Masjid Abdul Gaffoor

Abdul Gaffoor Mosque
மஸ்ஜித் அப்துல் கஃபூர்
مسجد عبد الغفور
Masjid Abdul Gaffoor is located in Singapore
Masjid Abdul Gaffoor
Location in Singapore
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
Location
Location41 Dunlop Street, Singapore 209369
CountrySingapore
Coordinates1°18′15″N 103°51′13″E / 1.304253°N 103.853743°E / 1.304253; 103.853743
Architecture
TypeMosque
StyleIndo-Saracenic architecture
FounderShaik Abdul Gaffoor
Established1881
Completed1910 (Reconstructed 2003)
Dome1
Designated as NHL
Designated5 July 1979 (5 July 1979)
Reference no.18

The Abdul Gaffoor Mosque (Tamil: மஸ்ஜித் அப்துல் கஃபூர், Jawi: مسجد عبد الغفور, Malay: Masjid Abdul Gaffoor), sometimes known as Masjid Abdul Gafoor, is a historic congregational mosque located in Little India, Singapore. Formerly known as the Dunlop Street Mosque, it was built in 1910 by Shaik Abdul Gaffoor on the site of a smaller wooden mosque which stood in the area. Gazetted as a national monument in 1979, the mosque is a landmark of the Rochor planning area along with Masjid Angullia.

History

The original structure at the site was a small mosque known as Al-Abrar Mosque (not to be confused with the mosque of the same name at Telok Ayer), which served the Muslim residents of areas within Kampong Kapor and Race Course Road; which were composed of Indian Muslim coolies and traders, as well as Baweanese horse trainers.[1][2][3] This small mosque was built in the 1800s as a simple wooden structure containing a prayer hall, akin to a traditional surau.[1][4][5] Shaik Abdul Gaffoor, a clerk at a local law firm, was appointed as a trustee of the Al-Abrar Mosque and later given permission to construct a larger mosque building in the compound of the Al-Abrar Mosque which was later named after him.[4][5][6] He was also allowed to purchase several shophouses surrounding the mosque compound and use them as a source of finance for the mosque.[1][6][7] Shaik Abdul Gaffoor later re-established an awqaf endowment for the mosque under his name in 1907.[7][8] With the endowment, the mosque was rebuilt in 1910 as the Dunlop Street Mosque, although it would later be renamed as the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque by governmental authories.[2]

A plaque that commemorates the inauguration of the mosque as a national monument of the country.

After the formation of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) in 1968, management of the mosque was handed over to the MUIS by the surviving trustees of the Abdul Gaffoor Endowment. Later on 5 July 1979, the mosque was designated as a national monument of Singapore by the National Heritage Board.[7][9] By the late 1980s, the mosque fell into a state of disrepair, prompting a $2.5 million restoration work that resulted in a major facelift for the mosque as well as the discovery of a hidden basement underneath the prayer hall.[3][6] A further reconstruction was started in 2000, which took three years, with the mosque officially reopening on 16 May 2003.[10][11] Then in October of the same year, the mosque received the Architectural Heritage Award from the Urban Redevelopment Authority in recognition for the reconstruction process involving the mixing of classical architectural styles with modernist architecture.[11][12]

Renovation works to increase structural stability, ventilation and comfort in the mosque commenced on 20 February 2020.[13][14] Various parts of the mosque were re-tiled, new carpets were installed, while the basement was reshelled and the mosque received a new coat of paint.[13][15] By 2021, the mosque had been reopened to the public.

Architecture

The overall style of the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque is eclectic, blending elements from Indo-Saracenic, Roman and Mughal architecture.[7][12][16] The exterior of the mosque is primarily white in colour with green highlights and detailing.[15][17] Modern architectural elements such as the windows, doors and administration offices are also present in the structure.[12][16] The dome of the mosque is situated in the centre on the roof of the main prayer hall, composed of a cupola stacked on top of three hexagonal bases.[8] Atop the main entrance to the mosque is a large sundial with the names of the twenty-five Islamic prophets inscribed on it.[16][18]

Sundial motif at the entrance of the mosque.

