Taipei Grand Mosque
Taipei Grand Mosque
- The Taipei Grand Mosque is Taiwan’s largest and oldest Musjid, located in the Da’an District of Taipei City. It stands as the most significant Islamic structure in the country.
- Following Taiwan’s transition from Japanese to Chinese control in 1945, the Chinese Muslim Association (CMA) in Nanking appointed Chang Zichun, Wang Jingzhai, and Zheng Houren to establish the CMA branch in Taiwan on December 23, 1947. With the influx of Chinese Muslims to Taiwan, there was a need for a place of worship, leading to the conversion of a Japanese-style house at No. 2, Lane 17, Lishui Street, Da’an District into a 992 m2 prayer area. This land was donated by Chang Tze-chun and Cheng Hou-ren. The Musjid opened in August 1948, but as the number of Chinese Muslims grew with the KMT government’s relocation, it became insufficient, necessitating the search for a larger location. The original site now houses an apartment building.
- In the late 1950s, following the end of the Chinese Civil War and the Nationalist Government’s move to Taiwan, CMA Director-General Bai Chongxi and ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeh proposed constructing a larger Islamic-style Musjid, designed by renowned architect Yang Cho-cheng. Under the leadership of Bai Chongxi, Shi Zizhou, and board chairman Chang Zixuan, the Musjid was built by the Continental Engineering Corporation on a 2,747 m2 land donated by the government at Xinsheng South Street. ROC Vice President Chen Cheng led the inauguration ceremony on April 13, 1960.
- The construction cost was covered by the CMA with $150,000 from the Shah of Iran and King of Jordan, a $100,000 loan from the Kuomintang government, and a loan from the Bank of Taiwan. By the time the ROC government decided to exempt the remaining loan repayment, the congregation had already repaid half of it.
- The Musjid maintains strong ties with Saudi Arabia, which continues to provide financial support. Saudi Imams visit to preach during Ramadan. In 1971, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia visited the Musjid. Other notable visitors include King Hussein of Jordan and Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, along with many other prominent Muslim leaders.
- In 1999, the Musjid faced demolition due to a land dispute with a cement company claiming ownership of the land. The company attempted to dismantle the Musjid to reclaim the land. However, with the intervention of concerned legislators and the Taipei City Government under Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, the Musjid was designated a historic building on June 29, 1999, preserving its cultural significance. Despite this, the board of directors continued to address the land dispute.