Friday, February 7, 2025

On a Heritage Trail: Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, Muar

Malaysia’s rich history has seen different cultures leave their mark on these shores – the Javanese, Indians, Arabs, Chinese, British, Portuguese and Dutch – to name but a few. Quite often, these influences are illustrated in the architectural styles of some of the most
charming buildings in the country.

The royal city of Muar in Johor, also known as Bandar Maharani which means City of the Empress, houses many historical buildings dating back to the time of the British colonists. Among them is Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, located near the mouth of the Muar River. A majestic building set against the serenity of the river itself, it awes and humbles those who visit it, and is a grand dedication of a son’s love of his father, and his own love of Allah.

Continuing a Legacy

Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim is the second Masjid Jamek built in Muar. it was commissioned in 1925 by Tunku Ismail, the then Crown Prince of Johor, and was built over the first and much smaller Masjid Jamek, built between 1884 and 1887. it was funded by the Johor government and the Johor State Trust Fund, and cost RM 400,000 to build. its construction was overseen by Major Muhammad Said Sulaiman, while its design plans and architecture were drawn by an artist called Sulaiman Ilyas.

The mosque was officially opened to the public in 1930, by Tunku Ismail, as Masjid Jamek Bandar Maharani. Upon his own ascension to the throne as Sultan Ismail, after his father’s passing in 1959, the mosque was renamed to Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, in memory of his father.

Calmness and Serenity

Like many of the government buildings and palaces constructed during the time of the British colonists, Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim’s architectural inspiration comes from both Victorian and Middle Eastern architecture. indeed, at first glance, the mosque looks more like a royal palace than a place of worship.

A hue of dark blue adorns the hipped roof of this mosque, as well as its surrounding domes, including the dome belonging to its signature minaret to the east, and a much larger dome on the west side of the mosque. The many ionic- and Tuscan-style columns# which form the mosque’s foundation are light blue, as are its arches, while its walls are a calming white. The use of these colours provides peace and serenity to visitors and worshippers alike, a contrast to the majesty of the building itself.

Square balconies, sporting Victorian-style balustrades and pointed finials, separate the first and second stories of the cylindrical minaret, while Palladian windows encircle the upper portions of the minaret. The tower underneath the much larger dome to the west, which houses a VIP room for the Sultan during his royal visits, also possesses such windows, as
well as the finials featured extensively throughout the mosque.

The tessellated eight-pointed star designs on the ceiling compliment the massive chandelier that hangs from the centre of the mosque, another example of Islamic art fused with European designs.

Guiding Faith’s Light

The porticoes that characterise the north and south entrances to the mosque possess ionic-style columns, which feature capitals decorated with the star and crescent symbols of the islamic faith. These columns also form a prominent part of the main prayer hall. Tuscanstyle columns surround the ablution pool located to the east, emphasising simplicity over grandeur.

Upon entering the main prayer hall, one would find it hard to miss the golden mimbar, the pulpit from which the imam delivers his sermon. This raised platform is located in the centre of the west end of the mosque, and is decorated with tulip floral motifs and the islamic star and crescent symbols, reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire. The entrance to the ViP room lies behind the mimbar.

The prayer hall is spacious enough to hold 5,000 worshippers at any given time, and a large Victorian chandelier, accompanied by 6 smaller lamps, illuminates the area during the night. During the day, the top-hung European windows encircling the upper portion of the hall can be opened to provide both ventilation and natural light, through the use of a lever.

Two rooms in the north-east and south-east cornersof the mosque serve as both administrative and function rooms respectively. An exit to the east leads to the minaret room, and beyond that, the ablution pool, where worshippers purify themselves before the call to prayer.

The influence of Victorian architecture can be seen throughout Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, notably the presence of pointed finials and the Palladian windows which adorn the exterior of the VIP room.

The influence of both Victorian and Islamic architecture lends a regal air to Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, and its placement near the Muar River provides a sense of serenity to anyone who visits it. These qualities make this mosque, a son’s labour of love for both his father and his faith, a place that is worth visiting many times over.

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