I participated in a 3 hour walking tour of the Arab Street area and learned so much information about Singapore! The streets were lined with colorful shophouses (a store on the bottom level and apartments up above) that sold exotic perfumes, prayer rugs, jewelry, and food; all that catered to the Malayan and Islamic communities. I visited the grounds of the old Royal Palace and toured the Sultan Mosque (the building with the big golden ball shape). In order to go inside the mosque, men and women had to be covered from neck to below the knee~~(little skin could be shown)! Muslims are required to wash their bodies 5 times a day, each time before they pray! Individual prayer rugs are incorporated into the carpet design inside the mosque, which allow every person to have their own space and thousands can be in the mosque at once! The Sultan Mosque sits on the street facing Mecca, therefore it is not aligned with the buildings on either side of it. Did you know that when Muslims are buried, their head faces toward Mecca?
