Masjid Jamae

Masjid Jamae Chulia, alternatively simply known as Masjid Jamae (Malay: Masjid Jamae, Jawi: مسجد جامعة‎, Tamil: மஸ்ஜித் ஜாமிஆ, romanized: Masjit Jāmi'ā), or the Periya Palli (பெரிய பள்ளி; meaning "Big Mosque") is a mosque located in Chinatown, Singapore. Built in the 19th century by Indian Muslim immigrants from South India, the mosque is one of the earliest to be built in the country. Along with its neighbour, the Sri Mariamman Temple, both of them stand out in the predominately Chinese district and have been gazetted as national monuments. The appearance of the mosque has remained generally the same as when it was first built in the 1830s. Etymology The name of the mosque, Jamae, is a romanticization of the Arabic word jāmi (جَامِع) which is a term used for congregational mosques that conduct the Friday prayer. Supporting this is the fact that the mosque was also known as Masjid Khuṭba, named after the khutbah, the name of the sermon given before the Friday prayer. In Tamil, the mosque is known as Periya Palli, which literally means "big mosque" due to the fact that the mosque is the largest in the Chinatown area. History The mosque was established in 1826 by the Chulias, a group of Indian Muslim migrants who worked in what is now the Chinatown district. This was a first in the series of mosques built by the Chulias; who later established Masjid Al-Abrar and the Nagore Durgha, both along Telok Ayer Street in the same locality. Tradition credits a man named Ansar Saib as being the founder of the mosque, but his origins are relatively unknown in the historical record. The present structure was completed between 1830 to 1835. In the late 19th century, the mosque was taken over by Twelver Shi'ites, who celebrated the festival of Muharram in the mosque. The mosque was later returned to the hands of Sunni Muslims before 1894, where the state courts assigned a group of trustees to look after the mosque. Then in 1917, management of the mosque was given to the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board. After Singapore's independence in 1965, the management was finally transferred to the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). The mosque was gazetted as a national monument on 19 November 1974. The burial ground in the courtyard behind the main prayer hall was closed for burials in 1973. This burial ground, with the exception of the mausoleum, was exhumed in 2001. In 2008, $5 million was donated to help conserve both Masjid Jamae and Masjid Al-Abrar among other monuments in the area. In 2022, Minister of State for National Development, Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim announced a massive restoration project that cost at least $3 million. With assistance from the MUIS, the restoration was completed in 2024, which included the mosque being extensively repainted, elderly-friendly features improvised; while a new madrasa was established within the mosque. Architecture Masjid Jamae's architectural style has been described as eclectic, blending different Indian and European styles together including Indo-Saracenic and Neoclassical elements. The Indian aesthetics of the mosque help to make it stand out from the Chinese-dominated scene, along with its neighbour, the Sri Mariamman Temple. The general appearance of the mosque has not changed and has remained the same since the original structure, which was built between 1830–1835 and renovated in the late 1880s. The entrance of the mosque is flanked by two tall minarets, each topped by an onion dome and comprising seven levels with deep recesses between. A pair of smaller towers, each topped with a dome, sits between the two minarets and is connected to then with an elaborately carved cement fencing. Behind the foyer, at the entrance, is a staircase leading to the parapet for accessibility to the minarets. The minarets date back to the late 1880s and before this, were formerly smaller and cylinder-like in appearance. The ancillary hall of the mosque contains the main prayer hall as well as an extension of the prayer hall which contains exhibits relating to the history and beliefs in the Islamic religion. Green glazed tiles and rows of Tuscan columns line the interior walls of the room, while Doric columns support the roof of the main prayer hall. The window grilles of the prayer hall are all Chinese in design and aesthetic. Meanwhile, the ablution area of the mosque is located directly outside the main prayer hall. A mausoleum stands in the corner of the mosque, built in a style that is uniform to the main mosque building. This mausoleum is dedicated to a saint, Muhammad Salih, while the grave inside has existed on the site even before the construction of the mosque. The mausoleum does not intersect with the qibla of the mosque, due to an Islamic ruling that forbids praying in the direction of graves. The mosque has only one entrance which faces South Bridge Road. There were reportedly more entrances to the mosque in the 1850s, such as one which faced Mosque Street, but these entrances do not exist anymore. Gallery Exterior of Masjid Jamae Interior of Masjid Jamae Historic photographs of Masjid Jamae Transportation Masjid Jamae is accessible from both the Chinatown MRT station and the Maxwell MRT station. See also Islam in Singapore List of mosques in Singapore References External links Heritage Sites of Chinatown Google Maps StreetView of Masjid Jamae along South Bridge Road