Mosques, A Catalyst for Change in the Muslim Community | Karyawan
Mosques, A Catalyst for Change in the Muslim Community
Sharifah Inshirah Aljunied
27 Jan 2025
14 min read
Monument of Hope
In an era characterised by rapid technological advancements and continual evolution of competencies to navigate the complexities of the modern world, the mosque has served as an enduring sanctuary of faith and healing. This space has served all groups; both young and old, to seek refuge, reconnect and immerse in their intrinsic nature; the Fitrah, in seeking the path of spiritual renewal to Allah SWT, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful.
The existence of mosques dates back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during his notable emigration to Madinah. Taking the stance to build a mosque in this new land, the strategic move would allow Muslims to pray, learn and socialise. This strengthened the nascent bond of the Muslim brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar, leading to a fundamentally strong, sound, confident and religious society. In the annals of Islamic history, successors established new mosques, suited to the waves of time, and the function of mosques expanded into a multitude of innovative structures.
In Singapore, mosques have long served as a monumental symbol of hope and identity for the Muslim community, tracing their significance back to the arrival of Islam on the island. These religious institutions are regarded as irreplaceable treasures, whose destruction would provoke widespread outrage among Muslims across all sects. As such, the mosque functions as a timeless emblem of Islamic identity in the region. The Muslim community in Singapore has faced a range of challenges in preserving and maintaining these mosques, including bureaucratic, administrative, manpower, and resource-related obstacles.
This article aims to clarify the critical importance of mosque-related work and seeks to explore potential areas for improvement, with the goal of fostering an ecosystem of mosque communities that thrive and contribute to the continued success of Muslims in Singapore.
Historical Significance of Mosques in Singapore
Singapore’s history with mosques is distinctive, shaped by the unique demographic composition of the nation. As a multicultural and multi-religious society, the establishment and preservation of mosques have been fraught with challenges and compromises, reflecting the broader tension between religious identity and the demands of a secular state. In the early stages of Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), the responsibility of maintaining mosques became a critical concern, particularly as the forces of modernisation began to encroach upon the country. Singapore was no longer the rural, kampung (village) environment that it had once been.
With the advent of new leadership and governmental policies, a significant restructuring of religious spaces took place, particularly in the realm of urban redevelopment. The Singaporean government mandated the demolition of several religious institutions, including 11 mosques and 172 temples[1], to make way for modern infrastructure. This policy decision ignited widespread dissent, underscoring the profound sensitivity of religious institutions to their communities. For Singapore’s Muslim population, this marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of their relationship with the mosque. What had traditionally been viewed as the modest, communal ‘kampung mosque’ gradually transformed into a more bureaucratically structured institution, one that not only required systematic management but also increasingly represented a crucial component of Muslim identity in the modern Singaporean context.
Creative Outreach, to Reach the Masses
Mosques in Singapore operate under a governance structure that significantly differs from those in Muslim-majority countries. In contrast to the more traditional and communal management systems prevalent in neighbouring countries, mosques here are characterised by a more centralised, regulated, and systematic approach. This operational model is largely influenced by the distinctive nature of the Singaporean state, which is marked by a strong emphasis on efficiency and performance metrics.
“Here in Singapore, Muslims aim to create masjids with the scope and functions reminiscent of masjids that existed during the golden days of Islam. Financed entirely from voluntary contributions to the Mosque Building Fund, the masjids are run by volunteers who give freely of their time and energy. Such is the commitment and sense of ownership that Muslims have towards their Masjids.”[2] In the words of President of MUIS, Hj Maarof Salleh, mosques must continuously thrive in a manner that is compatible with the movement of time and context, especially in a country like Singapore. From the early stages of mosque restructuring, administrative and bureaucratic frameworks were introduced to formalise mosque operations, moving beyond the volunteer-driven model that had previously prevailed.
This new structure was crucial, not as an indicator that the governing body (MUIS) was scrutinising mosques, rather, it was to ensure that mosques would consistently produce Islamic programmes to allure the society back to Islamic values. This marked the introduction of roles like Mosque Executive Chairman, District Superintendent, and other specialised positions into the mosque’s ecosystem[3], designed to recalibrate the mosque’s focus and ensure the delivery of high-quality Islamic programmes.
