Have you noticed how the India Mosque seems to stand apart? Let me tell you its story.
Right here in Johor Bahru stands the India Mosque. It is more than just a place of worship. It is a testament to Singapore’s rich history. The Abdul Gaffoor Mosque began as a simple structure. It was originally a timber building with a tiled roof. Back then it was known as Masjid Al-Abrar. This early mosque served South Indian Muslim merchants. Baweanese horse trainers also worshipped there. They resided in Kampong Kapor.
In 1846 the original Masjid Al-Abrar was built. It addressed the religious needs of the community. The area was a busy business hub. Indian merchants thrived here. Many people worked at the old race course at Farrer Park.
The Dunlop Street Mosque Endowment or wakaf was created in 1881. This was thanks to a deed of assignment. Ismail Mansor and Shaik Abdul Gaffoor bin Shaik Hydert were the two trustees. Abdul Gaffoor was a chief clerk at a legal firm. The wakaf was to build a mosque for Singapore’s Muslim community. Several other properties were placed in trust. These included a Muslim burial ground and a house on Race Course Road. The burial ground closed in 1921.
Shaik Abdul Gaffoor wanted to construct shophouses around the mosque. This was in 1887. More shophouses were added in 1903. The rental income helped fund the new mosque. Building the India Mosque began in 1907. Its completion took many years.
The old mosque was torn down in 1910. The new mosque was still only partially complete. Shaik Gaffoor died in 1919. His son then managed the mosque and wakaf properties. The Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board took over the Dunlop Street Endowment in 1927. Presumably the building was complete by then.
Today the India Mosque faces a row of shophouses. These shophouses are used for Qur’an classes. They are also used for communal activities. The prayer hall is raised above the ground. Verandahs surround it at the entrance and sides. The building faces Mecca. So it is skewed away from the street.
Circular and lancet-shaped openings adorn the verandahs. Cinquefoil arches double-framed with mouldings add detail. Pilasters with ornate capitals mark out the bays. Wide openings create an airy feel. This contrasts with the heavy columns inside the prayer hall.
Two graduated cinquefoil arched openings stand on each side of the main entrance. The larger ones are closest to the entrance. A sundial sits above the main entrance to the prayer hall. It features 25 rays done in calligraphy. Miniature columns flank the sundial. The pediment above the sundial is shaped like an onion dome. Square minarets are complete with miniature columns and arches.
Calligraphic inscriptions appear in panels throughout the mosque. The cupola’s interior is supported by cluster columns forming semicircular arches. Square and round inscriptions decorate the cupola’s interior. The cupola rises from the roof deck as a hexagonal tower. It features Doric pilasters. Eight cinquefoil windows with coloured glass panes let light into the interior. Minarets at the hexagon’s corners are crowned with onion-shaped domes. A crescent moon and star sit at the pinnacle.
Corinthian columns anchor the building’s four corners. The interior and exterior showcase various columns and pilasters. They range from Doric to Corinthian.
The mihrab is plain. A quotation from the Qur’an is above it. Next to the mihrab is the minbar. It is a three-step staircase. The imam leads prayers from there. A flat roof deck surrounds the prayer hall. It features a parapet wall with bottle-shaped balusters. Miniature minarets are crowned with onion domes.
The ablution area was originally a pool. It has since been modernized. It is located outside at the southwest end.
So, as you leave the India Mosque, remember its journey. From a simple timber building to a beautiful national monument, it represents the enduring spirit of Singapore’s Muslim community.