Masjid Tentera Diraja
Masjid Tentera Diraja is a mosque located off Clementi Road in Clementi, Singapore. Adjacent to the National University of Singapore, the single-story mosque was built in 1961 by Muslim soldiers serving in the British army during colonial rule over Singapore.
Etymology
The word Tentera Diraja means "Royal Army" in the Malay language; the word Tentera means army or soldiers and the word Diraja means of royalty, indicating the mosque's British origins; alternative translations include King's Army. The name of the mosque generated some controversy in 1962 as the usual worshippers visiting the mosque were mostly villagers from nearby villages instead of Malay soldiers.History
Masjid Tentera Diraja was built in 1961 by the Muslim soldiers of the Royal Malay Regiment serving in Singapore; at the time the regiment was under the control of the British colonial government. The official opening ceremony of the mosque was held on 30 March 1962 by Yusof Ishak, the former president of Singapore who was then Yang-Di-Pertuan Negara in 1962. When the British began departing from Singapore, the mosque went under the management of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. After the British departure, the mosque received a second opening ceremony in 1969 led by Yusof Ishak to re-establish it as property of Singapore.The minbar of the mosque was a gift from Sultan Salahuddin of Selangor, given to the mosque in 1968. After 1980, the mosque would be frequented by Muslim students of the adjacent National University of Singapore. In 1985, the mosque held a religious forum with scholars Ahmad Sonhadji Mohamed, Haji Hussein Suradi and Haji Maarof Saleh.
Starting in 2006, the mosque hosted the Mudik ke Hulu program which provides former convicts a chance to reintegrate into society with no additional costs or fees. The mosque was also upgraded in the same year and has not been upgraded since then as of 2022. The mosque serves bubur during the Islamic month of Ramadan.