Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim

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Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, also known as the Masjid Jamek Muar is situated adjacent to the Sultan of Johor’s Palace located by the Muar River, in the town of Muar. Construction work began on 21st Rejab 1343 in the Hijri calendar, corresponding to 15th February, 1925 and took five years to complete. Construction cost and other expenses were borne by the Johor government and from public donations. This square-shaped mosque with its five ridged-shaped roof (bumbung perabung lima) was designed by Sulaiman bin Haji Alias, a painter in Johor. This beautiful mosque with a combination of traditional western influence was officiated by HRH Tengku Ismail Tengku Mahkota Johor on 28th February, 1930. The original name of this mosque was Maharani Mosque Muar but in 1984 it was changed in conjunction with Muar town’s 100 years anniversary celebration.
This mosque features Victorian-inspired architecture. However, it has some local architectural influences such as the adding of fascia boards designed with the inspiration of bamboo shoots, and the moon and star symbol on the tower which is the official emblem of a mosque at that era. There are two types of columns used in the design of this mosque, which are the Ionic columns and the Doric columns. Minor changes have been made on the Ionic column with the addition of the moon and star to suit the design of a mosque. The use of arches in the mosque is an aesthetic element to create a variety of interior appearances to the mosque. It also provides a larger opening in the main prayer hall to create a double volume space. The windows in this mosque are a combination of Western influence and neoclassical style. There are two types of windows used which are the shutter and louvered windows.
The main prayer hall can accommodate approximately 2,000 worshippers. The female worshippers’ space is separated by the use of curtains and is located at the rear of the hall and to the left. In this hall, there are beautifully-carved doors with floral, the moon and star motifs. The mihrab in this mosque is adorned with a dome. The minbar has six steps and it is categorised as a high minbar, in line with the size of this mosque. The minbar is built on a 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) high platform above the floor of the main prayer hall. The timber staircase and upper floor are covered with carpet. A one-metre (3.2 feet) tall iron railing surrounds the stage and a bench is placed on the stage for the Imam or khatib to sit on whilst reciting the Friday prayers sermon. Below it, there is a small enclosed space that is used as a storage area. The minbar for this mosque was specially ordered and made in France.
This mosque features a dome that bears resemblance to the shape of onions or spinning tops, inspired by the architecture of mosques from the Middle-East and India. The roof of this mosque has a hip roof with a slope of 30 degrees that is very suitable to the local climate, which usually experiences heavy rain and strong heat. The slope of the roof allows rainwater to be drained off quickly.