Masjid Chakrabongse Tersembunyi Dibalik Gemerlap Khao San Road

Source: Republika TV
http://www.republika.co.id/embed/video/150409090047.mp4/150409090047.jpg/

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANGKOK — Jalan Khao san, merupakan sebuah jalan kecil yang terletak di pusat kota Bangkok. Kawasan ini dikenal sebagai pusatnya backpaker dari seluruh dunia dan tidak pernah sepi untuk dikunjungi.

Penginapan murah, tempat makan, sampai bar ditawarkan di sini. Jalan Khao San akan semakin hidup pada malam hari. Musik gegap gempita terdengar dari sejumlah bar-bar. Semakin malam, para turis akan berkumpul dam berjoged di sepanjang jalan. Pemandangan yang sangat lumrah di Jalan Khao San.

Namun dibalik gemerlapnya kawasan ini, sebuah Masjid berdiri kokoh, tersembunyi diantara bar dan hotel yang menjamur di jalan Khao San. Masjid bernama Chakrabongse ini berada di gang Trok Surao. Dari mulut gang akan terlihat papan kecil yang dipasang sedikit rendah, untuk sekadar memberikan tanda.

Bazar di Islamic Center Bangkok, Ramadhan 1435 H (2014)

Dimana dan kapan kita bisa merasakan suasana Islami yang begitu hidup di kota Bangkok? Jawabnya: di Islamic Center Bangkok di bulan Ramadhan. Tiap tahun di bulan Ramadhan, Islamic Center mengadakan bazar di lingkungan halaman masjid IC yang sangat luas ini. Berbagai jenis makanan halal penuh selera disajikan di sana. Tak ketinggalan juga busana muslim dijual, pentas seni Islami ditampilkan, dan beragam acara diadakan. Bagi mukimin Indonesia, bazar Ramadhan IC adalah oase tahunan yang mesti dikunjungi. Bagi turis muslim yang sedang berkunjung ke Bangkok, ini saatnya merasakan suasana Islam di negara yang berpopulasi mayoritas Budha ini dan saatnya merasakan juga bagaimana berinteraksi dengan muslimin Thailand.

Bazar pada Ramadhan tahun ini (2014) buka setiap hari mulai ba’da dhuhur (sekitar jam 13.00) hingga jam 23.00. Bazar akan berlangsung hingga hari Minggu, 13 Juli 2014. Jadi, ayo datang dan rasakan sensasi ukhuwahnya… 🙂

Berikut beberapa foto suasana bazar di Islamic Center Bangkok kontribusi mukimin Indonesia di Bangkok, Ustadz Hari Primadi.

 

 

 

MUSLIM BANGKOK DI TENGAH MAYORITAS THAI-BUDDHIST (bagian 2)

Keagamaan dan Konflik Identitas

Hidup sebagai minoritas di tengah mayoritas Thai Buddhist bukan sama sekali tanpa persoalan. Kendati berpenampilan fisik sama, berbahasa sama, lahir pun di negeri Thai, namun perbedaan agama sedikit banyak mengundang masalah. Masalah terbesar bukanlah dengan warga Thai non-muslim di Bangkok, karena mereka tergolong toleran dan tidak bersikap diskriminatif terhadap warga Muslim. Perbedaan cara hidup, kebiasaan, dan sistem nilai yang berakar dari perbedaan agama adalah masalah yang lebih serius.

“Masyarakat Thai nonmuslim relatif memperlakukan warga Muslim dengan baik. Kami tidak menemukan kesulitan untuk hidup sebagai Muslim di Bangkok. Hanya saja pengetahuan mereka tentang Islam sangat minim. Mereka hanya memahami Islam sebatas melarang makan daging babi,” ujar Ibnu Abdul Razak, Muslim Bangkok yang berdiam di Soi 7 Thanon Petachburi.

Masjid Haroon: ternyata dibangun pedagang asal Pontianak

Sudah lama saya ingin menulis tentang masijd Haroon yang berlokasi di bantaran sungai Chao Phraya. Lokasinya dekat dengan kantor Bea Cukai tua yang kini sudah tidak dipakai sebagai Customs House lagi. Masjid unik ini juga dekat dengan kedutaan besar Prancis Bangkok di bilangan Charoen Krung, Bang Rak. Fakta bahwa pendiri masjid ini adalah orang Indonesia dan khutbah Jum’at dilakukan dalam dua bahasa membuat posting ini – bagi saya – mendapat tempat istimewa dalam blog ini.

