By Siti Rohaizah Zainal
SABAK BERNAM, April 15 — The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj inaugurated Masjid Al-Ma’arufiah Parit Baru in Sungai Air Tawar late yesterday afternoon.
His Royal Highness was accompanied by the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah.
The mosque is the seventh to be officiated by Sultan Sharafuddin during the ongoing Ramadan fasting month.
Speaking to the assembled local congregants, His Royal Highness reminded them to increase their acts of worship as Muslims and perform good deeds, particularly in the last ten days of Ramadan.
“Perform your deeds with a sincere heart and to the best of your abilities, so that Allah SWT may reward you properly.
“May we reunite during Lailatul Qadr, wherein the faithful are promised bountiful rewards for those who perform good deeds on that sacred night,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
His Royal Highness was referring to the Islamic belief of when the Qu’ran was first sent down from Heaven to the world, which is described as having occurred on one of the last ten days of Ramadan.
The Sultan also presented RM239,000 in Hari Raya Aidilfitri donations to 478 asnaf (tithe recipients), and broke fast with local residents.
Both Sultan Sharafuddin and Tengku Amir later performed their Maghrib, Isyak, and tarawih prayers with the asnaf and congregants at the mosque.
Also in attendance at the event was the state councillor for Islamic Affairs Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, Selangor Islamic Religious Department director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad, and Sabak Bernam district officer Amri Ismail.
The 2.5 acre Masjid Al-Ma’arufiah Parit Baru is capable of supporting up to 600 congregants at one time. The decades-old mosque was first constructed in 1929.
At a cost of RM375,000, Masjid Al-Ma’arufiah Parit Baru has undergone five construction phases, beginning with the main prayer room, the kolah (ablution cistern), the minaret, the porch, and the Muslim study room.
It also included an expansion of the main prayer room and the construction of a parking lot.
