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Coordinates: 4°53′22″N 114°56′21″E / 4.8894°N 114.9392°E / 4.8894; 114.9392
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Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien
The mosque in 2007
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Branch/traditionSunni
OwnershipGovernment of Brunei
Governing bodyDepartment of Mosque Affairs[a]
Location
LocationPusat Bandar, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Geographic coordinates4°53′22″N 114°56′21″E / 4.8894°N 114.9392°E / 4.8894; 114.9392
Architecture
Architect(s)Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Rudolfo Nolli
Booty Edwards & Partners
Typemosque
StyleMughal-Islamic architecture
FounderSultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Groundbreaking4 February 1954
Completed26 September 1958
Construction costUS$5 million[2]
Specifications
Capacity3,000
Length225 feet (69 m)
Width86 feet (26 m)
Height (max)52 metres (171 ft)
Minaret(s)1
Minaret height44 metres (144 ft)
Site area5 acres (2.0 ha)
[3][4]

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque (Template:Lang-ms) or unofficially named the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque (SOAS Mosque),[5] is a mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, is credited with building the mosque, thus its name.[6] It is one of the two state mosques (masjid negara), the other Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque.[7] One of the biggest and most striking mosques in the Far East, it was completed in 1958 at a cost of US$5 million.[2] The Mughal architecture of India had a significant effect on the design.[6]

The mosque is recognisable by its gold dome that dominates the city's skyline. It is situated in the middle of a man-made lagoon with a ceremonial stone barge. The inside is decorated with rugs from Saudi Arabia and walls made of Italian marble, which exudes both grandeur and respect. The mosque is a popular tourist destination due to its façade, but its main purpose is to be a place of worship.[8] It has since become the most photographed icon in the country.[9]

History

According to stories, Rudolfo Nolli, an Italian artist and architect, created the mosque based on an initial drawing created by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III.[10] With the help of Sino-Malayan engineers and comprehensive architectural designs created by Booty and Edward Chartered Architects, the construction began in February 1954. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III provided the first concepts for the mosque designs, which draughtsman Awang Besar Sagap put down on paper. Since Padang Besar (present day Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien) was utilised for large meetings, it was first proposed that this was the location of the mosque. For the sake of the Kampong Ayer people, the Sultan, however, requested that it be in the current location close to the Brunei River.[5]

The mosque took almost five years to build and cost more than £1 million at that time.[3]

The architectural firm involved in the construction was the Malaysia-based Booty Edwards & Partners, whereas the consulting firm was the Singapore-based Steen, Sehested and Partners.[4]

The construction work began on 4 February 1954.[11] The construction uses 1,500 tons of concrete and 700 tons of steel.[4] The lengths of the foundation piles are between 80–120 feet (24–37 m).[4]

The mosque was inaugurated on 26 September 1958 in conjunction with the 42nd birthday celebration of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III.[4][3] Tan Sri Hassan Azhari sang the call to prayer at the mosque's opening.[12] The mosque's barge was was inaugurated on 19 December 1967 in conjunction with the 1,400th anniversary of Nuzul Al-Quran.[13]

During the construction of the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in 1994, the mosque underwent alterations that including the addition of additional decorations to the main hall vault and entry ceiling.[14]

Design and features

The mosque's general architectural style is primarily influenced by the Mughal Empire,[b] with elements of Islam and Brunei accented throughout the structure's façade and interior. The mihrab, mimbar, prayer hall and dome, minaret, ablution area, and courtyard are the six areas that make up the mosque. Each portion was purposefully designed for a certain function. Nolli created all of the architectural elements, including the pillars with their distinctive Bruneian motif—a thick rope or kalat. This pattern is a reflection of the columns in Lapau. A square fountain pool with green and yellow tiles creating a songket weave (tenunan) pattern can be seen outside in the courtyard on the left.[5]

