Masjid Bencoolen
| Masjid Bencoolen பென்கூலன் பள்ளிவாசல் مسجد بنکولين | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Location | |
| Location | 51 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189630 |
| Country | Singapore |
Location in Singapore | |
| Coordinates | 1°17′58″N 103°51′02″E / 1.2993160°N 103.8505059°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Modern architecture |
| Established | 1825 |
| Completed | 1845 2004 (Reconstruction) |
| Dome | 1 |
Masjid Bencoolen (Jawi: مسجد بنکولين, Tamil: பென்கூலன் பள்ளிவாசல், romanized: Peṉkūlaṉ Paḷḷivācal; also known as Masjid Bengkali, or Bengkali Mosque) is a historic mosque located along Bencoolen Street in Singapore. It was originally built in 1824 by Indian Muslim immigrants from Bengkulu. The present-day mosque is a 2004 reconstruction and is integrated with the Somerset Bencoolen hotel that is owned by Ascott International, a subsidiary of CapitaLand.[1][2]
History
The original mosque was an attap structure built between 1825 to 1828 by Indian Muslim settlers from Bengkulu, known as Bencoolen during its time as a British protectorate and colonial settlement in the western coast of Sumatra.[1][3] In 1845, the attap structure was razed to the ground and the mosque was rebuilt as a new brick structure by prominent Arab merchant Syed Omar bin Ali Aljunied.[3][4] To fit in with the urban redevelopments along Bencoolen Street, plans were drawn in 1987 to upgrade the mosque into a modernized structure.[5] The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) also discussed the possibilities of the new mosque being integrated into a hotel complex; with the hotel helping to directly fund the mosque and related programmes.[6][7] The mosque was closed down in 2001 for the reconstruction after all plans for the mosque had been confirmed and approved by the MUIS.[8][9] It reopened in 2004 as one of three rebuilt mosques in the country. It was now integrated with a new hotel and apartment complex, known as Somerset Bencoolen, that was a property of the mosque.[10][11] After 2018, Somerset Bencoolen was acquired by CapitaLand subsidiary Ascott International as part of a management agreement deal to preserve the site for ten years, although the residential complex is still considered part of the awqaf (endowed) land of the mosque.[12][13]
The mosque was closed down in 2020 for an extensive renovation and upgrading project.[14] Coincidentally, all other mosques in the country were also closed down during 2020–2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Masjid Bencoolen, which was not affected by the pandemic due to its closure,[15] was reopened in 2024 when the reconstructions were complete.[16][17][18]
Masjid Bencoolen is a Hanafi mosque and is one of three mosques in the country that which follow the doctrine, alongside Masjid Abdul Gaffoor and Masjid Angullia.[19][20] This is due to the fact that the Hanafi doctrine is prominent amongst Indian Muslims.[21]
Transportation
The mosque is directly accessible from the Bencoolen MRT station on the Downtown Line.[2][22]
See also
References
- ^ a b Kiew, Jeanell (2019-05-14). "194-year-old Masjid Bencoolen to undergo $4 million renovation". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ a b Vernon, Cornelius. "Bencoolen Street". National Library Board. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ a b Tajuddeen, Imran (2023-01-01). "Forgotten Histories". MUSE SG. 16 (1) – via Roots.
- ^ Edwards, Norman; Keys, Peter (1988). Singapore: A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places. Singapore: Times Books International. pp. 283–284.
- ^ "Masjid baru Bencoolen" [New Bencoolen mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 18 August 1987. p. 3.
- ^ "MUIS rancang dirikan hotel sebelah Masjid Bencoolen" [MUIS plans to build a hotel next to Bencoolen Mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 24 October 1999. p. 1.
- ^ "MUIS plans to build hotel". The Straits Times. 26 October 1999. p. 35.
- ^ "Wajah baru Masjid Bencoolen" [New face of the Bencoolen Mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 16 March 2001. p. 2.
- ^ "Mosque site to blend old and new uses". The Straits Times | Weekly Overseas Edition. 24 March 2001. p. 2.
- ^ "Tiga masjid yang dibina sejak 2001 sudah siap ikut jadual" [Three mosques built since 2001 have been completed on schedule]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 1 April 2004. p. 1.
- ^ "Projek wakaf kediaman, komersial Bencoolen siap" [Bencoolen residential, commercial waqf projects completed]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 6 May 2004. p. 1.
- ^ "Bencoolen Development". Warees Investments. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ "Somerset Bencoolen Singapore | CapitaLand". www.capitaland.com. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ "Projek peningkatan Masjid Bencoolen dimulakan semula" [Bencoolen Mosque upgrade project restarted]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 18 September 2020. p. 9.
- ^ cue (2023-01-06). "Peningkatan Masjid Bencoolen lancar walau ketika Covid-19" [Bencoolen Mosque renovations proceed smoothly despite Covid-19]. Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ "Masjid Bencoolen dibuka secara berperingkat, dibuka penuh Mac-April ini" [Bencoolen Mosque to open in stages, fully open this March-April]. BERITA Mediacorp (in Malay). 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ Izan (2024-03-01). "Masjid Bencoolen dibuka semula dengan ruang solat lebih besar" [Bencoolen Mosque reopens with larger prayer space]. BeritaHarian (in Malay). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ Janardhanan, K (2025-03-16). "புதுப்பிக்கப்பட்ட பென்கூலன் பள்ளிவாசலின் முதல் ரமலான் சமையல், வாழ்வும் வளமும் செய்திகள்" [Renovated Bencoolen Mosque's first Ramadan cooking, life and prosperity news]. Tamil Murasu (in Tamil). Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ Hussain, Zakir (2016). A Mosque in the Area: Social Life around Singapore's Masjids. Ethos Books.
- ^ Hassan, Riaz (2018). "Singapore's Muslim Community: A Moral Voice?". The Singapore Ethnic Mosaic: Many Cultures, One People. World Scientific Publishing.
- ^ Dudgeon, Hamza (2022). "The Hanafis". In Leaman, Oliver (ed.). Routledge Handbook of Islamic Ritual and Practice. Routledge. pp. 65–89. ISBN 9780367491246.
- ^ "Masjid Bencoolen (Mosque) - 51 Bencoolen Street (S)189630". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 2026-03-08.