Masjid Al-Ansar
| Masjid Al-Ansar | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Location | |
| Location | 155 Bedok North Avenue 1, Singapore 469751 |
| Country | Singapore |
Location in Singapore | |
| Coordinates | 1°19′37″N 103°55′35″E / 1.3269°N 103.9264°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Modern architecture |
| Completed | 1981 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome | 1 |
| Minaret | 1 |
Masjid Al-Ansar (Jawi: مسجد الأنصار; romanized: Masjid al-Anṣār) is a mosque located in Bedok, Singapore. Built in 1981, the mosque is situated at the junction of Chai Chee Street and Bedok North Avenue. It is one of the major mosques in the Bedok area, especially in central Bedok, as well as the only mosque in the Chai Chee locality.
Etymology
The name of the mosque, Al-Ansar, is an Arabic word which translates to "helpers." In Islamic terminology, the Ansar were a tribe that were formed from the combination of two former rival cousin tribes, Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj, after they had been united by the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[1][2] They were well-known for participating in the early Islamic battles, such as the Battle of Badr and later the Conquest of Mecca. During the time of the Umayyads, the Ansar were seen as opponents of the caliphate and hence were viewed negatively by some of the Umayyad rulers.[3][4] Some prominent Ansaris include Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, one of the Muslims who participated in the early conquests in Anatolia.[5]
History
Masjid Al-Ansar was built in 1981 under the first phase of the Mosque Building Fund. It was the first modern mosque in the Bedok area, and the only mosque in Chai Chee.[6][7][8] Plans for the mosque go back to the 1970s when the mosque committee was formed after a decision to build a mosque along Chai Chee Street was approved.[9] The mosque was originally painted green, until the early 2000s when it was repainted in a predominately blue colour scheme.[10]
In 2012, the mosque was closed to make way for an extensive reconstruction.[11][12] Meanwhile, a temporary steel surau was set up in the northern area of Bedok, which was where residents could attend the Friday prayers during the reconstruction process.[11][12] The process took three years, and the mosque was reopened in 2015.[13][14][15] Virtually nothing was left of the old structure except for the frame of the minaret.[12][16]
In 2020, the mosque was among the many mosques that were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and was hence closed down. After the pandemic, the mosque resumed operations as per normal.[17]
Gallery
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The mosque before the 2012–2015 renovations
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Worshippers inside the main prayer hall of the mosque
Transportation
Masjid Al-Ansar is within walking distance from the Bedok Bus Interchange. The nearest MRT station would be Bedok MRT station on the East–West MRT line.[18]
See also
References
- ^ Ali, Jawwad (2019). Sejarah Arab Sebelum Islam–Buku 4: Kondisi Sosial - Budaya [Arab History Before Islam–Book 4: Social Conditions - Culture]. Pustaka Alvabet. ISBN 9786232200616. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ Ibn Sa'd, Muhammad (1990). "Abbad ibn Bishr". Major Classes [Tabaqat al-Kubra]. Dar al Kutub Ilmiyya. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ^ Literary Criticism in Medieval Arabic-Islamic Culture: The Making of a Tradition By Wen-chin Ouyang
- ^ The History of al-Tabari Vol. 26: The Waning of the Umayyad Caliphate; footnote by W. Montgomery Watt
- ^ Yarshater 1985–2007, v. 17: p. 206; EI2, s.v. "Abu Ayyub al-Ansari"); Khalifah ibn Khayyat 1985, p. 201.
- ^ "Masjid Al-Ansar akan dirasmikan 14 Jun" [Al-Ansar Mosque to be inaugurated on June 14]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 7 May 1981. p. 3.
- ^ Don, Ahmad (13 June 1981). "Masjid pertama dengan majlis khas" [The first mosque with a special ceremony]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 4.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Lihat dari dekat keindahan bahagian dalam Al-Ansar" [Take a close look at the beauty of Al-Ansar's interior]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 9 June 1981. p. 3.
- ^ "Al-Ansar akan hantar nama ahli-ahli lembaga kepada MUIS" [Al-Ansar will send names of board members to MUIS]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 22 November 1979. p. 2.
- ^ "Our History | Al-Ansar Mosque". alansarmosque.sg. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Sokonglah masjid kita" [Just support our mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 5 June 2013. p. 8.
- ^ a b c "Al-Ansar kian rancak diubah suai" [Al-Ansar is increasingly being renovated]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 21 February 2014. p. 13.
- ^ Jo Sam, Yee (24 April 2015). "Al-Ansar Mosque in Bedok reopens with more space and handicap-friendly facilities". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ "Konsep terbuka Masjid Al-Ansar 'buka pintu' kepada masyarakat" [Al-Ansar Mosque's open concept 'opens its doors' to the community]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 24 April 2016. p. 6.
- ^ Dolhamid, Nity Farhana. "Masjid Al-Ansar dibuka semula selepas kerja peningkatan" [Al-Ansar Mosque reopens after upgrade work]. BERITA Mediacorp (in Malay). Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ "Old tower for new mosque". The Straits Times. 30 November 2012. p. 5.
This minaret is the only part of Masjid Al-Ansar left standing as the 31-year-old mosque in Bedok North undergoes renovations. Opened in 1981, the mosque is popular among Muslims in the eastern part of Singapore. Demolition began this month but the minaret will still be used.
- ^ "All mosques here to remain closed until March 26". The Straits Times. 17 March 2020. p. 18.
- ^ "Masjid Al-Ansar (Mosque) - 155 Bedok North Avenue 1 (S)469751". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
Cited works
- The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition (12 vols.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. 1960–2005.
- Yarshater, Ehsan, ed. (1985–2007). The History of al-Ṭabarī (40 vols). SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-7249-1.
- Khalifah ibn Khayyat (1985). al-Umari, Akram Diya' (ed.). Tarikh Khalifah ibn Khayyat, 3rd ed (in Arabic). Al-Riyadh: Dar Taybah.