Traditional

Mosque in
Malaysia
Nicklaus Emmanuel George
Mohd Shamsul Nizam bin Marzuki
Muhammad Fauzee bin Ahmed
Zulkifli
Siti Nadia binti Mohamad Daud
Norafiqah binti Jalal El Din
Nabilla Laili binti Ramli

INTRODUCTION

TRADITIONAL MOSQUE IN MALAYSIA

Since the end of the 20th century, many scholars have been

intrigued by the significance, aesthetic values and philosophical

meanings of the most notable symbol of Islamic architecture,

mosques.
Although Islam was introduced to Southeast Asia between the

13th,

14th and the 15th

centuries and since then numerous mosques

were erected throughout the region, but yet the Islamic architecture of
this region remains little-known and poorly documented
probably because these mosques have followed local building traditions
and climatic conditions and do not resemble Islamic architecture of
Middle East.
Among all the materials and records about mosques architecture and
typology, there are few scholars who have mentioned

Asian mosques

Southeast

architecture.

Some have acknowledged Southeast Asian mosque as one of the seven

regional mosque typology, which represents one of the

Masjid Ubudiah, Kuala

Kangsar

INTRODUCTION

Built in 1913 and completed later in 1917, opened by Sultan Jalil

Karamatullah Shah.
Masjid Ubudiah is a Royal Mosque, built by the Late Sultan Idris
Murshiduladzam Shah.
This great beauty mosque was built as a thanksgiving after he
recovered from his illness.
Designed by Arthur Benison Hubback.
Influenced by Mughal-Gothic architecture and Moorish
Architecture.
The construction cost for mosque was about rm200 000 at that

CHRONOLOGY
-

Late Sultan Idris Murshiduladzam Shah was undergoing

treatment at Port Dickson, he vowed to build a mosque at
Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar if he recovered from his illness.

1912

He health finally improved, he instructed Colonel Huxley to

come out with a design of a mosque with great beauty. The
government architect, Arthur Benison Hubback designed the
mosque that inspired by the Moghul-Gothic Architecture.

1913

On 26th September 1913, Late Sultan Idris Murshiduladzam

laid the foundation as a sign that construction begun.

The construction delayed. Elephant fight caused a destroy of the

marble and stone imported from Italty. The outbreak of the World
War 1 in Europe caused further delayed time on shipping from Italy.

1911

1914
1916

1917

The Sultan Idris Murshiduladzam Shah passed 14th January

1916.
The construction completed. The mosque was officially
declared open by 29th Perak Sultan, Almarhum Sultan Abdul
Jalil.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
a) Entrance
Arch

Entrance

Faces the direction of the Qiblat.

Carved with Islamic geometric pattern influenced by Moorish
architecture.
Tall columns aligned with main gate arch to create extravagant feeling.
The marbles we seen to be aligned to create pattern on the top of the arch.
The marbles were imported from Italy.
The high quality red blood marble is banded at the main area where the
attraction of the visitor.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
b) Vaulted Gateway
(Chatris)

Entrance

Characterised by its massive size and vaulted gateway

Cools the air and provides a focal for entrance
Delicate ornamentation prevails the faade as well as within the gateway
Characteristic of Mughal architecture style

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Islamic Pattern
Fountain

The Islamic pattern fountain shape was influenced by the

Moorish architecture.
To add the serene ambience of the Ubudiah Mosque.
Cooling effect for the mosque.
The focal point in the site of the mosque.

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Floor Plan

Existing
serambi

Central
prayer hall

Extended
serambi

Women prayer
area

Ubudiah Mosque floor plan was an originally octagon shape before amended.
The floor plan was unique and unusual for the typical mosque in Malaysia.
The existing serambi that link to the extended serambi.

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Dome
& Chatris
Rear Elevation

Front Elevation

The onion shape dome and chatris was influenced by Mughal-Gothic

architecture.
The design actually originated from Hindu architecture and absorbed into the
Mughal-Gothic architecture.
The walls of the Ubudiah Mosque form the large monster domed building in the
centre and surrounded by the four terraces that consist a dome in the middle.
The main dome was surrounded by eight minaret and sixteen chatris.

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Minarets

The Minarets has a bulbous top and has mild ornamentation of Mughal
Architecture
Cupolas are present in the main minarets, influenced by Mughal
Architecture
The Geometrical arch at the cupolas and the stripe pattern along the
minarets(From Marble and plaster) are characteristic of Moorish
Architecture

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Interior Hall

Large spacious interior halls

Delicate ornamentation within the interior as well as the exterior
Characteristic of Mughal Architecture
Geometrical bulbous arches characteristic of Moorish
Architecture align both the top and bottom parts of the wall,
promoting coolness and ventilating the interior

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Keyhole Arch

The arch generally keyhole-shaped.

Influenced by the typical Moorish architecture that followed the
characteristic of the dome itself which is bulbous and semicircular shape.
For interior part, the size and shape of the arches are varied.
The arch located at verandah are wider and larger in diameter to allow
circulation.