Small, domed minaret-like fixtures surround the corners of the top of the exterior of the mosque.[7] Underneath the main prayer hall is a basement with a wooden floor that can be used as additional space during events that require a larger congregation, such as during Friday prayers and the prayers during the Islamic month of Eid.[3][19] The main prayer hall is fully carpeted and has an overall capacity of 2,000 worshippers.[20] Most of the mosque, however, is often obscured by the canvas tent setups in the courtyard of the mosque.[7]

Within the mosque compound are several shophouses that function as ancillary buildings as well as a madrasa. These shophouses are also part of the original awqaf endowment by Shaik Abdul Gaffoor, the founder of the mosque.[3]

Significance

Along with the Angullia Mosque, the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque is a heritage site and landmark of Little India, Singapore.[21] It is also one of three mosques in the country that are aligned to the Hanafi school that is the dominant school of thought amongst Indian Muslims, the others being Masjid Moulana Mohamed Ali and Masjid Bencoolen.[22][23] Overall, the mosque has been regarded by the local Indian Muslim community as being an important site of their heritage and history.[18][24]

Transportation

The mosque is directly accessible from the second exit of Rochor MRT station.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Monuments: Abdul Gaffoor Mosque". Roots. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 Thulaja, N.R. (2010). "Singapore Infopedia: Abdul Gaffoor Mosque". National Library Board. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rahman, N.A. (20 November 1998). "Rahsia di perut Masjid Abdul Gaffoor" [Secret in the bowels of the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 16. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 "150,000 Penyumbang Dana Pembinaan Masjid Para Pemegang Saham Mendaki Seluruh Umat Islam" [150,000 Donors to Mosque Construction Fund Shareholders Raise Money for All Muslims]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 10 January 1997. p. 11. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Hulurkan bantuan kepada Masjid Abdul Gaffoor" [Reach out your help to the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 28 January 1996. p. 10. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Bachtiar, Ida (11 September 1994). "Help wanted: Funds to restore a little mosque". The Straits Times. p. 24. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Keys, Peter (10 January 1982). "Classic in design, rich in history". The Straits Times. p. 10. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Warisan Kita Amanah Bersama" [Our Heritage Is Our Trust]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 9 December 1999. p. 5. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Salleh, Zawiyah (11 September 1980). "Masjid Abd. Gaffoor dikekal sebagai bangunan bersejarah" [Abd. Gaffoor Mosque to be retained as a historic building]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Masjid Abdul Gafoor dibuka semula" [Abdul Gafoor Mosque has reopened]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 17 May 2003. p. 8. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Anugerah seni bina bagi Masjid Abdul Gafoor" [Architectural award for Abdul Gafoor Mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 18 October 2003. p. 21. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 "Awards laud fusion". The Straits Times. 17 October 2003. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  13. 1 2 "Projek naik taraf kurang $1.5j, masjid harap bantuan orang ramai" [Upgrade project costs less than $1.5m, mosque hopes for public help]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 23 February 2020. p. 13. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Kerja ubah suai Masjid Abdul Gafoor dijangka siap Jun 2020" [Abdul Gafoor Mosque renovation work expected to be completed in June 2020]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 28 February 2020. p. 12. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Wajah baru hampir terserlah" [New face is almost revealed]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 20 November 2020. p. 13. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 Fidei, Signum; Sin, Josephine; Mittai, Ruchi; Low, Lawrence (2017). Little India Heritage Trail (PDF). Singapore: National Heritage Board. pp. 40–41.
  17. ↑ "Fasa akhir pengumpulan dana sebelum dibuka semula" [Final phase of fundraising before reopening]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 18 December 2020. p. 11. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  18. 1 2 Hong, Jose (6 April 2017). "It's like home for Indian Muslims". The Straits Times. p. 10. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  19. ↑ Eunos, Nadzri (18 April 2001). "Masjid mula dibaik pulih bulan depan" [Mosque to begin restoration next month]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "Pembukaan semula hampir tercapai" [Reopening is almost achieved]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 11 December 2020. p. 10. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Bhattacharya, Jayati (2019). "Stories from the margins: Indian business communities in the growth of colonial Singapore". Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. 50 (4): 521–539. doi:10.1017/S0022463420000041. ISSN 0022-4634.
  22. ↑ Hussain, Zakir (2016). A Mosque in the Area: Social Life around Singapore's Masjids. Ethos Books.
  23. ↑ Hassan, Riaz (2018). "Singapore's Muslim Community: A Moral Voice?". The Singapore Ethnic Mosaic: Many Cultures, One People. World Scientific Publishing.
  24. ↑ "Indian Mosques of Singapore". Tabla. 21 July 2017. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
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