We were invited to the opening of the MASJID exhibit, which took place on February 25, 2012 at the Al-Nor Commercial Complex, Cotabato City. The said exhibit is a joint undertaking by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the United Architects of the Philippines, Cotabato Chapter.
Before the actual opening, a short program was held where the organizers gave a backgrounder on the project. Architect Marlo J. Basco emphasized the need for documentation of Islamic architecture in the Philippines, stressing out that there is a dearth of materials on the matter. He said that this project was undertaken in order to inculcate a deeper appreciation of arts and culture in Mindanao. The project took about a year to finish.
I found the poster shown above highly informative, because it explains the differences and similarities of the Philippine masjid with masjids in other countries. For one, minarets in Philippine masjids are not as functional as those in masjids in other countries. They are not really used when the call to prayer is made. If you want to know more about these differences and similarities, I highly recommend that you visit the exhibit, which will run until the 4th of March.
The ribbon-cutting was done by Bai Annisa Alonto-Biruar and Bai Nora Paglas, together with exhibit organizers Wilfred Yee and Marlo Basco.
A total of twenty-eight (28) masjids were featured in the exhibit, namely:
1. Grand Mosque;
2. Blue Mosque;
3. Masjid Al-Salaamah;
4. Datu Untong Balabaran Mosque;
5. Masjid Abas;
6. Talayan Mosque;
7. Haron Rasjid Mosque;
8. Datu Samad Mangelen Memorial Mosque;
9. Datu Mohammad Paglas Mosque;
10. La Frutera Mosque;
11. Masjid Al-Qudra;
12. Datu Udtog Matalam Mosque;
13. Masjidil Asmaúl Husna
14. Ganasi Grand Mosque;
15. Masjid Lumboc;
16. Masjid Bacolod Chico;
17. Bacolod Grande Mosque;
18. Masjid Kalawi;
19. Masjid Kormatan;
20. Ma’áhad Jamid Islamic Center;
21. Masjid Raya Saduc;
22. King Faisal Mosque;
23. Masjid Sultan Omar Dianalan;
24. Shariff Alawi Islamic Center;
25. Hadji Abdullah Maas Nuno Mosque;
26. Masjid Jamie
27. Tulay Grand Mosque
28. Masjid Mataas
My personal favorites include Masjid Mataas in Parang, Sulu; and
Ma’áhad Jamid Islamic Center in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, which our Alonto grandfathers helped build.
Another masjid which caught my attention is the Shariff Alawi Islamic Center in Cagayan De Oro, which withstood the wrath of Typhoon Sendong. MashaALLAH!
Of course, in terms of architectural grandeur and sheer size, nothing can beat the Grand Mosque, or the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Grand Masjid.
The exhibit was a feast for my eyes, as the photographs showed me the various designs of masjids around Mindanao.
I highly commend the people who thought of this project, and who devoted their time and effort to going to far-flung places around Mindanao just to be able to showcase the beauty of sacred Islamic architecture. This venture would not have been possible had the people behind it not dedicated their love and passion for arts and culture fully to the undertaking.
THANK YOU for choosing Cotabato City as the first place for the exhibit. May the photos be shown around the country, and maybe someday, even outside the Philippines.
I hope as the exhibit goes around the country, additional facts about the history of the structures as well as the architectural inspiration of each masjid be included.
