February 2012.indd - World Memon Organization Pakistan Chapter

(Grand Mosque) of Mauritius and thesymbol of “the faith, zeal and selflessnessof those early pioneers of Islam, adequatelyversed in religion and high minded enoughto think that no community could live withoutreligion and no man without prayer.”The steady increase in the Muslim populationin Port-Louis soon made it evident thatthe Mosquée-des-Arabes was too small tosatisfy the growing congregation.However, the need for a bigger Mosquecould not be satisfied easily and sooner.More space meant more land had to beacquired. And for the next twenty years(1857–1877), that would be the main concernof the Managing Body of the Mosque.During that period, the properties aroundthe Mosquée-des-Arabes that formed thequadrangle of about three-quarter acre weresuccessively acquired by groups of generousMuslim traders in seven different lots forthe total sum of Rs134, 260.00 and donatedto the Mosque. In fact, in all but one of thedeeds of purchase it was mentioned thatthe purchases were made on behalf of thewhole Muslim community of Mauritius. Soit came to pass that the entire block aroundthe Mosquée-des-Arabes – bounded byRoyal, New Little Mountain (now JosepRivière), Queen and Little Mountain (nowJummah Mosque) Streets, came under theownership of the Muslim community. Soonplans for the expansion of the Mosque weredrawn and work on the project began.The extension work on the Mosquée-des-Arabes began in 1878. The plan called forthe blending of the original structure intothe larger one to accommodate the growingMuslim congregation. The work called forparticular skills and dexterity, notably in themoulding and plastering of the sculpturalwork with ornamentation—skills that couldnot be handled by local workers. Specializedworkers were brought from India for the jobas were the necessary building materials,namely: stones, lime and wood. Transportationposed no problem as several membersof the Managing Body of the Mosque,MEMON ALAM FEBRUARY 2012 39