A traveller's reflection: 2025 Kembara Ramadhan Day 09: Ipoh, Perak

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Wednesday, 19 March 2025

2025 Kembara Ramadhan Day 09: Ipoh, Perak

"If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up..." - J.M. Power

(Masjid Negeri Perak, Ipoh)

Day 09: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Route: Alor Setar - Ipoh
Distance: 240 km
Hotel: Artworks Hotel, Ipoh

We had packed rice and beef curry from Masjid Zahir for sahur. Drove to Ghufran Mosque for Subuh prayers. Checked out at 10.30 am and headed to Ipoh. Visited several mosques along the way.

(A free packed beef curry and rice from Majid Zahir)

(Subuh prayers at Ghufran Mosque)

First stop was at Masjid Al-Bukhary Alor Setar. This Al-Bukhary Mosque is located approximately three kilometers from the Alor Setar city center. This mosque was built entirely by the Al-Bukhary Foundation and is administered by the Al-Bukhary Mosque Management Committee, consisting of a combination of three parties, namely the Al-Bukhary Foundation, the Alor Malai Qariah Committee and the Mosque Officers. This mosque was previously known as Alor Malai Mosque which was built in 1956. It is included as a major religious tourist attraction in Alor Setar..

(The Al-Bukhari Complex)

(The Al-Bukhari Mosque, elegant and beautiful)

(The spacious main prayer hall)

Next visit was to the Mustadha Dakwah Centre (MADAD). This establishment was founded by Ustaz Murtadha Yusof. He passed away in 2018 and MADAD is now managed his brother Ustaz Mohammad Yaakub Yusra. Murtadha Dakwah Centre was established in early January 2018 in Kampung Teluk Sungai Petani Kedah and is known as the Darul Murtadha Dakwah Centre. It aims to become a leading Islamic lifestyle activity center in Malaysia with the latest knowledge and innovative activities, aiming to enrich lives through the development of personal values for the ummah. Within the MADAD complex are a wedding hall and a feline sanctuary.

(The Mustadha Dakwah Centre)

(The prayer hall, with a play space for kids)

(A Feline Sanctuary)

(The feline adoption and care centre)

(Exhibition of Khat and Islamic Clock collections)

Arrived in Ipoh around 3.00 pm and visited several mosques in Ipoh. First stop was at Masjid Negeri Ipoh, located near the Ipoh Railway Station and, Ipoh Police Headquarters. We performed our Jamak Zohor/Asar prayers here.

(Masjid Negeri Ipoh, Perak)

(Performed our Jamak Zohor/Asar prayers)

(The main prayer hall on the lower floor)

(A cooling water feature)

Next we visited the Panglima Kinta Mosque which was built in 1898 by Dato' Panglima Kinta Muhamad Yusuff bin Lassam, who was then Panglima Kinta or Lord of Kinta, as a commemoration for his wife, Saaidah bt Chik. This Panglima Kinta Mosque was gazetted as a Malaysian heritage building in 2012. This is one of the century old mosques of Perak, Malaysia, sporting a colonial design mixed with Mughal and Neoclassical motifs (based on Roman and Greek designs.

(The Panglima Kinta Mosque - A 127-year old mosque))

(Gazetted as Malaysian Heritage building)

(Prayer hall and the mimbar)

(An old wooden building, formerly a Madrasah)

(Gazetted as Heritage Building in 2112)

Masjid Ar Rahman in Kg. Sg Tapah Ipoh is one of the six mosques in the Manjoi Ipoh cluster. This mosque was built on the site of an old mosque known as Masjid al-Huda. This fully air conditioned mosque had just completed a successful donation drive to replace the mimbar.

(Masjid Ar Rahman Kg Sg Tapah, Ipoh)

(A fully air-conditioned mosque)

Masjid Jamek Taman Kledang Jaya started as a small wooden zinc roof structure to support the local Muslim community. It has been renovated and grown over time. It actively propagates the teaching of Islam as the true way of life. During Ramadhan, the mosque provides iftar for its congregation.

(Masjid Jamek Taman Kledang Jaya, Ipoh)

(Catering for the local communities in the housing area)

(Neatly arranged tables for iftar)

By 4.30 pm, we checked in the Artworks Hotel at Rm110/night. The counter service was not as efficient and we had to wait quite a while for our room key. Had time for a short rest before we got ready to drive to Masjid Negeri Ipoh.

(The Artworks Hotel - unique and vibrant)

(Collections of paintings on the wall)

(A comfortable clean room)

(The Artworks Hotel - blankets and pillows)

The Masjid Negeri Ipoh is also known as the Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque which was inaugurated on 15 September 1978 by Sultan Idris Iskandar Shah II, the 33rd Sultan, in conjunction with his 33rd birthday celebration. It is located in the heart of Ipoh city. There is ample free parking for prayers but chargeable off prayer times. We have been here several times before. Prayers are now held in the air conditioned main prayer hall on the ground floor. This time, we had our iftar and performed our solat maghrib, isya and tarawih here.