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By Mihar Dias April 2025
It’s official. A Committee Member of a Kuala Lumpur mosque works so hard that even his car needs a break — in the form of a reserved, coned-off parking lot, preferably empty, just in case his aura happens to drive by.
Ramadhan is supposed to be a time of humility, reflection, and service. But at one mosque I visited, I discovered a curious phenomenon: committee members have miraculously reinvented themselves as minor royalty. Forget zakat and humility; the real currency here is parking and privilege.
I arrived just before Isha, found a blessedly empty parking spot — only to be greeted by a RELA guard whispering reverently, “Tuan, ini untuk AJK kita. Dia kerja kuat.”
No signage, just a plastic cone and a gospel of committee entitlement. I obliged, parked far away, and got picked up by a buggy — thoughtfully paid for by the mosque — ferrying the “lesser” congregation.
And of course, that night the AJK was a no-show. Presumably, even angels need rest.
But this wasn’t an isolated incident. No, no. The entitlement extended to iftar tables, prayer mats, even special walkways for officials who arrive late but must, by tradition, be escorted like dignitaries across the heads and shoulders of the congregation to their “reserved” front-row seats. The rest of us? We get to admire their backs.
Some tables during iftar were reserved with militaristic precision — not for the elderly or the hungry, but for the “committee and locals.”
“Foreigners,” I was told, might otherwise occupy them. And when those locals didn't show up? The food went untouched or packed away. Because what’s Ramadhan without a little waste, right?
Then came the pièce de résistance: the prayer mat reservation culture. One mat, in particular, was sacred — permanently claimed by a woman now affectionately known among regulars as the “FLOM” — First Lady of the Mosque. It’s understood: her mat is hers, even in her absence. Makkah has the Kaabah, our mosque has the Mat.
Where, I wonder, did we go so wrong?
Perhaps a reminder is in order. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), peace be upon him, famously said, “The leader of a people is their servant” (Abu Dawood). Not their parking valet. Not the front-row usher. Not the gatekeeper of canteen tables.
The Qur’an reminds us: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression” (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:2). Unless, of course, the aggression is over who gets sambal first.
The tragedy is not just the arrogance — it’s the missed opportunity. Mosques should be sanctuaries of warmth and hospitality, not stages for power play and ego strokes. A committee member is meant to serve the congregation, not be served by it. Instead of being guided past the seated congregation like VVIPs at a stadium, perhaps they could arrive early, roll up their sleeves, and greet the elderly at the door.
Imagine that. A mosque committee that smiles first, eats last, and prays in the back row if they arrive late. Revolutionary, I know.
The truth is, voluntary organisations — mosques included — function best when the service is directed outward. If you’re joining a mosque committee to be revered, idolised, or granted parking privileges, perhaps a palace would be more suitable.
There’s no clause in any kitab or manual — Islamic or secular — that says your ego deserves a prayer mat of its own.
So to all current and aspiring “FLOMs” and “AJK-in-Waiting,” a humble reminder: the faithful don’t show up to worship you.
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