Masjid Jamek, Kuala

Lumpur

INTRODUCTION

Built in 1907,Jamek Mosque is the oldest in Kuala Lumpur.

Located at the confluence of theKlang andGombak river.
Designed by Arthur Benison Hubback.
Main architecture adopted in his design similar to that of Northern
India.
This term is used to describe the imitation Neo-Moorish type of design.
Sultan Sir Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah opened the mosque in 1909.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

Horseshoe arch

Horseshoe arch, also called theMoorish arch

Known from pre-IslamicSyriawhere the form was used in the fourth
century CE in the Baptistery of Mar Ya'qub.
A symbol of sainthood and holiness
Allowing more height than the classical (semi-circular) arch.

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Material : Red Brick

Climate of the region (Spain) influenced the building materials used.

Aesthetic appeal - Brick possesses natural and infinite pleasant
colors of burnt clays.
Keep the mosque cool during day-time and warm during night-time.

ARCHITECTURAL
FEATURES

Material : Marble

Elegant appearance.
Marble is kind of durable and hard stone.
Long lasting material.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
Onion shaped domes was influenced
by the Neo-Moonrish architectural
design by their own signature.
Neo-Moonrish style can be easily
discerned by their signature of onion
shaped domes, spires and domed
shaped canopies.
There are 3 onion shaped domes. The
central dome is 21.3 meters high and
is flanked by two lower domes.
The prayer hall is located beneath the
central dome. The prayer hall opens
out onto a walled 'sahn' ( courtyard ) ,
which has now been covered over.
The biggest dome at the centre was
collapsed in the 1990s and later
rebuilt.

DOME

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The design was inspired by Mughal
mosques in North India.
Mughal architectural style have a uniform
pattern of structure and character.
One of Mughal style is slender minarets at
the corners
At the corners there are two red and white
striped minarets 26.8 meters high ,
identical in design with 'chatris' (umbrellashaped cupolas) on the top.
The mosque is flanked by 2 main minarets
top the brick walls and arched colonnades
among other smaller ones

MINARET

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

SPIRES

The narrow spires- are typical

Moorish architectural motifs.

Masjid Kampung Kling

Melaka

HISTORY

Kampung Kling Mosqueis located at Jalan Tukang Emas (also known as

Harmony Street).
Locate in close proximity with the Cheng Hoon Teng Templeand the Sri
Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple.
Built by Indian Muslim traders in years 1748 .
Kampung Kling Mosqueis one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia which
still retains its original design.
Influences from the Chinese, Hindu-Buddhist.

HINDU-BUDDHIST
INFLUENCES
SQUARE FLOOR PLAN

Grand Mandala

Kling Mosque, Malacca

Old Mosque
Kampung Laut, Kelantan (1730s)

Kampung Laut Mosque, Kelantan

TIERED PYRAMIDAL RO

Used for:

Multiple volume expression to the building interior

Air ventilation for passive cooling
Creates large interior space for warm air to ventilate upward to the uppe

Meru Tower, Southeast Asia

CHINESE
INFLUENCE

CHINESE MIGRATION
Melaka was founded in the late 14th century. Emperor Yongle of Ming
Dynasty. He decided to expand maritime trades, so he set the envoys
to Southeast Asian islands.

Emperor
Yongle
(ruled
14031424)

Admiral Chen Ho, the Muslim Chinese, visited Melaka several times
between 1403-1433 in order to establish strong economic and
political connection with Melaka Kingdom.

Admiral
Cheng
Ho

Increasing trade activities between China and Melaka attracted

numerous Chinese
merchants from southern China. They had to stay in Melaka for at
least five months
waiting for seasonal monsoon winds to change and take them back to
their homeland.
So they set up second home in Melaka.

These Chinese migrants remained faithful to their homeland religions

and beliefs and
constructed buildings inspired by their own traditional style from
Southern Chinese
architecture.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple,

Melaka

CHINESE
CHARACTERISTIC
THREE SECTION GABLE

ROOF

3
2

CURVED ROOF RIDGE,

AND CANTILEVER EAVE CORNERS

FLORAL MOTIF CROWN

MINARET

Malaysia traditional mosques are akin to SoutheastCONCLUSION

Asia traditional
mosque style followed local building traditions and climatic
conditions instead of replicating traditional mosques' elements from
Middle East.

The early traditional mosques, were similar to traditional Malay houses

and palaces in style and material. However, with foreign cultural
and technical influences, traditional mosques faced major alterations in
their appearance.

Hindu-Buddhist,
Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, and British inspirations
Traditional mosques bear numerous traces of

while distinctive Islamic architectural elements from Middle East such as

dome and minaret do not feature in these traditional mosques.
Traditional mosque style holds unique identity, which differs from
traditional mosque style in other Malay states due to its unique historical
background.
This historical mosque not only demonstrates the most staggering
examples of Southeast Asian traditional mosques but also established
the style of architectural movement.