Though a topic of debate and complexity, there remains a prevalent sentiment, particularly among the youth, that Malay Muslim organisations, including mosques, often perceive or assume that mosque activities are outdated and misaligned with the type of Islam that resonates with their preferences or modern sensibilities. This belief usually stems from those who either are nescient to mosque activities or decide to not partake in them entirely. For this very reason, the dwindling numbers of youths today wanting to partake in mosques activities have become alarming, especially post COVID-19, where many became more acclimated with learning Islam online.
These circumstances underscore the critical importance of having creative and dedicated individuals – staff, board members, and volunteers – who are capable of engaging and attracting more people to the mosques. The objective is not to compete with international institutions or online platforms, but rather for local mosques to serve as tangible embodiments of Islam within the country. The mosque, as a physical sanctuary, holds a unique responsibility to remain a trusted source of Islamic guidance.
Planning bodies must actively seek solutions and strategies tailored to the evolving needs of society as it moves through various cultural and social trends. Mosque personnel should feel empowered to move beyond traditional initiatives that may no longer resonate, adopting more innovative approaches to da'wah (Islamic outreach) and engagement. This call for innovation is not an advocacy for the abandonment of traditional practices, but rather an affirmation that mosques can remain progressive and attuned to contemporary needs, rather than merely replicating programmes that may no longer be as effective.
However, this shift is not without challenges. New approaches may provoke skepticism, particularly among those who fear that adapting to modern contexts might undermine core principles and values—a concern that is, in many respects, valid.
Trailblazing in mosque programmes can be both harmless and, in fact, highly beneficial, provided it is well-managed and remains consistent with Islamic values and fundamental ethical principles. The community, in general, should be open to embracing new approaches to mosque programming, particularly in light of the declining engagement among youth, both in terms of mosque attendance and broader interest in religion. Such innovations are crucial to revitalising the relevance of mosques in contemporary society.
Mosque officers should be up to date with current issues and understand what the current community needs (to which will always be changing through time) rather than being stringent on certain modes and efforts that do not attract the youths nor the seniors. The programmes become dispensable and if done in large amounts, superfluous and ambiguous in their objectives and intended outcomes. This is where all mosques and planning committees should be clear, as to why and how every programme works, and not for mere execution to achieve and reach certain Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Mosques must be ready to learn that some things can be changed to cater to the needs of the current community more grounded and rooted by the sound teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah even if unexplored. This is where the art of listening and reading the community rather than blind execution becomes crucial to uplift the mosques’ methodology of da’wah.
Empowering the Youths
Youth play a central role in nation-building, holding the key to shaping the success or decline of the future. Mosques must leverage this potential by adapting and enhancing their activities to engage young people, particularly those who perceive the mosque as dull, unappealing, and primarily for older or more devout individuals. This presents a significant challenge: mosques must strive to create dynamic and inclusive spaces where Singaporean Muslim youth can envision and shape their ideal futures, initiate their own projects, and forge meaningful connections within the mosque community.
Moreover, Muslim youth should be encouraged to take pride in their Islamic identity and contribute actively to the advancement of their faith. The mosque provides an ideal platform for cultivating an ecosystem of future leaders. In this context, innovative strategies to re-engage youth in mosque activities are crucial, especially in the post-COVID era. While youth groups were once a staple of mosque life, their influence has waned in the aftermath of the pandemic, underscoring the need for fresh, engaging approaches to revitalise youth participation.
While this remains a continuous challenge, mosques such as Ar-Raudhah Mosque conduct their own sets of youth activities that are fresh and new, such as ‘Youth Sleepovers’ or ‘Bonding Al-Fateh Ar-Raudhah’ where youths come together to share and listen to advice from young asatizah themselves. This also includes being acquainted with litanies such as the Ma’thurat, for them to carry as a habit of their daily lives.[4] Apart from direct family members and parents, mosques should aim to create an impact on the spiritual lives of youths. For this reason, mosques in Singapore should take a proactive approach in gathering and analysing data on youth engagement and activism within the mosque, while also implementing comprehensive outreach initiatives to connect with young people who may not have had the privilege of growing up in a religious environment. This is the type of ecosystem we aim to cultivate—one where, amidst the increasing prevalence of secular values, religious values can continue to thrive and retain their significance.
In other non-conventional ways of pulling the crowds to the mosque, Al-Falah Mosque also launched an inaugural programme to attract young parents, called ‘Mosque Night with Mom & Dad’. The programme served as a mean to dispel narratives that children cannot have fun in the mosques and to re-educate the community that children may use this space as they freely wish, as much as their parents. The event is fresh and unique, for it creates a space with bouncy castles, games and stations for kids to play, manned by the youths of the mosque, followed by a Qiyamullail[5] for parents and children the next morning. This comes to show that unconventional approaches of da’wah may spur more people to see the mosques as an inclusive space for all, and not merely a space of prayer.
