Masjid Malabar

Masjid Malabar or Malabar Muslim Jama-Ath Mosque (Malay: Masjid Malabar, Arabic: مسجد مالابار), also known as Golden Dome Mosque;[2] is Singapore's only Malabar Muslim mosque.[3] The mosque is located at the junction of Victoria Street[4] and Jalan Sultan in the Kampong Glam district, in the Rochor Planning Area within the Central Area.[5][6] The mosque is built on the Sultan Mosque style with traditional blue and white lapis lazuli tile facade.[5][7] The mosque was nicknamed as little cousin of the Sultan Mosque, because of similar golden domes.[5]

مسجد مالابار
Malabar Mosque
Masjid Malabar
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Branch/traditionSunni
OwnershipMalabar Muslim community
Location
Location471 Victoria St
Singapore 198370
Masjid Malabar is located in Singapore
Masjid Malabar
Location in Singapore
Geographic coordinates1°18′20″N 103°51′35″E
Architecture
Architect(s)A. H. Siddique
TypeMosque
StyleTraditional architecture
Groundbreaking10 April 1956 (1956-04-10)
Completed24 January 1963
Specifications
Dome(s)1
Minaret(s)2[1]
Website
mmj.org.sg
The octagonal tower and onion dome of the Mosque
The frontal façade of the Mosque

History

Before the building of the mosque, there was a burial ground near the site which was used until World War II. The Indian Muslims built a mosque known as the Tittacheri Muslim Cemetery and Mosque but it fell into disrepair and was abandoned until around 1929.[8][9] The Mosque was then taken over by the Malabar Muslim Jama'ath.[10][7] The Jama'ath's first office was located in a shophouse on Changi Road, shifted to Bussorah Street later and finally settled on Victoria Street.[2]

A fundraising campaign launched to finance the re-construction of the mosque attracted the generous amounts of donations from the Muslim as well as nonmuslim public. Malabar Mosque was declared open by Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof bin Ishak on 24 January 1963.[2] The Mosque has a capacity of 1,000 people.[6][1][11]

As part of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore's (Muis) Mosque Upgrading Programme, in 2018, the mosque revealed a proposed plan to construct a three-storey annex which might result in the exhumation of around 10-15 unidentified graves and affect another 15 unidentified graves in the neighbouring cemetery.[12][13] The proposed annex would house a female prayer space, a heritage gallery and classrooms.[12] The S$ 5.87 million upgrading project which encompassed the proposed annex, and conservation and repairs to the original building began on 1 September 2020.[14] The project is funded by the public, and estimated to be completed in 2022.[14] The mosque would also be closed for three months from 1 September 2020 to facilitate the upgrading works.[14]

Architecture

Malabar Mosque has been built upon the conventional Islamic architectural style.[15] A.H Sidique, an immigrant from India who also designed Sri Guru Nanak Sat Sangh Sabha gurdwara on Wilkinson Road, designed the Malabar Mosque.[2]

The mosque is built upon a traditional architectural style; adorned with a big, central golden onion dome with a crescent and a star on the center top; and a big minaret shaped like an octagonal tower capped with a smaller dome with a crescent and a star on the right of the big dome. On the left of the big dome there is another smaller dome with a crescent and a star.[16]

The ground floor courts the Koran study area, the imam's room, and a visitors' lounge. A separate double-story annex houses offices and the ablution area. The main prayer hall is situated on the first floor. It faces the direction of Mecca and is surrounded by spacious verandas on its three sides. The staircase leading to the first level is also oriented towards Mecca.[17] Mosque is a unique religious architecture in Singapore.[7]

To the rear, there is a now small, partly disused cemetery known as Tittacheri Muslim Cemetery which comprises a small part of the main Jalan Kubor Cemetery.[9] Jalan Kubor has 4,752 graves, with prominent local leaders such as late local Justice of Peace Haji Ambok Sooloh Haji Omar[18] and Kunji Koya Tangal buried there.[13] Conservation works to the two mentioned leader's graves began alongside the upgrading works that begin in 2020.[14]

Transportation

The mosque is accessible from Lavender MRT station.[6]

See also

References
  1. "About Us". mmj.org.sg. Official Website. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  2. "Malabar Mosque". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Singapur Infopedia. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  3. Dominique Grêlé; Lydie Raimbault (2007). Discover Singapore on Foot. Select Publishing. p. 183. ISBN 978-981-4022-33-0. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  4. Tai Wei Lim (6 September 2017). Cultural Heritage and Peripheral Spaces in Singapore. Springer. pp. 263–. ISBN 978-981-10-4747-3. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  5. Rough Guides (1 July 2015). The Rough Guide to Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei. Apa Publications. pp. 703–. ISBN 978-0-241-23808-0. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  6. "Mosque Directory". www.muis.gov.sg. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  7. "Malabar Mosque (Malabar Muslim Jama-Ath Mosque)". Ghetto Singapore. 1 March 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  8. "Jalan Kubor Cemetery | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  9. "Jalan Kubor Cemetery Singapur Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Singapore Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  10. Wan Meng Hao (15 April 2011). Heritage Places of Singapore. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd. pp. 190–. ISBN 978-981-4312-95-0. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  11. Singapore, Social Studies (12 March 2008). "History Controversy in the News: Malabar Mosque - Singapore". History Controversy in the News.
  12. Zaccheus, Melody (23 February 2018). "Proposed extension at Malabar Mosque could affect unidentified graves in Jalan Kubor - Singapore's oldest Muslim graveyard". The Straits Times. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  13. "Singapore's oldest Muslim cemetery may shrink". The Straits Times. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  14. Yusoff, Syawal (31 August 2020). "Projek naik taraf Masjid Malabar bernilai S$5.87 juta bermula 1 Sep 2020 - BERITA MediaCorp". BERITA Mediacorp – Berita Terkini, Melayu, Muslim, Islam, Singapura, Dunia. (in Malay). Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  15. "Malabar Muslim Jama'ath Mosque Singapore | Masjid Malabar | Holidify". www.holidify.com. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  16. Norman Edwards; Peter Keys (1988). Singapore: A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places. Times Books International. p. 265. ISBN 978-9971-65-231-9. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  17. Uma, D. G.; et al. (2002). Singapore's 100 Historical Places. National Heritage Board. p. 35. ISBN 9789814068239. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  18. "Haji Ambo Sooloh | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
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