Islam in West Sumatra

A surau (Jawi: ) is an Islamic assembly building, originating in West Sumatra and later becoming common and institutionalised in Malaysia, and found throughout Singapore and Thailand. Adapted from pre-Islamic assembly buildings, surau serve a similar purpose as a mosque and are used for the prayers as well as religious classes and as a local public space. A typical surau is located in a village or town and is built either in an architectural style native to the locality or in typical Islamic style.