LET FRESH AIR FLOW THROUGH
MY family and I travel extensively and frequently stop at mosques for prayers. Recently, we stopped in Kampong Terachi, Negri Sembilan, and prayed at the mosque, located in a valley and surrounded by padi fields.
We were there at 3pm. A worker was fixing holes in the wall. He said air-conditioners would be installed at the mosque.
That’s sad, as air-conditioning means the congregation can no longer appreciate fresh air during prayers.
Once there are air-conditioners, the masjid staff will no longer leave doors and windows open.
This makes me wonder if one of the reasons for the rise in tuberculosis cases since the mid1990s is due to poor ventilation in mosques.
In 2015, there were 24,220 cases and last year, 25,739 cases were detected.
Often, the dark and heavy curtains installed for better cooling will not be drawn open, reducing natural lighting.
It makes it necessary to turn on the lights. The effect is an increase in electricity usage that the masjid committee has to deal with every month.
In Kampung Terachi, where the air is cooler, air-conditioners are not necessary.
We visited another mosque while travelling from Melaka to Johor Baru. The forlorn-looking mosque in the remote area had air-conditioners. There were hardly any trees in sight.
Even in Janda Baik, the two mosques we visited did not have any trees or plants. Janda Baik is known for its greenery as the land is fertile.
In the Quran, many verses state about plants, trees and bountiful harvests. Trees play an important role in cooling our surroundings besides providing oxygen, improving beauty, trapping dust and reducing floods.
I had a chance to pray at Masjid Sultan Abdul Samad in Sepang.
It is a beautiful mosque with trees planted at the courtyard in the centre of the mosque.
In the ablution area, indoor plants were placed, boosting the beauty of the place.
Here are suggestions to green mosques:
DURING the planning and development
LAY
For Muslims, greening mosques should be the way forward, as green is not just a concept but a lifestyle we need to incorporate in our daily practice to be better followers of Islam.