San Fernando Jama Masjid

Maulana Hassan was a member of the sole existing jamaat in San Fernando. When conflict arose he decided to leave and start another jamaat. He got together with Brothers Asgarali Syne, Sheikh Bahadur Ali, Osman Ghanny and Hafiz Yacoob Ali and they decided to pursue the matter. They raised over fourteen hundred dollars and from it purchased the parcel of land on which it now stands for one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00). The parcel of land measured fifty feet by one hundred feet.

In 1913 they started in earnest for the erection of our Masjid and laid its foundation, progressing steadily. When the structure was subsequently completed, need was seen for another entrance. There had only been one at that time. More land was needed. Hafiz Yacoob Ali who owned the adjacent land southwards, donated a piece of it, and it was on this land a second entrance was built.

Around 1917, the building was finally completed and namaz performed in it. It was a two storey structure of reinforced concrete.

The original architecture was rectangular in shape with a semi circular portion protruding from the front. There was a main dome in the centre of the roof and a minaret on each of its four corners. Ornamental concrete work was done on both the inside and outside of the building which was always painted white with green bordering. On the front section of the outside were inlaid small sections of coloured glass which formed a picturesque outline. Both inside and outside was visually quite pleasing and the workmanship was quite good.

Shortly after, there developed in the foundation on the northern side of the building, a problematic fault which was soon solved through the engineering skills of Haji Asgarali Syne. Since then we have had one other problem with the building. The roof has a slight leak which wets the carpet in a small area on the main floor, whenever it rains heavily. That area is located, between the third and fourth, of the eight columns, in the Masjid. Several attempts have been made to stop this leak which still persists and has proven to be quite evasive.

Several years later there was found a need to extend the Masjid westwards. This was subsequently done in 1940, with Brother S.M. Jaleel, now deceased, standing the expenses. Following this was a bit of modifying and beautifying work undertaken in the Masjid, at the Jamaat's expense.

(History compiled by Bro. Zam Khan and taken from the San Fernando Jama Masjid's 70th anniversary commemorative brochure)

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