Sultan Mosque in Singapore - Where You Understand Islam Better

On this page: [Interesting Facts] [Tips for Visitors] [Sultan Mosque Photo Tour]

Sultan Mosque in Singapore - as seen from Bussorah Street.

What do you get when a building in Singapore is

designed by an Irish architect working for a British firm,
built in a ethnic quarter marked out by an Englishman,
surrounded by roads with Omani and Afghan names, and
initially funded by Malays, Bugis, Javanese, Indians and Arabs?

Well, the Sultan Mosque, of course...

The architect: Denis Santry
The firm: Swan & MacLaren
The Englishman: Sir Stamford Raffles
The Roads: Muscat St, Kandahar St

These trivia aside, the Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam is a great place to understand Islam in the correct light. I'm not a Muslim, so I'll leave it to the Muslim authorities to enlighten you on Islam.

But, here are a few findings I've made that might interest you (as a visitor)...

Interesting Facts about Sultan Mosque

The mosque's main building is orientated at an angle to the grid of roads in the area. Why? So that when a worshipper enters the main prayer hall and faces the mihrab (a main altar of sorts), he also faces the direction of Mecca.
The gold-coloured dome sits on a ringed structure made up entirely of glass bottles (see picture above). This has a very beautiful meaning:the building of this mosque was made possible by not only the rich but also the poor. While the rich donated from their gold stashes, the poorer folks raised funds by collecting and selling used glass bottles.

Today, the mosque continues to welcome people from all economic backgrounds - as was the case in 1924-1928 when it was being built.
The mosque is designed in the Islamic Saracenic style, combining ideas from Indian and Islamic traditions. Hence, the domes, minarets and balustrades. The architect also ensured that the building was modern and user-friendly.

Tips for Visitors

A nice time to visit Sultan Mosque? In the evenings during the fasting month of Ramadan (Sep 2008, ending on 1 Oct 2008). The area becomes lively, with many stalls selling delicacies to Muslims who come here to break fast. Family and friends get together to pray and share a meal. The mosque also takes care of the needy, distributing food to help them break fast.
During Hari Raya Haji (Festival of Sacrifice, morning of 8 December 2008), lambs are also slaughtered here and distributed to the Muslim community, with special attention given to the poor and needy.

These two festivals are truly occasions to understand the spirit of sharing in the Muslim community here.

Visiting Hours for Non-Muslims:
- Saturday to Thursday: 9.00am - 12.45pm, 2.00pm - 4.00pm
- Friday: 2.30pm - 4.00pm
- You may want to call the Sultan Mosque office at (+65) 6293 4405 to find out when you can go on a guided tour or attend a talk meant for non-Muslims.