# Masjid Kampung Siglap

Masjid Kampung Siglap (Jawi: مسجد قرية الظلام) is a mosque located in Siglap, in the East Region, Singapore. Its date of construction is not known, while the current main buildings and main prayer hall were built in 1992. Within the mosque grounds are the old mosque building and a madrasa, the Tahfiz Al-Quran Center of Singapore.

## History

The date of construction of the first mosque on the site is unknown, while an inscription in the building dating the construction to 1902. However, the mosque had been established earlier than that, on a waqf land that had been donated in 1900 by a certain Hajah Hajijah. An article from The Straits Times, published in 1992, states that the mosque was built in 1912. Local legend believes that Penghulu Lasam, the legendary founder of Siglap whose grave is at least 100 metres away from the site, built the mosque.
Following Singapore's independence in 1965, the mosque ceased operations, with a new and larger mosque built next to it that was established in 1989. Plans for this mosque go all the way back to 1988, with a prototype miniature model of the mosque being approved on 1st September of the same year. The new mosque was subsequently opened on 27 December 1992. The old mosque, its date of construction unknown, was preserved and converted into an activity hall. It later became part of the campus grounds of the Tahfiz Al-Quran Center of Singapore.
The mosque is the first modern mosque in Singapore to have a Malay name and not an Arabic name.

### 2009 fire

On 6 October 2009, an arson attack was performed against Masjid Kampung Siglap. Extensive damage was done to the building, including the destruction of the main prayer hall by the fire as well as the roof collapsing. Investigations revealed that the fire was started by a rogue teenager. The mosque resumed services in 2011 after all necessary reparations and renovation works were done. The mosque's staff were also given extra training in the case of another incident involving fire.

## Architecture

The modern Masjid Kampung Siglap is built in a modern architectural style with elements from traditional Malay architecture mixed in. Malay architectural elements include large timber beams to support the roof as well as timber roof trusses, both of which can be found in a normal "kampung" village. According to the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, the mosque can fit 3,000 worshippers. The design of the mosque was determined via a contest where children could draw how they envisioned the mosque to look like.
The older mosque building is preserved in the courtyard and built in the traditional Malay style. Built atop a concrete base, the mosque has a tiered roof akin to the Masjid Agung Demak of Central Java, Indonesia.

## Tahfiz Al-Quran Center of Singapore

The Tahfiz Al-Quran Center of Singapore is a madrasa located within the mosque grounds. It was first opened in 1999. The madrasa mainly holds classes for memorization of the Qur'an.

## Gallery
### Exterior

* A closeup view of the mosque's minaret
* Doors leading to the main prayer hall
* Arabic calligraphy mounted atop an entrance doorway.

### Interior

* The main prayer hall of the mosque.
* An extended corner of the prayer hall.

### Old mosque building

* The original mosque structure that is now part of the madrasa's campus grounds.
* Interior view (door to the prayer hall is locked)
* Another interior view