Unique features of the mosque in Tan Chau, An Giang

Hidden among the Cham houses, the Masjid Nia'mah mosque in Tan Chau, An Giang stands tall, exuding majestic and mysterious beauty, captivating visitors as soon as they set foot there.

Masjid Nia'mah Mosque located in Chau Phong Cham village was built in 1930. This is not only a place for prayer but also belongs to the representative office of the An Giang Islam community, an Islamic school. Compared to other mosques in An Giang, this building is somewhat simple. The outer gate is a normal fence, but the architecture inside still retains the typical arched doors and oval towers of the mosques here.

The Masjid Nia'mah Mosque stands out in the sunny sky of An Giang with its white color, highlighted by turquoise borders, Roman columns, and curved domes. A unique but attractive blend, combined with the blue sky and white clouds, creates a beautiful, harmonious scene that everyone wants to admire.

Above is only a minaret, the pointed top symbolizes a crescent (symbol of the moon god Ay Ata) and a star (symbol of the sun god Gun Ana). When coming here, visitors not only get to see the architecture of the cathedral but also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the religious life of the Cham people in Tan Chau.

Another difference of Masjid Nia'mah is the influence of contemporary European architecture and Vietnamese housing culture. The impression from the outside of the mosque is the elegance of classical architecture and unique colors.

Tour guide Ly Thien Phong (TikToker Going with Phong) said: "Muslims say no to eating pork. Because they believe that pigs are dangerous, disease-carrying animals. They also won't eat dog meat or animals that live both in water and on land. After slaughtering an animal, Muslims will recite the Quran so that it can be liberated. That is one of the very special cultural features of Muslims."

According to Islamic rules, Cham people in Chau Phong have five prayer sessions every day, at home or in the mosque. Every Friday, they are required to be present at the mosque to pray five times. During the mosque ceremonies, the young people in the village are always carefully taught Cham religious laws and the ethnic writing and language. During the day, children learn culture, and at night they learn the ethnic language. Cham villagers highly respect the mosque area because this is where important rituals take place. Every year, Cham people fast during the month of Ramadan.

On the roads through that small village, you can easily see the local residents wearing traditional costumes in their daily activities, men wearing sarongs, women wearing abaja and hijab... all are unique cultural features of the Cham people, a place that preserves traditions from ancient times until now.

Nowadays, the traditional cultural features of the Cham people here are still preserved such as: maintaining the traditional brocade weaving profession and the custom of living in stilt houses. The people here follow the Islamic faith with very unique customs and cultures. In addition, when coming to Cham Chau Phong village, visitors cannot miss the grilled palm-leaf cake and ha nam can cake made from rice flour and young coconut with a sweet taste and a unique way of preparation.

Ms. Rofiah - one of the famous artisans in Chau Phong village said: "Cham sponge cake is different from the sponge cake of the Khmer and Kinh people, from the way of mixing the flour, spices to the way of processing. After putting the flour in the pan, quickly cover it with a lid made of terracotta that has been heated on a charcoal stove, when the cake is cooked it will puff up and have a very unique flavor. Every day, I prepare the ingredients from 3-4am and open for sale from 6-10am. A cake costs 10,000 VND and on average I sell about 80 cakes per day."

An Giang is a land of ethnic communities, especially the Cham Muslims, who have lived in harmony for generations. Over many generations, the Cham people have maintained their ethnic identity and unique cultural space through a lifestyle concentrated in villages. Besides using Cham in daily communication, most people here are fluent in Vietnamese, many also know Khmer. Contrary to the image of a closed community, the Cham people of Hau River are very open and know how to cherish and preserve the long-standing cultural heritage of their people.

Currently, An Giang tourism attracts visitors mainly by promoting the natural beauty, people and indigenous culture. Tourists coming here to visit contribute to increasing the income of local people. The majestic Islamic mosques, the exquisite brocade weaving villages, the typical dishes of the Cham people... all bring a unique feature of An Giang, not mixed with any other place in the West.

Notes when coming to Masjid Nia'mah:

For Muslims, there are 5 times to perform the ritual in a day: before sunrise, before noon, late afternoon, evening and before going to bed. They must make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their life according to the teachings. However, for Muslims in Vietnam, due to conditions, they can make a pilgrimage to the big mosques in An Giang.

Coming to Masjid Nia'mah, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the Muslim prayer customs at the mosque, the lifestyle of the Cham people. Because it is a sacred place for worship, the space in the mosque is always clean. Before entering, you must leave your shoes outside, clean your hands, feet and face outside the lobby.

The Cham people consider the mosque as a sacred area and therefore pay close attention to dress. When entering the mosque, visitors should wear appropriate clothing, pants or skirts that are longer than the knee or ankle.

In addition, some unique customs of the Cham people in An Giang can be mentioned as: men will perform ceremonies in churches and small churches, they are required to purify themselves before performing the ceremony by washing their hands, face, and feet. Women will perform the ceremony at home. Muslim weddings are also very splendid and different...

Phuong Thao is the Editor of Travellive Magazine. She is passionate about traveling and loves to capture moments with her camera in every land she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are her favorite writing topics.

Article and photos: Phuong Thao