Nadi Businessman Builds Close to $1M Mosque in 18 Months

“This is a successful mission for me and my family and especially, my wife Azreena Khan who played a major role in the realisation of this mission and also my brother Irish Khan who helped in the building of this special mosque,” Mr Khan said.

It took Nadi businessman Bobby Khan one and half years to build a close to $1 million mosque. The state-of-the-art Masjid Hanifa mosque is located at Sonaisali, Nadi

In 2019 while Mr Khan was returning from his development at Sonaisali he saw a group of Muslim men making their way to a small mosque in Nadi.

“I noticed that men wearing Muslim suits were going towards a small mosque,” Mr Khan said.

“I went inside to say my prayer; my head was touching the rooftop. It was so small. “The cost of the whole structure could have been around $1000 to $1500.”

After the prayers that day Mr Khan asked the men as who had built the small mosque.

The men told him that the land was donated to them 25 years ago.

“They have not been able to build due to finance problem,” Mr Khan said.

In those 25 years these people have been trying to build a mosque in their area. They were able to collect $2500 and that what enough to build a small mosque. “During that conversation something came to me is what if I pledge and ask them if I build a big nice mosque for them. “They said they were praying for someone like me to come and assist in building a mosque for them.

“I said I will do it. It took me about a year and half and today it is all done; and now it’s open to everyone and we welcome everyone to drop by.

“This is a successful mission for me and my family and especially, my wife Azreena Khan who played a major role in the realisation of this mission and also my brother Irish Khan who helped in the building of this special mosque,” Mr Khan said. A special feature of the mosque is that it one of the few in Fiji to also include a prayer room for women.

The women’s prayer room can accommodate 50 ladies while the main mosque can accommodate 200 worshippers.

Photo: Charles Chambers. From left, Minister for Agriculture Mahendra Reddy, Minister for Tourism Faiyaz Koya, Minister for Education, Heritage ands Arts Rosy Akbar, Nadi businessman Bobby Khan and his wife Azreena Khan at the opening of Masjid Hanifa mosque on Apri 10, 2021.

Newly opened Masjid Hanifa mosque at Sonaisali, Nadi.