First opened in 1981 under Phase 1 of the Mosque Building Fund (MBF) Programme, the history of Al-Ansar Mosque started much earlier in 1974 when a few community and religious leaders in the area held a meeting to propose for the building of a new mosque in Chai Chee, replacing an older mosque that had to give way for redevelopment. With the help of then MP, the late Mr Sha’ari Tadin, he nominated community leaders such as Haji Abdullah Atan, Ustaz Syed Abdillah Ahmad Al-Jufri and Ustaz Osman Jantan, to Muis to set up the Mosque Building Committee (JPM).

In May 1977, a model design of the mosque featuring a huge dome was displayed and feedback were gathered from the Malay/Muslim community and grassroots leaders then, including former Minister for Social Affairs, Mr Othman Wok. After several rounds of discussion and revision, the final design was accepted. That design, with its tall minaret and onion shaped dome, lasted and served the Muslim community in the Bedok and Chai Chee area well for more than 30 years, playing a vibrant and key role in Islamic learning and social development, before most parts of it had be demolished in 2012 for a newer design to better meet changing needs and aspirations of the community.

To better cater to the increasing socio-religious needs of the Muslim community in the area, Al-Ansar Mosque took a new design in 2012, selected after a rigorous design competition that Muis collaborated with the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), the first of such collaboration between Muis and SIA.

Congregants today enjoys better worship and overall user experience, with a civic area at the foyer car parking lots in the basement, classrooms and an auditorium dedicated for different activity types are also incorporated within the mosque to cater for  more  Islamic  education  programmes,  such  as  aL.I.V.E.  (Learning Islamic Values Everyday) classes.

The mosque today also becomes the Muslim community’s focal hub by incorporating a Mosque Befrienders’ room, a youth activity room, a muslimah activity room, family and counselling rooms, a library and a roof garden for youth and community activities. The mosque also accommodates the Muis District East office.