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Abdul Gaffoor Mosque |
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The Abdul Gaffoor Mosque variously named as the Dunlop Street mosque, Abdul Gaphore Mosque, Indian Mosque and Abdul Gaffor Mosque is situated at Dunlop Street within Singapore's Little India. The Abdul Gaffoor Mosque was built in the year 1907,and the renovation of the mosque was finished in 2003. Majlis Ugama Islam Singapure or the MUIS presently owns the mosque. On the 13th of July, 1979, the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque was officially announced as a national monument. Now the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque stands in front of an array of shops,used as centers for imparting lessons on the Quran and other subjects as well.
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History of the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque
The Abdul Gaffar Mosque is situated at the Kampong Kapor area, which served as the commercial hub for the people working at Farrer Park's old Race Course and also for the Indian Merchants. Built in the year 1846, the original building with a tiled roof and timber partitions was called the Masjid Al-Abrar. It was the religious center of the Muslim mechants (hailing from South India), Baweanese syces, and Kampong Kapor's horse-trainers. The Dunlop Street Mosque "Wakaf" or Endowment was created by the Deed of Assignment on November the 14th, 1881.
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| Shaik Abdul Gafoor bin Shaik Hydert, a chief clerk of a legal firm and Ismail Mansoor were the two trustees of the mosque.The 1881's Endowment was created mainly to build a mosque for the Singapore's Muslim community. Shaik Abdul Gaffoor in 1887 put forward the proposal of constructing sheds and shops on the plot surrounding the mosque .In 1903 more shops sprang up and the proceeds from these buildings was used to build the new mosque. The construction of the mosque started in the year 1907 but no one knows the date of its completion. The old Mosque was pulled down even before the completion of the new mosque.
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In 1919 the trustee Shaik Gaffoor died and thereafter the Wakaf properties and the management of the mosque were taken over by his son. When the mosque was nearing completion in 1927 the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board took over the Dunlop Street Endoment.
Architecture of the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque
The prayer-hall of the mosque stands above the ground-level and is encircled by verandahs both at the sides and the entrance. It is directed towards Mecca, the most sacred place for the Muslims.
The Verandahs are fenced by a "balustrade" with lancet-shaped and circular openings.
Decorative capitals adorn the pilasters of the Bays.
There are calibrated cinquefoil arch-shaped openings on the either side of the main entrance.
The prime entrance to the prayer-hall has an elaborate sun-dial where the 25 rays of the sun are done in the art of calligraphy. There is a pediment on top of the sun-dial having the shape of an onion-dome. Miniature columns and arches line the both the square-shaped minarets, on the right and left.
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