Masjid Darul Ghufran

Masjid Darul Ghufran
مسجد دار الغفران
Darul Ghufran Mosque
Menara Biru[1]
Exterior of Masjid Darul Ghufran
Basic information
Location Singapore 503, Tampines Avenue 5, Tampines, Singapore 529651
Geographic coordinates 1°21′19″N 103°56′23″E / 1.3554°N 103.9398°E / 1.3554; 103.9398Coordinates: 1°21′19″N 103°56′23″E / 1.3554°N 103.9398°E / 1.3554; 103.9398
Affiliation Islam
Branch/tradition Sunni Islam
Website http://darulghufran.org/
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Architectural style Islamic architecture, Formerly Brutalist architecture
Completed 1990
Construction cost S$6.2 million (1990)
Specifications
Capacity 5,500 (Projected)
Minaret height 130ft
Mosque prayer hall

Masjid Darul Ghufran (Jawi: مسجد دار الغفران) is a mosque located in Tampines, Singapore. This mosque is very popular and becomes very crowded every Friday due to the lack of a mosque in the neighbouring town of Simei.[2]

History and Design

Masjid Darul Ghufran was completed in December 1990 and was officiated by Mr. Haji Othman Haron Eusofe, Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC on 12 July 1991.[3]

It was designed by the Housing and Development Board and originally had a brown brick facade. The architecture was described as an "interplay on walls". The prayer hall, with its stepped ceiling, was a cavernous space with concrete beams, resulting in a Brutalist style of architecture. A dome was added to the minaret, together with Islamic geometric motifs on the windows and entrances after consultations with the community.

After structural failures with the brick facade in 1998, the mosque was later encased in azure blue paneling, which resulted in its nickname of "Menara Biru" (Blue Minaret) in Malay by the residents.[4]

Current Status

The instutuion plays an important role in the community, aspiring to be a place of choice for education and dakwah.[5]

The original Masjid Darul Ghufran has space for 4500 worshippers to pray at one time. The mosque is currently undergoing a renovation and slated to complete by end 2018. The upgrade will increase in accommodation size up to 5,500 worshippers, making it the second largest mosque after Assyakirin Mosque (capacity of 6000 worshippers) in Singapore. In addition, another mosque will be built at Tampines North, further easing the load of the mosque.[6]

The temporary mussolah, located in front of Tampines Swimming Complex, will accommodate 1000 worshippers when ready in August.[7]

Transportation

The mosque is accessible from Tampines MRT Station.

See also

References

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