Surau Ghim Moh
| Surau Ghim Moh | |
|---|---|
 Main facade of the surau, with entrance and rack for footwear. | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Location | |
| Location | 2 Ghim Moh Rd, Singapore 270002 |
| Country | Singapore |
.svg)  Location in Singapore | |
| Geographic coordinates | 1°18′45″N 103°47′15″E / 1.3124128°N 103.7875129°E |
| Architecture | |
| Date established | 1981 |
| Capacity | 100 |
The Surau Ghim Moh is a surau located at Ghim Moh in Queenstown, Singapore. Established in 1981, it serves as a mosque and Islamic center for residents living in the Ghim Moh neighbourhood. It is the only musalla in Singapore to be situated under a void deck of a block of flats.
History
[edit]The prayer space was established in 1981, as Muslim residents of the Ghim Moh housing estate requested a place for congregational prayers due to the fact the nearest mosque was accessible only by bus, which was not convenient for the majority at the time who were elderly.[1][2] Former Member-of-Parliament Abbas Abu Amin and former Cabinet Minister Ahmad Mattar pushed for the idea of constructing a surau at the void deck of Block 2, Ghim Moh Road, which was met with criticism from other governmental authorities.[1] Eventually, the government agreed to their requests and permitted the construction of the surau.[1][2][3]
Surau Ghim Moh gained popularity in 2019 after a video of it that became viral was shared on social media platforms.[1][3][4] Later in 2020, the surau was one of the few Muslim prayer spaces that were still active during the COVID-19 pandemic while all mosques were shut down. The surau is still active and used for Tarawih prayers as well as Qur'an recitations and religious classes.[2][4]
Construction
[edit]Enclosed by concrete walls, the surau occupies the space underneath Block 2, Ghim Moh Road.[2] The surau has wooden flooring and is equipped with electric fans and lighting, while a space for ablution can be found outside.[1][2][5] Originally, the surau was smaller and was only enclosed using cardboard and canvas, however, with funding, the surau was able to be upgraded into its current form.[1][3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Awang, Nabilah (28 July 2019). "38 years on, Muslim surau in Ghim Moh finds online fame". TODAY. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Lo, Jay (18 July 2019). "Ghim Moh HDB Void Deck Has A Hidden Muslim Praying Space That Has Been Serving The Community Since 1978". MS News - Independent News For Singaporeans. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "Muslim surau in Singapore's Ghim Moh". Malay Mail. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Ghim Moh neighbours started HDB void deck prayer space in 1978, nearest mosque 30 minutes away". mothership.sg. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Surau Ghim Moh is the oldest place of Tarawih in Singapore". BERITA Mediacorp. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2025.