Masjid Bencoolen was first constructed in 1824 as a small, thatched structure on Bencoolen Street and later underwent a thorough refurbishment in 1845 under the patronage of Syed Omar bin Aljunied, a wealthy merchant of that period.
The term "Bencoolen" originates from the western coast of Sumatra, where it was known initially as Bengkulu. Since around 1685, the British have referred to it as Bencoolen. Upon Stamford Raffles' arrival in Singapore in 1819, numerous Bencoolen Malays followed him, settling near present-day Bencoolen Street. To commemorate Raffles' tenure as Lieutenant-General in Bencoolen, Sumatra, the street was named after the region. Subsequently, Bencoolen Muslims erected their first masque on Singapore soil.
Over time, the mosque became a key centre of Islamic learning in Singapore, providing spiritual guidance to the local Malay and Tamil Muslim communities.Services and classes are regularly held in Tamil.
Among the mosque’s many redevelopment programmes, the 2002 plan is notable for the issuance of Islamic bonds, known as sukuk, which enabled the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore to secure external capital to expand the mosque. It marked the first such issuance in Singapore. In 2024, the mosque went through its latest enhancement efforts. Its modest initial capacity of a few dozen has grown to accommodate about 1,200 worshippers today.
For more information
“Bencoolen Development.” Warees Investments. https://warees.sg/projects-item/bencoolen/
“Our Recent Videos,” Masjid Bencoolen. https://www.masjidbencoolen.sg
“Masjid Bencoolen.” Wikipedia. Accessed 4 June 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masjid_Bencoolen
“Bencoolen Mosque,” Learn Islam. https://learnislam.sg/mosque/bencoolen-mosque/
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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.
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