For most of us, going to the mosque does not pose any forms of difficulties that might hinder us from performing our worship at the house of Allah S.W.T.
But for a group of villagers living in a rural Cambodian village, going to the mosque to perform worship is not an easy task.
Previously, the lack of a mosque posed difficulties for residents in Chamka Chen Village, Ang Snoul District, Kandal Province, Cambodia. Kandal province is the second most populous province in Cambodia after the capital, Phnom Penh.
According to CamboJa, the poverty rate in rural areas is 22.8% in Cambodia.
As the Chamka Chen Village tends to be more isolated and poverty-stricken, they often lack the resources to build and maintain a mosque. This prevents the Muslim community in this village from being able to gather for their daily prayers.
Furthermore without a mosque, the Muslim community has fewer opportunities to come together and build a sense of community because there is no central place for them to congregate and interact with one another. The lack of a mosque also contributes to a lack of Islamic knowledge in the area, as there is no place for people to learn about the teachings of Islam.
“Whoever builds a mosque for Allah S.W.T., Allah S.W.T. will build for him a house like it in Paradise,”
The Prophet (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Shukur, a representative for the people in the village, reported that they had long relied on the cowshed as a gathering place for their prayers. But on Fridays, they had to make a journey of nearly 20 kilometers to reach the nearest mosque for their Jumaah prayers. It was a difficult journey that took up precious time, resources and energy.
However all of this changed when Global Ehsan Relief Cambodia constructed a mosque in this village.
This was a tremendous relief for villagers since they could now fulfill their religious obligations without having to make a long journey.
The villagers were overjoyed when a new masjid was constructed in their community. Brother Shukur himself was in tears of joy as he could not contain his happiness. He asked Allah S.W.T. to bless and reward the donors for their generous contributions as well as grant them prosperity and mercy in this world and the Hereafter.
Take your Ramadhan to a different level by building a mosque for underprivileged Muslim communities in rural areas and give them a place to worship together.
Alternatively, you can collectively build a mosque with others in our GER Community by donating for a prayer space instead! Reap the rewards of Ramadhan through our Build a Mosque today.
