Tetamu from Abu Dhabi...

"Life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being perfect. It is about being real, being humble and being kind..."

(Mus, Nor, Niza and me)

My nephew, Nor Azhar, Niza and their youngest son, Aiman came for a visit. Niza flew back to KL with Aiman earlier this week to spend the summer holidays with their three other children who are in KL. The eldest, Asyraf is a young MAS pilot just like his father, who is with Etihad. Alia and Aleesya are still studying in the local colleges. Nor Azhar will be flying back to Abu Dhabi alone tomorrow. They were planning to go for a family holidays later in August.

When Nor Azhar was still an intern with MAS in 1990's, he used to stay with us in our Bidara house. Then there were only the two of us at home as Sara, Iwan and Ja were in the boarding schools. After his contract with MAS ended, Nor Azhar and family moved to Abu Dhabi to work with Etihad.

Whenever we were on holidays or Umrah trips, we used to detour and stay in his house in Abu Dhabi.

Muslimah activities during the week...

"Self discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do..."

(Muslimah Bidara Selawat group)

(Muslimah Masjid At-Tayyibin)

On Sunday we were invited to attend the Majlis Aqiqah for Datin Azizah's grand daughter which was held at the Asiana Grand Hall at Emerald Avenue. The Muslimah from Masjid At-Taiyyibin and Surau Firdaus performed the Selawat on the occasion.

It was a quite a grand celebration.

(The AJK Masjid and Surau Taman Bidara)

(The Muslimah in our uniform)

(The gathering of Helwa at-Taiyyibin)

(Reciting the Selawat)

Earlier of the week we celebrated the coming of the month of Muharram with reciting the doa Akhir and Awal tahun Hijriah on 1st Muharram and Friday a Kahfi Perdana lead by Imam Fitri at Masjid At-Taiyyibin Taman Bidara.

(19/07/23: Doa Akhir dan Awal tahun Hijriah)

(21/07/23: Sambutan Muharram and Kahfi Perdana)

Masjid Tuminah Bagan Datuk - 2022

“You don’t have a future when you refuse to accept the former generation. Simple...” - Petra Hermans

(Masjid Tuminah Bagan Datuk)

Masjid Tuminah Bagan Datuk has a floating mosque concept on the banks of Sungai Perak. This mosque is the third floating mosque in Perak after Masjid Al-Badr Pulau Pangkor and Masjid Kampung Telaga Nenas Ayer Tawar. The mosque complex has a multipurpose hall and a main square. The prayer hall can accommodate up to 5000 worshipers at a time and is a new unique attraction in the Bagan Datuk district.

(Our 4th visit to Masjid Tuminah)

(A beautiful floating mosque in Bagan Datuk)

(Wide corridor and large prayer hall)

(Quranic verses decorating the entrances)

(A good venue for a wedding reception)

(The main entrance to the main prayer hall)

(A big square at the middle of the complex)

The Masjid Tuminah Complex, which cost almost RM50 million, had its construction delayed due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) during the Covid 19 pandemic and the freezing of the Akalbudi Foundation's account which was the main source of funds for its construction.

(A visit to the museum) 

(Collections of quran and khats)

(A neat layout of the museum)

(Quran collections)

(Vibrant coloured designs decor for the mosque)

(Asmaul-husna and a brief description of the mosque)

(Beautiful khats writings)

(Three naughty boys climbing the ship at the dataran)

Jetty Beting Beras Basah

“History is not the past but a map of the past, drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveller...” - Henry Glassie

(Jetty Beting Beras Basah)

Jetty Beting Beras Basah is located at the mouth of Sungai Perak in Bagan Datuk. Near the mouth of the river is a sandy beach area that can be seen when the tide occurs. The sandbar is not visible but a small flag on a wooden pole in the middle of the sea can be viewed by visitors from the viewing pavilion at the end of the beach.

(The junction leading to the jetty)

(Ample parking area)

A long bridge was built across the 500 meter swampy route and there is a small stage called Panca Persada referring to the special stage where the king resides after being bathed. The newly enthroned Sultan of Perak had to take a bath using water from the well behind the building before sitting on the stage.

