Indian merchants build mosques in Pekojan

Indian merchants build mosques in Pekojan

By Novan Iman Santosa

Pekojan is simply a small site in the map of West Jakarta. But
the neighborhood houses four old mosques, some of which are over
300 years old. The four Muslim places of worship, along with some
15 other old historical mosques are protected by the authorities.
This is the 18th article in a series about Jakarta's historical
sites and buildings appearing in the Saturday editions of The
Jakarta Post. During Ramadhan, the stories will be mostly about
old mosques.

JAKARTA (JP): Framed between Jl. Bandengan Selatan and Jl.
Pekojan in Tambora subdistrict, Pekojan has been home to many old
buildings, including four very old historical mosques.

Few of them still exist as they did in former times as most
have changed their structures and resemble modern mosques.

Of the four mosques, however, which are located close to each
other in the tiny neighborhood, two still display their past
splendor. Their colors, wooden walls and padlocks have remained
the same for centuries.

The first is Annawier Mosque, which is believed to have been
built by Arabs from Hadhramaut, now called Yemen.

Chairman of the congregation at the mosque, Abdurrahman al
Jufri said: "The Annawier mosque, or 'the shining one,' was built
by Abdullah bin Hussein Alaydrus in 1760."

"Most ulemas from the region (Hadhramaut) prayed here after
making a stop, before continuing their voyages to spread Islam in
the archipelago," he said.

One of the more unique aspects of the mosque that is located
on Jl. Pekojan is the minaret which is at the back, instead of
the front of the building.

Unfortunately, no satisfying explanation is available on this.

"Perhaps the original entrance to the mosque was where the
minaret is located now before the houses were built," said
congregation member Abu Bakar.

Abdurrahman has another version, saying that the architects
might have had a visionary consideration.

"They might have thought that the road would be widened in the
future, so they built the minaret at the back," he said.

Like many old mosques across the country, the yard of Annawier
was used for several graves.

According to Abdurrahman, one of the graves was used to
contain the body of Syarifah Muznah, a rich lady from Padang,
West Sumatra.

The land used to build the 300-square-meter mosque was a
donation from Muznah.

"She had no relatives but appointed several Arabs to take care
of her wealth," Abdurrahman explained.

"Muznah also donated a parcel of land in the Karet area of
Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta to be used as a Muslim graveyard."

The Annawier mosque retains its L-shaped form with all its 33
pillars.

"That's the number of times we chant Allah's name in our
prayers. I had no idea whether the builder designed the pillars
intentionally," Abdurrahman said.

Currently, the mosque needs major renovation as it is damaged
in several places.

"The floor has already dropped in a number of places and the
roof is leaking in some spots," said Abu.

The congregation, for example, have had to clad the pillars'
bases with ceramic tiles as they have started to crumble.

"The city's office on historical buildings didn't seem happy
with it, but we had to do it to prevent further damage," said
Abu.

A 1.5 meter by 1.5 meter pond was in the past used by the
congregation to take wudhu (the ritual ablution before performing
a prayer).

"We don't use it anymore and we keep the pond as it is," he
said.

He, therefore, asked the city administration to help maintain
the protected mosque.

"Usually the city gives a donation every two or three years,
but we have not received such aid for several years," he said.

Some 200 meters east of Annawier, a mosque called Langgar
Tinggi stands on stilts.

The eight meters by 24 meters langgar (literally means small
mosque) is located on the river bank of Bacherachtsgracht, now
Kali Angke.

A signboard at the entrance reveals that the mosque was built
in 1829.

Its congregation and local residents asserted that the langgar
was much older than the Annawier mosque.

Abu Bakar of the Annawier mosque supported such a belief.

"The earlier residents here used to perform the Friday prayers
in Langgar Tinggi before the Annawier mosque was built," he said.

Judging from the old objects that still exist, Langgar Tinggi
is more special that the other old mosques in Pekojan, which
derived from kojah, or merchants in India.

The rectangular-shaped mosque has most of its wooden windows
and door frames made of jati (teakwood). But many of its doors,
window handles and hinges have already rusted.

The wooden flooring is made of original plank boards, also of
jati.

"Most of its roof frames are also the original ones except for
some minor changes," Herwani, a safeguard of the mosque, said.

In the past, Muslims from other parts of the river used boats
to go to the mosque.

Like Annawier, Langgar Tinggi also needs immediate restoration
as most of the its pillars and roof frames are crumbling due to
its age.

"But the office of historical buildings requires us to take
photographs of the damage before approving renovation funds," he
said.

The third mosque is the 12 meters by 12 meters Al Anshor
mosque, which is believed to be the oldest one in the
neighborhood, or even the entire city.

Historian Adolf Heuken in his book titled Historical Sites of
Jakarta stated that the mosque dated back as early as 1648 and
was built by Muslim Indians from Malabar.

Today, Al Anshor is surrounded by a densely-populated housing
complex, forcing newcomers to make several turns to reach the
mosque.

"In the early 1950s, the mosque was not used as place of
worship as the floor was filled with about a half-a-meter deep
layer of mud," said congregation executive Muhammad Rais.

Originally, there were only five or six families around the
mosque who became the first congregation members, he added.

The mosque, however, has lost most of its original materials
as it has been renovated several times. It now only retains a
two-layered roof, a sign of Hindu influence.

"The congregation renovated the mosque in 1963 with their own
money," Rais recalled.

The city administration renovated the mosque in 1973, 1983 and
1993, he added.

"We retained some old door panels and seven roof girders made
of solid jati," Rais said.

The other old mosque in the neighborhood is the Kampung Baru
mosque on Jl. Bandengan Selatan, which also maintains most of its
original form and has been renovated several times.

"The mosque is about 250 years old and was built by a
Pakistani," said congregation chairman Djamhuri.

According to Adolf in his book, the Kampung Baru mosque was
built in 1748, also by Indian merchants.

But Djamhuri insisted that the mosque was built by a
Pakistani, Maulana Abu Bakar, on waqaf (gifted) land.

To commemorate their roles in building the mosque, the bodies
of Maulana and his wife were buried on the right side of the
building.

"The graves were later removed when we enlarged the mosque,"
said Djamhuri.

"The Muslim Indians and Pakistanis here still pray here at
Idul Fitri and Idul Adha festivities," he added.

"The four pillars inside the initial mosque are also made from
solid teakwood," said Djamhuri. The four pillars are now covered
with ceramic tiles to prevent them from decaying, he added.

"But the roof frames maintain the original jati frames,"
he said.

Djamhuri stated that the city administration gave renovation
assistance of between Rp 25 million to Rp 30 million triennially
to the mosque since 1992.

"But we have never received the money, maybe it went to the
mayor's office or to the mosque's foundation."

"It's the congregation themselves that finance the small-scale
renovations at the mosque, such as the floor tilings and routine
maintenance, with daily alms," he said.