Masjid Moulana Mohamed Ali (Jawi: àóìï àÃÂÃÂçÃÂç àÃÂàï ùÃÂÃÂ; Moulana Mohamed Ali Mosque, sometimes shortened to Moulana Mohd Ali) is an underground mosque in Raffles Place, Singapore. Formerly a pair of shophouses located along Market Street that were converted into prayer halls, the mosque is now located in the basement of UOB Plaza One. It is the only underground mosque in Singapore.
The mosque is named after Muhammad Ali Jawhar (1878âÂÂ1931), known by his title Moulana. He was a founding member of the All-India Muslim League, Jamia Millia Islamia and a regular member of the Indian National Congress.
The original mosque was established in the 1950s by Indian Muslim migrants who purchased a pair of shophouses along Market Street and converted them into prayer halls to be used by the Muslims in the area. It was rebuilt into a three-storey mosque building at some point of time. With the expansion of the Central Business District in the 1970s, the mosque stood in the way of the development of UOB Plaza. After negotiations to retain the mosque, it was agreed to let the mosque be re-established as part of the basement level of UOB Plaza One. The old mosque was demolished and its committee and staff were relocated to the Nagore Dargah shrine in Telok Ayer, which was used as a temporary site for congregational prayers.
In 1993, it was revealed that the mosque's location was a strategic attempt to attract Muslim workers in the Central Business District and Shenton Way. Construction on the mosque began in 1982 but was temporarily delayed in 1984. The mosque was eventually completed in 1994 with approval from the Mufti, Syed Isa Semait, but was completed late due to a severe lack of funds. It officially opened in 1995.
The mosque had not been renovated for at least 21 years, until it was closed in October 2014 for a major renovation that was completed in 2015. The renovation added more air conditioning to the mosque as well as expanded the prayer hall and ablution area.
Masjid Moulana Mohamed Ali is currently the only functioning underground mosque in Singapore, which makes it unique amongst all of the mosques of Singapore. It is mainly visited by workers in the Central Business District. Currently, it has a capacity of 800 worshippers according to the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. It is also a place for bubur (porridge) distribution during the Islamic month of Ramadan.