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Sultan's Mosque

The Sultan's Mosque at Muskat Street, is named after the first Sultan of Singapore, Sultan Hussein Shah. A focal point of worship for muslims, its intricate design is also an attraction for tourists.

History
The first Sultan's Mosque was built around 1824 by Sultan Hussein Shah, with a $3,000 grant from the East India Company, part of the arrangement arising from signing the Treaty handing Singapore over to the Company. Part of the land was contributed by the King of Johor and Pahang, Tengku Alam Sultan Alam Shah in 1879 with a second contribution by Tunku Aleema. In 1917, the lease for the land was renewed for another 999 years.

By the early twentieth century, the Mosque was in a state of disrepair .The Trustees of the Mosque and the leading Muslim residents of Singapore raised $200,000 for the total reconstruction of the present Mosque. The construction of the mosque began in 1925 and was completed in 1928.

Description
The Mosque was designed by Denis Santry of Swan & MacLaren in Islamic Saracenic style with domes, minarets and balustrades. A special feature of the Mosque is its dome base formed out of many glass bottles. The main prayer hall can hold up to 5,000 worshippers. The annex is the latest addition designed in similar architectural style and completed in 1993.

Located in the multiracial heart of the Muslim district, the trustees of the Sultan Mosque had to constitute the range of Islamic citizens that made up the community. It includes two North Indians, two South Indians, two ethnic Malays, two Javanese, two Buginese and two Arabs even until today.

Sultan Mosque, 3 Muskat Street, Singapore 198833.
Completed: 1928 replacing the mosque built on 1825.
Architect: Denis Santry, Swan & Maclaren.
Owner: Majilis Ugama Islam Singapura.
Gazetted: 14 March 1975. 



Author
Vernon Cornelius



References
Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1996). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 266). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 915.957 EDW)

Samuel, D. S. (1991). Singapore's heritage: Through places of historical interest (p. 23). Singapore: Elixir Consultancy Service. 
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 SAM)

New centre for Malay heritage. (1999, March 13). The Straits Times.


Further Readings
Hall-Jones, J. (1979). An early surveyor in Singapore: John Turnbull Thomson in Singapore, 1841-1853 (p. 44). Singapore: National Museum.
(Call no.: RSING 526.90924 THO.H)

Lee, G. B. (2002). The religious monuments of Singapore: Faiths of our forefathers. Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: SING 726.095957 LEE)  

Liu, G. (1996). In granite and chunam: The national monuments of Singapore (pp. 107-113). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 725.94095957 LIU)

Resonance: songs of our forefathers /  photographs by Kwek Leng Joo ... [et al.] ; text by G. Uma Devi. (2009). (pp. 68-75). Singapore: Preservation of Monuments Board.                                                                                                                                                                                                (Call no.: RSING 725.94095957 RES)

Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Then and now (p. 78). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TYE) 


The information in this article is valid as at 1997 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

 

Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Religious Buildings
Mosques--Singapore
Architecture, Islamic--Singapore
Historic buildings--Singapore
Arts>>Architecture>>Religious buildings

Librarian Recommendations
>> Kampong Glam
>> Sultan Hussein Shah


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