Islamic
architecture at its best can be seen in two of Brunei's most important
and most imposing mosques - the Saifuddien Mosque and the Bolkiah
Mosque! They already look impressive by day, they even look more
magnificent at night. From a distance
you feel like you're watching a scene from the Arabian Nights!! Kulang
na lang, may flying carpet with Aladdin on it! We weren't able to go
inside the mosques since it was Friday and that's their main prayer day
(like Sunday for Christians).
However, we were allowed to enter the
grounds and we had to talk in whispers since we could hear the prayers
going on inside. They had expansive gardens around them, and one of
them even had some sort of moat around it with a vinta-like boat
attached to it. Our host told us that the imam used to read from the
boat before. The prayers are broadcasted through a loud speaker so you
can actually hear the sing-song rhythm when they read the Qu'ran. The
Brunei government spared no expense in building these mosques since they
are amazing edifices of their expression of faith. We did have some
questions for our host regarding his religion but I won't discuss it
here. Religion is never a good topic to discuss online. I felt
privileged though to get that close to these houses of faith since I've
never even entered a mosque in the Philippines!
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