Hukuru Miskiiy

Hukuru Miskiiy is one of the principal tourist destinations in Maldives. This tourist draw attracts both domestic and international travelers to the city of Male every year.

Hukuru Miskiiy is the oldest mosque in the country. The creator of this historic mosque was Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I. This old Friday mosque is known for its fine wooden sculptures and skilled lacquer work.

Hukuru Miskiiy mosque was built in 1656. The mosque was constructed with coral stones. The inner and outer walls of the mosque are attractively engraved with Arabic scripts along with other decorative drawings. Different types of timber have been used to manufacture the window frames, doors, and the ceiling of the mosque. When you come to this mosque, you will see different prehistoric gravestones.

Maldives is a traveler’s paradise. Aside from diving, swimming, dolphin watching, snorkeling, surfing, deep sea fishing, and island hopping, you must also have a look at the history of the country. To catch the spirit and charm of Maldives, a glance at the history of Maldives will let you understand the country better. During the initial stages, Buddhism was assumed as a religion, however with the course of time and till these days, Islam is the official religion of the people of Maldives.

Important features of Hukuru Miskiiy Mosque

Hukuru Miskiiy is the oldest mosque in the country. It is situated in the capital city of Male. Built with stone, this picturesque mosque is an unusual and excellent display. Constructed in 1656 under the rule of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I, the coral is mixed with various forms of wood for its window frames and doors. Redwood, sandalwood, and teak doors and windows along with elaborate Arabic scripts and designs form the outside of the mosque. The interiors of the mosque have more delicate designs and you can see uncommon carvings.

For Muslims, Friday is the one of the most significant days. At the present time, devotees still come to Hukuru Miskiiy to offer prayers. Regarded as a national treasure, Sultans and other celebrated individuals from the history of the Maldives have been entombed in the site of the mosque.

Discovering a coral bed has never been easy. Tourist attractions like the Hukuru Miskiiy mosque make the Maldives one of the most favorite tourist destinations in Asia.

The residents of Maldives know Old Friday mosque as the earliest mosque to be constructed in Maldives after the introduction of Islam in the middle of the 12th century. Maldivians call the Old Friday Mosque as Hukuru Miskiiy, spelt (Hu-ku-ru mis-kie) in the Dhivehi language.

The importance of the ‘Friday’ in its name indicates the significance of that day of the week. On this day, all males head towards the principal spiritual assembly of the week, at noon. During this religious congregation, they receive spiritual guidance from the Imam of the mosque. Previously, this mosque was the only mosque where people offered prayers on Friday.

This beautiful mosque is nearly 900 years old. It is situated in the heart of Male’ (the capital of Maldives). Other tourist attractions closely located to the mosque include the following:

• Mulee-Aage (erstwhile Presidential Palace)
• The tomb of Abu al Barkaath Yusuf (He was the person who introduced Islam in Maldives).

Some important facts about Hukuru Miskiiy

In 1665, the mosque was renovated during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I because it underwent a number of damages. The window frames, roof, and doors are manufactured with various varieties of wood such as red sandalwood, teakwood, and redwood. You will find plenty of magnificent coral sculptures and skilled glossy adornments inside the mosque. The latter is largely visible in the domes, constructed as portion of the roof. Nevertheless, the roof replaced galvanized thin steel plates or waterproof sheet for the conventional substance.

Nearly all constructions, both (internal and external) except the tower of the mosque are constructed with coral stones and sculpted with Arabic scripts and designs. They are so superbly detailed that they offer not the least feeling that those stones essentially originate from coral.

Every delicate sculpture, each particular feature was created wholly from manual work (hand made sculptures) because construction equipment was unknown to the common people of the country during that period.

Different from majority of all other mosques, this mosque has no minaret or tower that elevates high into the sky. This aspect with low attics and gently sloped ceiling looks like conventional Japanese design. This may be a fundamental technique in the type of weather where heavy rains and monsoon or typhoon attacks are quite common.

The premises of the mosque also are home to many prehistoric gravestones with vaults and headstones in a semicircular shape. The former is meant for men and the latter is meant for women. These were built to pay homage to the sultans, brave men, and dignified people.

At present, the old Friday mosque is one of the favorite tourist attractions in Maldives. The mosque that appreciably displays Maldivian structural design, significantly draws every visitor’s attention who moves past it.