Opened on 8 April 1977, Masjid Muhajirin is the first mosque to have been built in Toa Payoh town. It is also the first institution that was constructed using the Mosque Building Fund (now Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund), alongside community contributions.
The mosque derives its name from the Muhajirun (“emigrant” in Arabic), a group of Muslims who followed the prophet Muhammad on the hijrah, his journey from Mecca to Medina in the seventh century.
Masjid Muhajirin’s roots lie in the Persatuan Kebajikan Muslim Toa Payoh (Muslim Benevolent Society of Toa Payoh) which was formed in the late 1960s to provide assistance to disadvantaged families. From 1971, the society and community volunteers helped raise funds for the mosque through house-to-house collections, donations from hawkers and businesses, and charity sales. These efforts raised around half of the mosque’s construction cost of nearly $900,000.
Originally, the mosque featured an onion-shaped dome in a Persian-Indian architectural style atop its minaret. It was subsequently rebuilt as part of the Singapore Islamic Hub and re-opened in 2009. The present Masjid Muhajirin features archways, stylised floral designs and geometric motifs characteristic of Islamic architecture, while its tiered roof is clad with ochre tiles, which are a hallmark of Malay design.
Today, Masjid Muhajirin stands as a symbol of the community’s solidarity and self-sufficiency. As a hub of Islamic congregation and education, it continues to serve the Muslim community in Toa Payoh and beyond.
Explore the Suggested Short Trail Routes:
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Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces, 1.5 hours on foot (4.5 km)
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Of Faiths & Beliefs, 2 hours with public transport (6 km)
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Of Community Institutions & Common Spaces, 0.5 hours on foot (1.5 km)