Musholla/prayer room and possibly safe food for Muslim at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) – Bangkok

Queen Sirikit National Convention Center is Thailand’s premier venue for international meetings, conferences and exhibitions, renowned for its hospitality, service excellence and the quality of its facilities. There are regular exhibitions of computers, tourism, furnitures, books, sports, and many other things taking turn every few months. This place is easily accessed by MRT (stop at Queen Sirikit National Conventional Center Station). For muslims, praying is not an issue here as there is a muslim prayer room available. For food, there is an issue as there is no clearly halal food vendor available. But one can be an alternative at the food court, somehow, in an emergency situation. Check the pictures below.

Ifthar/Breaking the Fasting at Masjid Darul Aman – Petchaburi Soi 7

Ramadhan is vibrant even here in this Buddhist country. Evidence? Let’s visit Masjid Darul Aman on Petchburi road, soi (alley) 7. Every late afternoon, about 200 Muslims sit down on mats circling various traditional snacks, fruits, drinks provided by the masjid management for muslims to break their fasting. Just yesterday, we got dates, mataba, sliced melon, sweet traditional cocktail, and a kind of traditional cake that I don’t know the name. It was nice moment to have ifthar with fellow multinational muslims. Multinational? Yes, I assumed some were from Turkey, Sudan, Indonesia (off course), Burma, Bangladesh, etc.

Chiangrai – Masjid/Mosque and Halal Food

My local Chiangrai friend told me that the population of Chiangrai city is about 1,3 million people. I don’t know how many muslims are there. But, subhanallah, its mosque – Darul Amman – is as magnificent as Islamic Center in Bangkok. This mosque, I believe, represents a significant number of muslim living in the city whose ancestor, like muslim in Chiangmai, came from Southern China (Yunnan). The front wall of the three-stair mosque is covered with light brown natural stone in brick pattern. Beautiful! But, wait, it seems that the name is so familiar… Aha! Remember the mosque on Petchaburi soi 7 in Bangkok that we know well? That’s also Darul Aman. Alright, below are the pictures of the mosque and halal food shop close to it. The map of the mosque is available in far below. Hope this is useful for you brothers and sisters.

Doi Suthep (Chiangmai) – Surau/musholla and Halal Food

Doi Suthep is a hill west of Chiangmai City which you can’t miss if you visit the city. When I cruised the green lush hill with my rented motorbike, I accidentally found this tribal village resided by Hmong tribe. It was always interesting to know tribal things so I decided to go into the village and see what I could see there, amid my roaring stomach (it was 4 pm and got no sufficient carbohydrates after my breakfast). It turned out that it was a happy moment for me as I was blessed to find a halal food shop owned by Khun Abdullah (a.k.a Surin by his neighbours) and a descent musholla there in this remote village at the west valley of Doi Suthep (known as Doi Pui). Followings are the pictures. 

Chiangmai – Masjid/Mosque and Halal Food

I’ve ever reached Chiangmai by bus and train and none of the stations have honglamard (musholla). But if you visit this city and give yourself a good mobility by renting a motorbike, masjid and halal food are not issues at all. They are not in the old city (the square one surrounded by canal), but not so far from city crowd. As far as my limited time has taught me, there is a big mosque called Masjid Hidayatul Islam Banhaw (I sense a Chinese nuance in the last word).

Suvarnabhumi – Musholla and Halal Restaurant in Departure Hall

If you are leaving Bangkok via Suvarnabhum airport and have passed the immigration check but you haven’t done the sholat, then you can do that in the surau/musholla located near concourse E. The musholla is at 3rd floor so you have to go one floor down. Hungry? There is a halal restaurant close to concourse F, at 4th floor, not far from the musholla. But remember, I’m not responsible for the food’s price tag 🙂 Here are some pictures of the musholla and the halal restaurant. Hope you can locate both facilities easily from the pictures I post below.

For the musholla before the immigration check (outside the concourse), please see here and here.