The enchanting beauty of the mosque in An Giang-Travel

Lying by the Hau River, hidden in Cham villages, the mosques in An Giang still exude a majestic, mysterious beauty that fascinates you as soon as you arrive.

The land of An Giang is a place where people have lived in harmony for generations, including the Cham people who follow Islam. Over many generations, the Cham people still retain their national identity and unique cultural space through a concentrated lifestyle in villages.

Visitors from far away to An Giang, walking on the road of any Cham village will easily encounter images of men wearing sarongs, women wearing Mat’ra scarves, etc. Especially the beautiful scenery of saints. Islam that feels like you are lost in the distant Middle East.

Masjid Jamiul Azhar

Referring to the famous mosques in An Giang, Masjid Jamiul Azhar (Chau Phong commune, Tan Chau town) cannot be ignored. This is one of the largest mosques in An Giang and is known as the most beautiful mosque in Vietnam. Built in 1959, the cathedral underwent many restorations and was the largest expansion in 2012. Officially completed and inaugurated on August 3, 2014.

Masjid Jamiul Azhar takes pure white as the main color combined with beautiful turquoise. The elegant, elegant appearance and delicate decoration of the cathedral are not only a religious destination for locals but also a place to attract tourists from all over the world.

Panoramic view of Masjid Jamiul Azhar

When entering the church gate, right on either side of the path you will see a small cemetery with rows of simple stele. This cemetery has been around for a long time, according to local people, this is the burial place of many Muslims all over Vietnam.

The entrance of the sanctuary.

Cemetery outside the cathedral

Next to the entrance to the inside of the cathedral, you will admire the symbol of a crescent moon and a star. According to the concept of Islam, the crescent moon represents the Islamic lunar calendar (also known as the Islamic calendar), the star symbol represents sincerity and sincerity according to Allah – the Almighty, the highest and only God. Best.

Visiting Masjid Jamiul Azhar, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the custom of praying at the mosques of Muslim believers, the daily life of the Cham people. Because it is a sanctuary for ceremonies, the space at the sanctuary is always clean. Before going inside, you have to leave your shoes outside, clean your hands, feet, and face with the sink right outside the lobby.

Prepare before the ceremony

The sanctity in the sanctuary

Middle-aged man preparing for ceremony

There are religious classes in the back of the church

Mubarak Cathedral

Along the banks of the Hau River, there are many churches, in An Giang, in addition to Masjid Jamiul Azhar, visitors have the opportunity to visit Mubarak mosque (Phu Hiep commune, Tan Phu district).

Characterized by the architecture of a mosque, Mubarak always exudes a mysterious, sophisticated and magnificent beauty. From a distance, Mubarak looks like ancient temples of Persia and India. From the outside of the main gate are arcs, followed by a large courtyard, the cathedral inside. Above are 2 towers, oval roof and crescent moon and star symbols. The arches have pointed arcs at the top.

Architecture inside Mubarak . mosque

With a unique architecture, imbued with religious and cultural identity of the Muslim Cham people, on December 5, 1989, Mubarak Cathedral was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national architectural and artistic relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information. .

Every year, at Mubarak Cathedral, many festival activities, cultural activities of the Cham people take place. Notable activities can be mentioned such as: Maulid ceremony to celebrate the birth of the patriarch Nabi Muhammad, Roja Haji, Cham New Year, Ramadan…

The Muslim ceremony is quiet and dignified

The thoughtful step of the Cham old man after the ceremony.

Peaceful beauty of Cham village Da Phuoc

After visiting and admiring the ancient and mysterious beauty of the cathedrals, take a stroll through the small streets leading to the Cham village. In An Giang, there are many Cham villages such as Chau Giang village, Da Phuoc village, Chau Phong village, Khanh Binh village, Vinh Truong village… The common feature among these villages is peace. In which, the most famous customer tourism Frequently visited is the Cham village of Da Phuoc (An Phu).

Peace is always here

“Wandering to enjoy the daily life of the Cham people in Da Phuoc village, I see that they have a really peaceful lifestyle. A day they have 5 time frames for important ceremonies: dawn around 5:45, noon 12:20, afternoon 3:20, evening 6:20 and 7:30. Looking at these time frames, I feel more clearly about the care for their souls and beliefs.

In the afternoon after work, the whole family gathers together to enjoy afternoon tea, eat, and chat on the porch. Seeing that scene, suddenly I also want to have more time to be reunited with relatives and family after the last working hours of the day to feel the dear warmth”, photographer Hai Le Cao wrote the set. Photos of the church in An Giang shared.

The “mobile grocery” stalls sell a full range of essential products.

Walking along the riverside, every once in a while, you will see a stall selling Tung Lo Mo dishes.

Visiting Da Phuoc Cham village, visitors can easily see the image of indigenous people in traditional costumes. Men wear sarongs, women wear a Mat’ra scarf. Talking about the beauty of the Mat’ra scarf of the Cham people, in the song “Paranung drum sound”, musician Tran Tien once wrote the lyrics: “I love the Mat’ra scarf / Vuong on your forehead is gentle / I love the song Atidza/ I love the morning flower/ I love the morning flower/ The light on your shirt falls…”

“The living environment always determines the way of thinking and behaving. Perhaps so, in this country, from the elderly, young people to children, they all have charm, grace, and charm. I am really lucky when I first set foot in this land, but I have witnessed and opened up so many things about culture, people and spiritual mysteries. I will come back here many more times to see, find and understand or simply find a peaceful place deep in my soul”, photographer Le Cao Hai, who made the series, To share.