Islamic Centre (Maldives)

The Islamic Centre (officially named Masjid al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam) (Arabic: مسجد السلطان محمد تكرفان الأعظم) (Dhivehi: މަސްޖިދުއް ސުލްޠާން މުޙައްމަދު ތަކުރުފާނު އަލްއަޢުޡަމް) is an architectural landmark in Malé, Maldives opened in November 1984 by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.[1]

Masjid al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam
މަސްޖިދުއް ސުލްޠާން މުޙައްމަދު ތަކުރުފާނު އަލްއަޢުޡަމް
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Region	Islam
Rite	Sunni
Location
Location	Malé, Maldives
State	Kaafu Atoll
Shown within Maldives
Territory	Malé
Administration	Ministry of Islamic Affairs
Geographic coordinates	04°10′41″N 73°30′45″E
Architecture
Style	Malaysian
Completed	1984
Minaret height	142 feet

The Islamic Centre was built with the assistance of many Islamic countries in the 1980s, and it was opened in November 1984. The countries those who contributed and gave assistance to build the Islamic Centre are Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Pakistan, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Kuwait. There is a plate kept at the grand entrance of the centre's mosque part in which all leaders' of the countries' names are engraved in Dhivehi, Arabic and English. That plate also tells that the Islamic Centre was opened on 11 November 1984 (10 Safar 1405 Hijri). The building is an impressive structure, with a large golden dome and a minaret that stands at 142 feet tall. The building was built upon a design of a mosque that was built in Malaysia and still present there, and it was constructed using traditional Islamic architectural elements.[2]

The Grand Friday Mosque located in the centre is named after one of the most celebrated Maldivian heroes, Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam of the Maldives. The mosque is the largest mosque in the Maldives, and also one of the largest in South Asia, admitting over 5,000 people.[1]

The centre also serves as a conference hall where official meetings and ceremonies are held, an Islamic library and a number of offices.[1]

The centre also houses the Ministry of Islamic Affairs from 11 November 2008 onwards, which replaced the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs that was established by the former president Mamoon Abdul Gayoom.[1]

Furthermore, the Islamic Centre acts as a major tourist attraction of Malé, because of its location near the main jetty of Malé and due to the beautiful architecture of the mosque. The magnificent golden dome of the mosque is also evident on the skyline of Malé. The shining golden dome of the mosque is a standout as are also the interior walls decorated with beautiful woodcarvings and Arabic calligraphy. The center also houses a library and a conference hall. The most famous architectural landmark of Male’ is the three-storey Islamic Centre, opened on 11 November 1984. The center's Grand Friday Mosque, Masjid al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam, is the biggest mosque in the Maldives, accommodating more than 5,000 worshippers.[1]