symbolizing the tenets of Islamic law, the crescent representing the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
An Giang province has 12 mosques and 16 minor prayer houses. Only Mubarak mosque is recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic. The mosque was designed by Indian architect Mohamet Amin and built in 1750. After several renovations, in 1922, it was rebuilt in a more solid form, with lime-plastered walls, wooden pillars, and tiled roofing. In 1965, it was reconstructed using reinforced concrete, a structure that remains today.
 The chapel at Mubarak mosque (Photo: Do Quyen/ VOV4) |
Go Saly, Deputy Imam of Mubarak mosque and Deputy Head of the Representative Board of the Islamic community in An Giang province, said: “At first, the mosque was only a temporary structure made of bamboo and leaves. Between 1965 and 1967, it was rebuilt spacious as it is today.
The mosque harmoniously combines East Asian and Middle Eastern architectural elements. The floor is tiled, and in front of the main prayer hall there are an area for the imams, who lead the daily prayers, and a platform for the preachers during the weekly Friday noon sermons. The mosque is glamorously decorated, with verses from the Quran displayed high above.”
 Bookcase for the Quran (Photo: Do Quyen/VOV4) |
Visitors to Mubarak mosque are struck by its glamorous appearance. Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, a tourist from Ha Noi, said, “This is my first time visiting the mosque. I was impressed by its grand architecture the moment I entered the gate. Inside, the mosque is splendid and shimmering, with diverse decorative patterns such as elephant tusks, stars, and crescents. This is a very popular destination for tourists visiting An Giang province. If I have the opportunity to return to An Giang, I will certainly revisit this mosque.”
Every year Mubarak mosque hosts three major festivals: Maulid, commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, on the 12th day of the 3rd month of the Islamic calendar; Roya Haji, marking the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, on the 10th day of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar; and the Cham New Year celebration, on the 1st day of the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, following Ramadan, the month of fasting in the 9th Islamic month.
 The burial area of the Cham Muslim community behind the mosque. (Photo: Do Quyen/VOV4) |
Sa Les, a Muslim resident of An Giang province, said, “Mubarak mosque has preserved its original architecture. It has been recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic for its ancient and beautiful design. It’s always crowded with followers. For Muslims, there are 5 daily prayers - at dawn, noon, afternoon, late afternoon, and evening - each lasting about 10 to 20 minutes. If one is busy, prayers can be performed at home; it is not compulsory to go to the mosque.”
Mubarak mosque, one of the most outstanding religious architectural works of An Giang province, is a very popular tourist destination.