(A long bridge over the swamp)

(A very hot sunny day)

Beting Beras Basah is associated with the first Sultan of Perak to have set foot here. When there is a coronation of a new Sultan of Perak, the sultan must take a journey by river from Kuala Kangsar to Beting Beras Basah in Bagan Datuk. On May 14, 2015, the Beting Beras Basah ceremony started from the jetty in Bagan Datuk Jetty. This ceremony was performed by Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah as a symbolic custom of Sultan Muzaffar Shah I (1528-1549), the first Sultan of Perak, who first set foot in Perak.

(A small jetty at the end of the 2nd bridge)

(The beach at low tide)

(The 'bersiram' ceremony is held here)

Among the stories that have been told is the event where the sultan's boat was hit by waves as soon as it approached Kuala Sungai Perak until it suddenly ran aground on a shoal in the middle of the ocean. It wasn't until His Majesty threw the crown that he was able to sail again and simultaneously with that, His Majesty Sultan Muzaffar Shah was installed as the first Sultan of Perak in the Beting Beras Basah.

(A brief history of Beting Beras Basah)

By land, visitors can go through Kampung Sungai Balai road or a shortcut from Kampung Sungai Balai Baroh by traveling six kilometers on a small tar road.

Mee Udang Banjir Kuala Selangor...

"The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life..." - Confucius

(Mee Udang Banjir Kuala Selangor)

Earlier, we bought a dozen Karipap Kingkong from the roadside stall and thought of sharing one for brunch.

(Mee Udang Banjir and Mee Goreng Udang)

After visiting the Kuala Selangor Masjid Raja Lumu and the Street Arts, we were feeling famished. A little exercise in the morning burned some calories and stimulated our appetite. It was still early but we tried our luck and stopped at Restoran Mee Udang Banjir. The restaurant was opened and there were already many customers having their early lunch.

This restaurant has a lot of food on their menu. We have not eaten Mee Udang for a quite a while so we ordered Mee Udang Banjir and Mee Goreng Udang. Both dishes were tasty and worth the price.

(Rojak and Cendol Durian Borhan)

Street Arts in Pekan Lama Kuala Selangor

"I don't paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality..." - Frida Kahlo

(Kuala Selangor Street Art)

The Laluan Seni Pekan Lama Kuala Selangor is located across Masjid Sultan Lumu, the back alley behind the Restoran Bagan.

(Vibrant paintings on the walls)

(Exploring the back lane)

There are two main paintings that fill the walls of the building. As you enter the clean well maintained back lane, there are art beautiful interesting murals decorating the walls. Apart from being a tourist attraction and the murals provides insight to the beauty and culture of Kuala Selangor and its people.

(Local myths and legends)

(Each painting tells a story)

(

(Local scenes of Kuala Selangor)

The murals of Laluan Seni Pekan Lama, were contributed by local artists, have legitimate artistic merit.

(Leisure activities and pastimes hobbies)

(Kuda Kepang traditional Javanese dance)

(Kampung boys simple games)

(Local kampung scenes)

(Flying without wings)

(Blending in with the locals)

Masjid Raja Lumu Kuala Selangor

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it..." - Edmund Burke

(Masjid Raja Lumu Kuala Selangor)

Our mission today was to visit Masjid Tuminah, the new mosque in Bagan Datuk. On the way, we stopped to buy our favorite Karipap Gergasi and stop at Pekan Lama Kuala Selangor to visit some attractions there.

Our first visit was to Masjid Pekan Lama Kuala Selangor situated at the foot of Bukit Melawati. The mosque has been renovated and upgraded and now known as Masjid Raja Lumu, the ninth Royal Mosque of Selangor.

(The new mosque at the foot of Bukit Melawati)

The name of the mosque was in conjunction with the name of Raja Lumu who was the first Sultan of Selangor, known as Sultan Salahuddin Shah who ruled from 1766 to 1782. Raja Lumu was installed as Sultan of Selangor in Kuala Selangor and resided on Bukit Melawati which was formerly known as Bukit Selangor.

(A mosque with modern facilities)

This mosque is designed with modern features but maintained the original prayer hall. The beautiful chandeliers are from Egypt and wall decorations are from Uzbekistan. There are Quran verses carved on stone and wood. The main prayer hall can accommodate about 700 jemaah.

(A unique green copper dome)

A copper dome is one of the new attractions of the Masjid Lumu Raja. The copper dome is green after a rusting process and similar in colour of that of the Statue of Liberty in New York. The mosque still maintains the original dome.

The mosque was inaugurated on 6 October 2022 by His Majesty the Sultan of Selangor.

(Steps leading to the entrance)