Masjid Hajjah Fatimah

Masjid Hajjah Fatimah (Jawi: مسجد حاجة فاطمة, Arabic: مَسْجِد ٱلْحَاجَّة فَاطِمَة; transliterated as Masjid Al-Ḥājjah Fāṭimah) is a mosque located along Beach Road in Kampong Glam, Singapore. It is named for its founder, Fatimah binti Sulaiman, who is buried in the same place along with her family and descendants. The mosque is recognizable and well-known for its eclectic architecture, such as its unique minaret and golden onion dome, while it has also been gazetted as a national monument of Singapore. Masjid Hajjah Fatimah is one of two mosques named after women, the other being Masjid Khadijah that is located along Geylang Road. History Fatimah binti Sulaiman, a wealthy Bugis merchant, funded the construction of the mosque in 1845. Old records describe that her house in Kampong Glam was robbed twice by burglars and even set on fire in one of these robberies. Experiencing a sense of gratitude for being kept safe during these incidents, Fatimah founded the mosque on the site of her former residence as a way to show her gratitude towards the divine. She was buried in the mosque after her death in the late 19th century, along with some of her immediate family members and heirs. An unknown European architect was hired to design the mosque which was completed in 1845. In 1920, the mosque was rebuilt as a predominately concrete structure. In the 1930s, French contractors Bossard & Mopin rebuilt the main prayer hall of the mosque with the help of local Malay sculptors, based on conceptual designs by Chinese architects Chung & Wong. The mosque fell into the ownership of the Alsagoff family after Raja Siti, a daughter of Hajjah Fatimah, married a merchant from the Alsagoffs. Her grandson, Nong Chik, whose real name was Syed Mohamed bin Ahmed Alsagoff, became the head of the management of the mosque until his death in 1906. The Alsagoff family continued to manage the mosque until they handed it over to the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) after the independence of Singapore. Masjid Hajjah Fatimah was gazetted as a national monument of Singapore on 28 June 1973. The burial ground inside the mosque was officially closed down in 1973 along with several other old Muslim cemeteries such as Kubur Kassim and the cemetery of Kampong Wak Selat, an old village in Kranji. In 1998, Masjid Hajjah Fatimah underwent extensive renovations as part of a restoration project. The mosque was given a new coat of paint, while decorative tiles and patterns that had been broken throughout the years were replaced with new ones. Waterproofing works were done to the roofs of the mosque in 2021. Architecture Eclecticism is prominent in the architecture of the mosque. Indo-Saracenic architectural features appear on the exterior, such as the bulbous onion dome. The entrance and balconies of the mosque are all done in a Moorish style. Chinese green glazed tiles coat the parapet of the mosque. The minaret, on the other hand, resembles the spire of European churches, especially those built in the colonial era of Singapore. The overall mosque has been described as having Portuguese architectural influences. The compound of the mosque consists of the main prayer hall, the minaret, a residence for the Imam, private terrace dormitories, a madrasa, as well as a private cemetery behind the main prayer hall. High walls surround the compound and keep it enclosed. These walls are painted in white to help the mosque stand out amongst the colourful yet industrial atmosphere of the area of Kampong Glam that it is situated in. The minaret towers over the whole compound and tilts at an angle of about six degrees, which has sparked comparisons to the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. The small tilt is caused by modern renovations that caused the handmade bricks at the base of the minaret to be dislodged and move slightly from their original positions. The main prayer hall of the mosque is not parallel to the entrance but rather it is situated diagonally in order to face Mecca, as is the requirement with all mosques. The golden, bulbous onion dome tops the main prayer hall, while twelve lancet shaped windows at the base of the dome help to illuminate the interior of the mosque, along with a chandelier that hangs from the interior side of the dome. The entrance to the main prayer hall has several lancet shaped windows and doorways to provide ventilation, while a set of wooden windows are situated in the front wall of the main prayer hall. The floor of the mosque is made of white marble. Behind the mihrab in the main prayer hall is a small room that serves as a mausoleum for Hajjah Fatimah, her daughter Raja Siti, and her grandson Nong Chik, along with some of their direct relatives. The mausoleum being directly behind the mihrab is also an interesting feature of the mosque, as it completely ignores the Islamic prohibition on having graves behind the qibla of a mosque. A cemetery for the Alsagoff family and the descendants of Hajjah Fatimah surrounds the main prayer hall of the mosque. Two influences from Christian architecture are present in the mosque. Firstly, the design of the minaret is heavily inspired by the spire of the St. Andrew's Cathedral near the City Hall. Meanwhile, the mausoleum and tombs are located in the direction of prayer, much like tombs of saints in Christian chapels. The mosque was also designed by a European architect, which explains the inter-religious design choices that are visible. Transportation The mosque is accessible via the bus stop opposite the headquarters of the St. John Association. See also Islam in Singapore List of mosques in Singapore References External links Masjid Hajjah Fatimah on the National Heritage Board 360° Aerial View of Masjid Hajjah Fatimah on Google Maps