The Masjid-e-Abrar is proving to be a boon for the old and retired Muslim populace of Anantapur town.
Speaking to The Hindu , an active member of the Masjid-e-Abrar welfare committee, Zakria Baig said that the mosque serves over 1,000 Muslims in the areas surrounding the H.L.C Colony, covering more than 200 Muslim households.
When we set out with an endeavour to build a mosque in 2009, the nearest mosque for us was more than 2 km away, making it a hard trip for old people, said Qutbuddin, the president of the Masjid-e-Abrar welfare society
“The entire project has been built on donations. While the land was leased out by the Irrigation Department; over Rs. 10 lakh in cash was collected as donation and spent on the building,” Mr. Qutbuddin said.
The Masjid-e-Abrar is the only mosque in Anantapur town which is completely air-conditioned to facilitate a pleasant atmosphere for old and retired people.
“The idea was not only to provide a peaceful atmosphere but also to create a comfortable prayer place. So we also provided cushioning over the carpet on the floor especially to counter the pressure on the knees for senior citizens,” said Mr. Baig.
On the other hand, the Masjid-e-Abrar is also going in for an expansion to provide additional space for prayers besides space for holding meetings amongst visitors for greater cohesiveness among Muslims.
