“A house of Allah should be built here.” This is the story of Masjid Jami’ Al Yaqin. It stands as one of Jakarta’s oldest mosques. Masjid Jami’ Al Yaqin reflects the city’s diverse history.
Let’s explore its past. The kampung around the mosque was once Kampung Goesti. Balinese people led by Kapitan Goesti Ktut Badulu settled here. By the mid-18th century they converted from Hinduism to Islam.
Masjid Jami’ Al Yaqin was founded on April 2 1761. Nyonya Tan and Syaikh Liong Tan were main benefactors. They were Muslim converts from Batavia’s Chinese community.
The mosque is near the Angke canal. Angke means “blood” and “carcass” in Hokkian. This is because the stream was near a slaughterhouse. The area is still known as Pejagalan meaning slaughterhouse.
In 1856 Prince Syarif Hamid from Pontianak was captured by the Dutch. He was held at Manggadua. He died and was buried in front of the mosque on July 17 1858. People from Pontianak often visit his grave. Many have decided to stay in Angke. Many Chinese in this area are devout Muslims. Tombstones near the mosque have Chinese and Arabic inscriptions. The oldest tombstones show Islamic Banten and Aceh origins.
Masjid Jami’ Al Yaqin has been restored several times. This happened in 1970, 1985–1987 and 2016. The building is a protected cultural heritage site.
It is the only mosque in Jakarta that remains unaltered since its construction. The roof has two levels. This is typical Javanese style for places of worship. The architecture follows a traditional Javanese mosque form. You can see Balinese, Chinese and Dutch elements.
Balinese elements appear in the window shutters. The roof tips form a Balinese punggel. It curves up like in traditional Balinese architecture. The roof bracketing follows Chinese norms. Some roof decorations are Chinese lotus symbols. It is a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment. Dutch colonial influences appear in the main door and window ornamentation.
The mosque is small at 15 x 15 meters. It sits on a 400 square meter land. The mosque complex contains a cemetery.
Denys Lombard called Masjid Jami’ Al Yaqin one of the most elegant in the old city. Its history shows Jakarta’s multiethnic origins. This mosque is a testament to Jakarta’s layered past. It embraces diverse cultural influences within its walls.