One of the oldest Mosques in Kampong Glam - the area allocated By Stamford Raffles for Sultan Hussein of Singapore - Became a Malay and Arab Settlement.
The first Sultan's Mosque was built about 1824 when North Bridge Road ended at the junction of Arab Street. To erect the present Mosque, North Bridge Road was extended and Jalan Sultan was diverted to provide the space needed for the Mosque.
Sultan Hussein Shah, who signed the Treaty handing Singapore over to the East India Company, was given a sum of $3,000 by the Company to build the Mosque. Financial help also came from local Muslims.
The management of the Mosque was in the hands of the Muslim community. A member of the Sultan's family was responsible for its general administration.
In 1879, fifty-five years later, a special committee was set up to manage to Mosque. Sultan Alauddin Alam Shah nominated the five members of its administrative committee. This system of management continued up to April 1914 when the Colonial government established a Board of twelve Trustees for the Mosque.
In the early twentieth century decision was taken by the Trustees and leading Muslim residents of Singapore to erect a new Mosque because the old one needed substantial repairs. The estimated cost for the new Mosque was $200,000 and campaign was launched to raise the funds.
The construction of the present Mosque was begun in 1925 and was completed bye the end of 1928. A British architect designed the new Mosque in arabesque style with domes, minarets and balustrades. A special feature of the Mosque is the springing of domes from bases formed of many glass bottles.
While the construction of the new Mosque was in progress a part of the old one was used for regular prayers.
The latest renovation of the new Mosque were carried out and completed in September 1068.
The Kampong Glam is the Sultan's Palace - known as Sultan's Gate. The successors of the Sultan still receive an annual pension from the Singapore Parliament. In the precincts of the Mosque is the graveyard of the grandson of Sultan Hussein, Sultan Ali.
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