Bencoolen Mosque also launched its youth study space for youths to utilise the comfortable and conducive space. Such spaces serve as an alternative from other study spaces like cafes and libraries, particularly for Muslim youths, since the mosque would allow for them to pray jemaah and perform their religious duties while revising.[6] This effort unconsciously spurs youths to think of prayer as a convenience, since the space itself is connected to the mosque. Like all other efforts, these initiatives come with a price of maintenance. The critique of such efforts often centres on the challenge of sustaining and promoting these spaces, ensuring that programmes and initiatives do not remain isolated successes or become redundant, thus undermining their original purpose and resulting in a waste of resources.
In this regard, these efforts, though unique and innovative, allow core values to remain intact while the delivery methods are adapted to meet the needs and contexts of individuals.
Towards an Advanced and Intellectual Community through the Mosque
It is critical to recognise that mosques must be places of intellectual advancement, particularly in the Islamic sciences. This has long been the tradition of Islamic civilisation, as exemplified by historic mosques such as Masjid An-Nabawi, Qarawiyyin Mosque, and the Alhambra. In an era where social media is both a boon and a bane, mosque officers in Singapore should look to the future, utilising these platforms as an opportunity to develop supplementary online content. This should be supervised by trained asatizah, who are typically active within the mosque sector, allowing them to stay updated on new skills and technological trends in social media, ultimately to spread Islam through digital channels.
Taking Yaqeen Institute in the United States as a prime example, along with other Islamic institutions, mosques in Singapore should follow suit by creating creative, impactful content. These initiatives would enhance public trust in Singapore's mosques and demonstrate to both local and international audiences that Singapore's mosques are capable of producing high-quality content comparable to those in the Middle East, the United States, and Southeast Asia.
However, this process is not without challenges, particularly since producing content is an intellectually demanding task. Yet, the long-term benefits for the mosque's image and outreach are significant. One notable example is Assyakirin Mosque, which has successfully created engaging, bite-sized videos in the Malay language discussing Islamic values. These videos have garnered impressive views and high levels of engagement. This trend offers a window of opportunity for mosques to explore new, creative ways to enter the digital realm and build an online presence. Such efforts can also enhance the mosque’s credibility, foster greater interest in supporting mosque programmes, and encourage donations. Subconsciously, this form of da'wah adds value to the educational mission of the mosque, reaching a wider community through the accessibility of social media, even with simple, bite-sized content.
The people of Singapore’s mosques should embrace the digital realm and explore creative, limitless ways to attract patrons, social media users, and donors. By doing so, they can foster a deeper connection to the mosque, inspire contributions, and cultivate a sense of community.
Conclusion: Maintaining the Purpose
Change is usually easier said than done. Working and carrying the torch is not a simple task as usually deemed to be, especially towards progress and renewal. More importantly, it is a trust conferred by Allah SWT towards his selected servants, in which every act would be questioned on the day of judgement.
The mosque has a unique opportunity – and a responsibility – to go beyond its current efforts in reaching out to both Muslims and non-Muslims. It should actively engage in spreading the teachings of Islam while also showcasing the passion and commitment of Muslims in embodying religious values. These values, timeless and universal, remain relevant across all times and places.
The verse of Allah SWT stresses on the people of the mosque most succinctly yet deep and profound:
The mosques of Allah should only be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and fear none but Allah. It is right to hope that they will be among the truly guided.[7]
If this verse would be emulated in its entirety in the context of our mosques here in Singapore, while curating programmes or content, we would reach the zenith of success, and the amelioration of the Muslim community. The goal is that these actions, though modest, will generate a lasting ripple effect that benefits future generations.
[1] Saat, N. (2018). Fulfilling the Trust: 50 years of shaping Muslim religious life in Singapore. World Scientific, p. 133
[2] Sapawi, T. (2000). Mosques Guide 2000. Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), p. 3
[3] Saat, N. (2018). Fulfilling the Trust: 50 years of shaping Muslim religious life in Singapore. World Scientific, p. 141
Sharifah Inshirah Aljunied is a graduate from The University of Jordan, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Arabic Language and Literature. Sharifah is currently serving Al-Falah Mosque as an Executive Marcom, and teaches teens and youths at various mosques on a part-time basis.
