Sultan Mosque Open Henna 27 November 2011

Monument Open House at Sultan Mosque
SyraSkins working together with Preservation of Monuments Board

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Sultan Mosque
Date of Construction: 1924-1928
Date of Gazette: 8 March 1975
Address: 3 Muscat Street Singapore 198833
Architect: Denis Santry, Swan and MacLaren

This mosque is an enduring testimony to the munificence of Sultan Hussein, who was present with Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles at the founding of Singapore, and of his descendants. Sultan Hussein was designated "Sultan of Johore", but he resided at Kampong Glam in Singapore. This royal designation officially lapsed during the time of Sultan Hussein's grandson, Tunku Alam. However, the history of the mosque itself should begin with Sultan Hussein. He built the first mosque on this spot. Raffles pledged $3,000 on behalf of the East India Company towards its construction. Sultan Hussein's descendants, notably Tunku Alam, granted the mosque more land. The mosque, with its landed property, needed looking after. In 1879, Tunku Alam nominated a five-man committee. This committee system lasted until 1914 when a Board of Trustees was appointed. When the mosque approached its centenary, the Board of Trustees raised funds to build a new, larger mosque on the same site. The project took about four years to complete from 1924-28. It might have been finished sooner, but for the fact that more funds had to be raised while the construction was in progress, and that the construction work itself was deliberately staggered. Only half of the old building was demolished initially, to make way for the new construction, and the other half retained in order that daily prayers and the Friday jummah prayers would not suffer a hiatus during the period of construction.

The new Masjid Sultan, like the old, was supported by Muslims of all communities, Malay, Bugis, Arab and Indian. Tunku Alam was commemorated in the new mosque. His final resting place is here, and his grave is given an honoured place in the front portion of the new mosque. Roland Braddell saw the Masjid Sultan soon after it was built, and he recommended: And he recommends: The best way to see it is from the back at the top of Bussorah Street, and the best time is at sunset or on a moonlight night. It is then a very beautiful sight, and collects around it the most lovely blue shadows. The world has moved on considerably since Braddell wrote those words. In 1965-68, a new generation of trustees took in hand the repair and beautification of the mosque. It is said that during the Ramadan month, when Muslims break their fast at sundown, floodlights are turned on and bathe the mosque's exterior. It is a signal for the nearby Bussorah Street to start its night-long food fair, held during this season, and welcome the eager jostling crowd. To see the Masjid Sultan at sunset during the month of Ramadan is something of a special treat.

Adapted from Edwin Lee's Historic Buildings of Singapore (1990)

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