2019 Kembara Ramadhan: 03 Yala, Thailand

“Ramadhan is the month of blessings, Barkat and forgiveness. Take advantage of it as much as you can…”

(Masjid Jame' Tuebo, one of the many mosques in Yala)

Date: 13 May 2019

Hotel: Linux Garden Hotel, Yala

Route: Pattani - Yala

(The huge Yala Markaz Tabligh)

(The complex is interconnected to the hostels and other amenities)

From Pattani we drove direct to Yala and visited the huge Markaz Tabligh Yala, a base for thousands of pendakwah to learn and spread the teachings of Islam. Some have lived here close to ten years. It is called the Markaz because it is a gathering place for missionaries who perform khuruj or dakwah all over Thailand. From the outside, the 40m x 60m mosque looks tangled and dull. The outside walls have not been plastered, the dome has not yet completely finished. The mosque yards are vast and the interior floor is quite good. The immense Markaz Tabligh Yala may arguably be the largest of its kind in Asia. A separate hostel for the ladies is situated outside the compound next to the Markaz.

(Yala  Ma'ahad Mahdhah Al-Ulum)

(Masjid Abu Bakar As-Siddiq)

We performed the Zohor/Asar prayers at Masjid Abu Bakar A-Siddiq at the Phatthana Withaya Itsalam School. The Yala Islamic Committee Foundation is also based here. The mosque is a walking distance from Linux Garden Hotel, our lodging for the night.

(The Central Mosque of Yala)

(Ladies performing their solat in the open air)

(Buying iftar dishes for the breaking fast)

Tonight we performed our Terawih prayer at Yala Central Mosque. This forty year old Central Mosque is the main mosque of Yala Province. Thirty wide steps lead to the main prayer hall upstairs. It looks deserted during the day but comes alive during the month of Ramadhan at night.

Ladies perform the 20 rakaat Terawih prayers either in Muslimat Prayer Halls on lower and upper floors or in the cool open air courtyard or the prayer area under the stairs. The men pray in the main hall upstairs, with the elderly and physically challenged praying downstairs.

Not knowing if iftar is available at the Yala Central Mosque, we bought our berbuka meals at the many food stalls in front of the mosque.

We had our Subuh prayers again in this mosque.

(Masjid Tengah Betong)

(Daily majlis Iftar available during Ramadhan)

After enduring the twisties of Bang Lang National Park, we reached the town of Betong. We stopped at the wet market to buy salted fish, salted eggs and tomyam pastes and later drove to Betong Central Mosque.  We had passed this landmark mosque many times. Today we stopped to  pray Dhuha and had a brief rest here before we crossed the Thailand/Malaysia border.

(Crossing back into Malaysia)

Alhamdulillah...

 👈2019 Kembara Ramadhan: 02 Pattani, Thailand

Next Trip: 2019 Malaysia/Japan Scout Cross-Cultural Program