History

The mosque was built entirely by the Albukhary Foundation. The ground breaking ceremony was held on 15 January 1999 by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and construction began in March 2000. The inauguration of this mosque was officiated by KDYMM Tuanku Sultan of Kedah on 22 November 2001 equivalent to 6 Ramadhan 1422H.

Urban and Architectural

This quest enabled the architect to put together many of Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-bukhary's wishes in the mosque: it resulted in an assembly or a pastiche of various architectural styles from different islamic countries that were mixed to become a unique architectural language. The composition is a myriad blend of architecture designs established through understanding of the differing styles, their application and suitability, functions and the site context. This development approach subsequently gave the impetus and had set the direction for the architectural master-planning of the Al-bukhary International University campus which was designed by a few selected architects. It was built a few years later as part of the complex.

Located on a site neighboring a flat plain of paddy fields, the Northern town of Alor Setar experiences a much hotter and  drier climate than the rest of the country. Thus, in many local dwellings, open spaces with vegetation are a frequent sight for communal and social purposes. To adapt to the site context and climate, the Al-bukhary Mosque was designed to maintain this tradition, albeit in more modern limes and its current environment.

The main courtyard unities the outdoor spaces. Designed with the use of local green shrubs, it lends formality and is considered part of the mosque or vice versa. Surrounding the courtyard are ancillary facilities - classrooms, library, indoor ablutions and toilets and the like. A large fountain and smaller water features form the centerpiece. The courtyard, pools and soft landscape lend a cooling, relaxing and peaceful atmosphere for worshippers and visitors alike.

Arranged in a linear spatial arrangement, the mosque has a strong visual linkage from the courtyards, the corridors, loggia and galleries, created in an appropriate human scale. The strong image is accentuated with the main pointed dome with smaller half domes, among the other seven domes. Its Safavid-influenced dome was inspired by the Imam Mosque located in Isfahan, Iran. The dome is flanked with the 47.92 meter (157 feet) twin minarets of Mamluk architecture and was also influenced by the Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. To complement the modern architecture, the mosque's elevation is shaped by the use of various Moroccan-inspired horseshoe and pointed arches placed within a modern Islamic façade.

Description

Albukhary Mosque is a mosque located in Alor Setar City, Kedah Darul Aman with a distance of about 3 kilometers from the city center. The mosque was built entirely by the Albukhary Foundation. 

The mosque is administered by the Albukhary Mosque Management Committee of 13 people which consists of a combination of three parties, namely the Albukhary Foundation, the Alor Malai Parish Committee and the Mosque Officer.

References

https://masjidalbukhary.weebly.com/

https://itc.gov.my/listings/masjid-al-bukhary/

Aziz, A. A., 2016. MASJID - Selected Mosques and Musollas in Malaysia, ATSA Architects Sdn. Bhd.