Situated next to the Kedayan River and surrounded by a man-made lagoon, the mosque represents a bridge connecting the country's past and present. The most famous example is the concrete re-creation of Sultan Bolkiah's boat, a 16th century Mahligai (royal barge) on the lagoon.[16] This B$500,000 barge,[13] which has been accessible since 1967, is based on the traditional longboats used for warfare, memorial services, and royal celebrations by the Borneo's indigenous people. Its central hypostyle pavilion, stern, and bow are designed like birds, and its roof is pyramidal. These jars are commonly found in European drawings, woodcarvings, cloth paintings, and murals.[16]

The mosque's furnishings, such as S$200,000 Italian marble covering its floors and columns,[4] Shanghai granite, Belgian and Arabian Axminster carpets,[4] English chandeliers, and stained glass, are combined. A 52 metres (171 ft)-tall golden dome with a curving surface covered in a mosaic made of more than three million Venetian glass pieces is perched above the cream-coloured building. Anthony Burgess said in his memoirs that the dome was coated in gold leaf, which came away in flakes as the building contracted and expanded, giving the local fishermen the impression that the gold was a gift from Allah. An elevator up the 44 metres (144 ft)-tall minaret was also built.[17] The chandelier of 15 feet (4.6 m) in diameter and weighing more than 3 tonnes (3.0 long tons; 3.3 short tons); it holds 62 fluorescent tubes, with an addition of 480 tubes for the interior.[4]

The lagoon around the mosque and its boat path are ornamented with ridges that mimic the ancient shield known as the kelasak. Bruneian textile weaving patterns and royal regalia serve as the inspiration for the boat's elaborate floral and vegetal decorations. The main pavilion's finial features Sultan Sharif Ali's royal emblem. Mosaics that imitate the vibrant hues, intricate patterns, and motifs of Brunei's songket textiles, which are highly valued and essential to royal customs, are also used to decorate the mosque's water fountain and ablution area.[16]

Notes

  1. ^ Every mosque in the country is governed by the Department of Mosque Affairs of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.[1]
  2. ^ The architecture of the mosque is frequently characterized as a fusion of modernism and Mughal architecture.[15]

References

  1. ^ Information Department 2009, p. 4.
  2. ^ a b Fahlbusch, Erwin; Bromiley, Geoffrey William (1999). The Encyclopedia of Christianity. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 303. ISBN 978-0-8028-2413-4.
  3. ^ a b c "MINGGU PERAYA'AN DI-BANDAR BRUNEI, PEMBESAR2 LUAR NEGERI BERSARAM BERGEMBERA" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). No. 3 #16. Jabatan Penerangan. 1 October 1958. pp. 2, 4. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Fish, William (27 September 1958). "6,000 roar their thanks as Sultan of Brunei opens mosque". The Straits Times. p. 1. Retrieved 6 May 2020 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ a b c "Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien". Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  6. ^ a b "Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque". Southeast Asia Travel. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  7. ^ Lopes & Mohd Hasnan 2021, p. 12.
  8. ^ Mikoley, Kate (2021-12-15). Brunei. Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-5026-6306-1.
  9. ^ Hor, Sandip (2024-02-15). "Travel: Discover Brunei through these must-visit places". Khaleej Times (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  10. ^ Ho, Hannah Ming Yit; Deterding, David (2021-02-26). Engaging Modern Brunei: Research on language, literature, and culture. Springer Nature. p. 203. ISBN 978-981-334-721-2.
  11. ^ Rozan Yunos (5 May 2007). "The Mosque in the Capital". The Brunei Times. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  12. ^ Sidek, Hasbi (2018-10-06). "Hassan Azhari meninggal dunia". bharian.com.my. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  13. ^ a b "Pembenaan Mahligai menelan belanja $500,000.00" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). No. 12 #50. Jabatan Penyiaran dan Penerangan Kerajaan Brunei. 13 December 1967. p. 2. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  14. ^ Lopes & Mohd Hasnan 2021, p. 8–9.
  15. ^ YouGuide. The Complete Travel Guide for Brunei. Youguide International BV. p. 41.
  16. ^ a b c Lopes & Mohd Hasnan 2021, p. 8.
  17. ^ Ledesma, Charles de; Lewis, Mark; Savage, Pauline; Guides (Firm), Rough (2003). Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Rough Guides. p. 586. ISBN 978-1-84353-094-7.
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