By Harry Nara · Last updated
- Where
- Masjid Sultan, Kampong Glam
- Tickets
- Free
- Time of year
- May
- Dates
- Move each year with the lunar calendar
On the Ministry of Manpower’s 2027 list as Monday 17 May, giving a long weekend. The Islamic calendar follows the moon, so the date moves about eleven days earlier each year. Vesak Day follows on Thursday 20 May.
Hari Raya Haji is the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a public holiday in Singapore marked by dawn prayers at mosques across the island and quiet family visits. It has no bazaar and no parade, so it is not a sight to plan a trip around. For a visitor it matters in two ways: as a day when Kampong Glam is worth seeing with some care, and as a long weekend that lifts room rates.
What Hari Raya Haji actually is
Known around the world as Eid al-Adha, the day remembers Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, and it falls during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the Haj, which gives the Malay name its second word. It is the more solemn of Singapore’s two Hari Raya holidays.
Worshippers fill the mosques from early morning. At the last festival the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore arranged about 240,000 prayer spaces, across up to three sessions, because no mosque can hold everyone at once.
The sacrifice itself, korban, has moved largely overseas. At the last festival 51 mosques offered it abroad and only seven locally, and the meat is shared with families in need. Few visitors will see any of it.
Where to watch Hari Raya Haji
- Masjid Sultan in Kampong Glam, from outside. The golden-domed mosque is the focal point of Malay Singapore, and worshippers in their best clothes fill the streets around it after prayers. Watch from Bussorah Street or Muscat Street, and keep out of the way of people arriving.
- Geylang Serai, in the afternoon. The neighbourhood’s Malay food stalls keep going, and it is a calm place to eat. Its famous bazaar belongs to the other Hari Raya, at the end of Ramadan.
Tickets and what it costs
There are no tickets for anything here, and the mosques are places of worship rather than attractions on this day. Sultan Mosque’s usual visiting hours for non-Muslims may not apply, so do not plan on going in.
Official information and booking: www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/public-holidays
Getting there
Bugis station on the Downtown and East West lines is the closest to Kampong Glam, about ten minutes on foot. Paya Lebar serves Geylang Serai.
Traffic around big mosques is heavy in the early morning, so the MRT is a better choice than a taxi.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Confusing it with Hari Raya Puasa
The festive bazaar, the lights and the open-house feasting belong mainly to the end of Ramadan, about two months earlier. Coming for this holiday in search of those will be a disappointment.
Dressing for the beach
Around Kampong Glam on the morning of the holiday, cover shoulders and knees, as you would at any mosque. It is a mark of respect, and it costs nothing.
Photographing people at prayer
Worshippers overflowing onto the pavement are not a street scene. Ask first, keep your distance, and put the camera away near the entrance.
Ignoring the long weekend
With Vesak Day three days later, hotel rates rise across the week. Book early, or come the week after.
Other Singapore events
Frequently asked questions
When is Hari Raya Haji in Singapore?
It moves about eleven days earlier each year, following the Islamic calendar, and the Ministry of Manpower sets the public holiday. The dates card above has this year’s.
What is the difference between Hari Raya Haji and Hari Raya Puasa?
Puasa ends the fasting month of Ramadan and is the bigger celebration, with bazaars and open houses. Haji, the festival of sacrifice, comes about two months later and is quieter and more devotional.
Are shops open on Hari Raya Haji in Singapore?
Mostly. Malls and attractions stay open, while banks and government offices close. Some family-run Malay businesses close for the day, particularly around Kampong Glam and Geylang Serai.
Can tourists visit a mosque on Hari Raya Haji?
It is best to look from outside. Mosques are full of worshippers and do not operate as attractions that day. Sultan Mosque is easier to visit on an ordinary day, in modest dress.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower, public holidays
- Muis, prayer arrangements for Hari Raya Aidiladha
- Muis, SalamSG Korban programme
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2027. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.