Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh
| Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh | |
|---|---|
Jawi: مسجد الحاج محمد صالح | |
Main facade of the mosque, overlooking Geylang Road. | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Location | |
| Location | 245 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389304 |
| Country | Singapore |
Location in Singapore | |
| Geographic coordinates | 1°18′44″N 103°52′37″E / 1.3123374°N 103.8769032°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Funded by | Haji Mohamed Salleh (in 1896) |
| Completed | 1998 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Dome(s) | 2 |
Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh (Jawi:مسجد الحاج محمد صالح) is a mosque located at Geylang in the Central Region, Singapore. Originally a small mosque founded in 1896, it has been rebuilt twice, with the present-day mosque being a 1998 reconstruction. Unusually for a place of worship, it is adjacent to Singapore's only legal red light district.
History
The mosque was founded in 1896 by Haji Mohammed Salleh, an Indian Muslim merchant. The land the mosque stood on was owned by another Indian merchant, Vena Meena Bok.[1][2] Eventually, the mosque was rebuilt in 1959 as a slightly larger structure built in the Javanese architectural style that had a single minaret.[1][2] The mosque was eventually deemed too small and reconstruction plans were announced in 1985.[2] The mosque was rebuilt into the current four-storey structure in 1998 and then opened a year later.[1][3]
The mosque was criticized for being situated opposite the even-numbered "Lorong" streets of Geylang, which gained notoriety as being the only legal red light district in Singapore.[1][4] The district is known to have sex hotels, brothels, adult toy stores, and licensed prostitution or sex work.[5][6] Despite the location, the mosque continues to operate actively and ignores the social stigma surrounding its location; even hosting religious classes and accommodating events like Ramadan.[4]
Accessibility
The nearest MRT station to the mosque is the Kallang MRT station on the East–West MRT line.[7]
Gallery
-
An adult toy store as seen from a window in the mosque.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Historical background of Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh". Berita Harian. 12 November 2021. p. 12.
- ^ a b c "Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh is to be renovated". Berita Harian. 28 February 1985. p. 3.
- ^ "New waqf for Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh". Berita Harian. 6 November 1999. p. 2.
- ^ a b "The light of Islam in the centre of "red lights"". Berita Harian. 7 September 2007. p. 10.
- ^ Loh, Renald (29 July 2024). "The Big Read: Infamous as a red-light district, Geylang gets a partial makeover but stigma lingers". CNA.
- ^ Liotta, Edoardo (2021-07-10). "Singapore's Geylang Red-light District—Going Gentle Into That Good Night". RICE. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ "Masjid Haji Mohammed Salleh (Mosque) - 245 Geylang Road (S)389304". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 2025-05-28.