Madina Mosque, Shillong
{{Short description|Sunni mosque in Meghalaya, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Madina Mosque
| native_name =
| image = Night view of Madina Mosque Meghalaya.jpg
| image_upright = 1.0
| religious_affiliation = Sunni Islam
| status = Mosque
| functional_status = Active
| location = Laban, Shillong, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya
| country = India
| map_type = India Meghalaya
| map_size = 250
| map_relief = 1
| map_caption = Location of the mosque in Meghalaya
| architect =
| funded_by = Shillong Muslim Union
| coordinates = {{coord|25.567|91.878|region:IN-ME_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| established = {{nowrap|2008 {{small|(as a congregation)}}}}
| groundbreaking = 2011
| year_completed = 2012
| architecture_type = {{nowrap|Mosque architecture}}
| architecture_style = Islamic
| length =
| dome_quantity = {{nowrap|Five {{small|(One large, four small)}}}}
| minaret_quantity = Four
| width = {{cvt|61|ft|m|order=flip}}
| capacity = 2,000 worshippers
| height_max = {{cvt|121|ft|m|order=flip}}
| interior_area =
| materials = Brick, concrete, glass
| website =
}}
The Madina Mosque ({{langx|ar|مسجد المدينة شيلونغ}}) is a four-storey Sunni mosque in Shillong, in the state of Meghalaya, India. The mosque is the only glass mosque in India, and reputedly the first glass mosque in Asia, and making India the third country to have a mosque built of glass.{{cite news |author=Gupta, Saibal |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/features/first-glass-mosque-country-2373319 |title=First glass mosque in the country |work=Deccan Herald |date=19 November 2018 |access-date=15 January 2025 }} It is one of the largest mosques in Northeast India, and the biggest in Meghalaya, accommodating more than 2,000 worshippers for congregational prayers. The mosque was opened on 18 October 2012 by the General Secretary of the Shillong Muslim Union Sayeedullah Nongrum and was inaugurated by Salman Khurshid, Shamim Akhtar, and Vincent Pala.
The congregation was established in 2008, with a prayer hall in the Idgah, that was open to males and female worshippers.{{cite news |url=https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/16/10/2012/country-gets-first-glass-mosque-built-mostly-by-hindus |title=Country gets first glass mosque, built mostly by Hindus |work=The Peninsula, Qatar |date=16 October 2012 |access-date=15 January 2025 }}
Architecture
Made principally of glass, the Madina Mosque consists of a large structure with several domes. The transparent glass walls are symbolic of openness and the congregation invites people of any faith to experience the presence of the God.{{cite news |author=Srivastava, Priya |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/exploring-shillongs-madina-mosque-indias-only-glass-mosque/articleshow/101130784.cms |title=Exploring Shillong’s Madina Mosque: India’s only glass mosque |work=The Times of India |date=20 June 2023 |access-date=15 January 2025 }} However, Sayeedullah Nongrum, who assisted with fundraising for the mosque's construction, stated that the mosque was made of glass due its relative low cost, compared with traditional building materials.{{cite news |url=https://htschool.hindustantimes.com/editorsdesk/knowledge-vine/the-madina-mosque-of-shillong-a-poetry-in-glass |title=The Madina Mosque of Shillong: A poetry in glass |work=Hindustan Times |date=1 February 2023 |access-date=15 January 2025 }}
The building contains a central prayer hall, several smaller prayer rooms, and courtyards. The mosque is constructed of brick and concrete, with decorative elements such as arched windows and intricate carvings. The exterior of the mosque is painted in a traditional white and green color scheme, and the central dome is adorned with gold-coloured trim. A separate prayer space is provided for female congregants. The mosque also has a large garden. The mosque is {{convert|121|ft|m|order=flip}} high and {{convert|61|ft|m|order=flip}} wide.{{cite news |url=https://arunachal24.in/madina-mosque-of-shillong-the-indias-first-glass-mosque |title=Madina Mosque of Shillong: The India’s first Glass Mosque |work=arunachal24.in |date=10 March 2016 |access-date=15 January 2025 }}
The four-story structure also contains the Meherba Orphanage, the Islamic Library & Information Centre, and the Islamic Theological Institute Markaz. The mosque and the adjoining Eidgah have the capacity to accommodate 8,000 people for an assembly or prayer.{{cite web |url=http://www.nelive.in/north-east/history/historical-mosques-north-eastern-states-india |title=The Historical mosques of North-eastern states of India |work=North East India Live |date= |access-date= }} Among those who contributed to the construction of the mosque were Christians and Hindus. The mosque is a centre for Islamic study and spirituality.{{cite news |date=16 October 2012 |title=India's first glass mosque in Shillong |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/indias-first-glass-mosque-in-shillong/article4000637.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date= }}
See also
{{stack|{{portal|India|Islam}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Mosques in India}}
Category:2008 establishments in India
Category:21st-century mosques in India
Category:Islamic architecture in India
Category:Mosque buildings with domes in India
Category:Mosque buildings with minarets in India
Category:Mosques completed in 2012
Category:Sunni mosques in India
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