Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque

As a country with a Muslim majority, Malaysia abounds with beautiful mosques. One such stunning specimen is the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque located in Johor, the southernmost state of the Malaysian union.

Situated atop a hill, in downtown Johor Bahru on street named Jalan Skudai, this beautiful, old mosque affords stunning views of the Straits of Johor and neighboring Singapore. The mosque, which is located near the Royal Abu Bakar Museum, dates back to the late 19^th century. In fact, the construction of the mosque marked the start of the modernization process in Johor in 1892, a process which entailed the revamping of various essential services like infrastructure, the administrative system, civil services and more. This process had been imitated by the ruler of Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar who soon came to be known as the ‘Father of Modern Johor’. The construction of the mosque took eight years and was completed in 1900, a few years after the Sultan’s death.

Tuan Haji Mohamed Arif bin Punak was the chief architect of the mosque and he worked under the guidance of Johor government engineer Dato' Yahya bin Awalluddin who told him of the Sultan’s love and admiration for English architecture. Inspired by this information, Tuan Haji Arif bin Punak went on to design a mosque which displayed a mix of Victorian, Moorish and Malay design elements. This is amply evident in the structure of the minarets of the mosque which actually resemble British 19^th century clock towers.

The mosque which today presents a magnificent sight can accommodate 2000 worshippers at a time and is also open to non-Muslims though they are requested to dress modestly and remove their shoes while visiting.

This beautiful edifice is today is listed as a protected heritage monument by the Malaysian Department of Museums and Antiquities which is also responsible for its upkeep and preservation.

If you have a love for architecture and enjoy viewing specimens from ages past, you should perhaps pencil in a visit to the Sultan Abu Baker State Mosque, during your visit to Johor Bahru.