Sultan Mosque
Kampong Glam
Central, Singapore
August 2013
Merlion Wayfarer recently spotted this photo posted on a contact's Facebook page. Intrigued, she decided to sign up for Sultan Mosque's Ramadan Trail.
Kampong Glam
Central, Singapore
August 2013
Merlion Wayfarer recently spotted this photo posted on a contact's Facebook page. Intrigued, she decided to sign up for Sultan Mosque's Ramadan Trail.
Donated benches were placed near the entrance of the mosque for those putting on their footwear...
Registering for the tour near the entrance...
Registration started at 1730h with the tour commencing only at 1800h. So the benches certainly came in useful for large groups who needed to wait a while. It was a really thoughtful gesture.
Gentle sticker reminders on the steps to remove footwear...
Signs in English with clear instructions and pictures for visitors who may not be conversant in English or Bahasa Melayu...
A podium in richly-varnished wood at the entrance to the prayer hall...
Zhafri, a volunteer docent, welcomes the group...
Saleem, who was originally from Kenya ("the land of runners" he says), hosts the group...
The grand front of the main prayer hall...
The mosque was designed by Denis Santry of Swan and Maclaren. He adopted a Saracenic style, incorporating minarets and balustrades. Where mosques were concerned, he had very few reference points and based the ceiling design on the churches in his days...
To facilitate ventilation, huge ventilation fans were installed...
Read from right to left, this board shows the prayer times for the day.
The prayer day starts at sunset daily with the breaking of the fast...
The prayer day starts at sunset daily with the breaking of the fast...
The times in Singapore and at Mecca (Makkah), the holy centre of the Islamic faith...
Deep in prayer...
The main prayer hall with its huge patterned carpet. This hall itself can accommodate up to 5,000 people. Each window denotes a space for one person...
Elegantly-crafted lamps were donated by mosques from Egypt and Saudi Arabia...
The women-only prayer hall located on the second floor is provided for some privacy.
As women are offered the option to pray at home, this hall is much smaller in size...
As women are offered the option to pray at home, this hall is much smaller in size...
The grilles are adorned with gold-coated religious symbols...
The main prayer hall viewed from the second level...
The opposite side of the secondary prayer hall with its ornate lamps...
The rays of the evening sun illuminates the golden windows...
Saleem demonstrates the recommended standing position guided by the carpet...
Prayer books on a book shelf...
A view of the entrance of the main prayer hall from the staircase...
A poster about Hajj and its procedures...
Sultan Mosque has also thoughtfully included a presentation about Islam and Ramadan presented by Johari with his cool DJ-style accent...
Breaking fast together - A strong communal bond is formed among the participants,
both locals and foreigners alike...
both locals and foreigners alike...
A well-balanced meal with dates to start it off with desserts and fruits to end it.
This mutton bryani was among the best that Merlion Wayfarer ever ate!
The stalls outside at the Ramadan Bazaar.
By 1930h, most of the food was sold out as Muslims break fast...
By 1930h, most of the food was sold out as Muslims break fast...
Merlion Wayfarer highly recommends this tour for an insight into the Islamic faith and to foster better cross-cultural relations.
Thank you, Sultan Mosque...
More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa at :
Sources
- "Masjid Sultan". Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masjid_Sultan (09 August 2013).
- "Ramadan 2013" by LIM Weixiang. InSing.com. Retrieved from http://news.insing.com/gallery/ramadan-2013/id-a6400400/528406 (09 August 2013, Expired as of 2014).
