Did you know that Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh was once a hiding place for a president? This historic mosque stands in Kwitang, Central Jakarta. It holds secrets from Indonesia’s struggle for independence. Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh is also known as Masjid Kwitang.
Back in 1938, Habib Ali Al Habsyi founded Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh. He had help from local people. At first, it was just a surau. A surau is a small prayer house. It looked like a stilt house. Now, it is a two-story mosque. It covers 1,000 square meters.
Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh played a role in Indonesia’s fight for freedom. During the Dutch colonial era, freedom fighters used it. They planned strategies here. They devised ways to resist the colonizers. Habib Ali Al Habsyi, the mosque’s founder, was a trusted advisor to President Soekarno. Habib Ali even helped determine the date of Indonesia’s independence proclamation, August 17, 1945.
President Soekarno himself prayed at Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh with Habib Ali. He even hid here from the Dutch. In 1963, Soekarno officially reopened the mosque. He gave it the name Baitul Ummah. But locals kept calling it Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh.
The architecture of Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh is grand. The walls are mostly white. A large minaret stands on the right side of the front. At the main gate, there is an old bedug. A bedug is a traditional drum used to signal prayer times. Inside, many square pillars support the roof.
The mosque has two floors. People use the first floor for daily prayers. The second floor serves as a madrasah. A madrasah is a place for learning. The wooden carvings on the mimbar add to the mosque’s beauty. A mimbar is a pulpit.
There are only three Masjid Al-Riyadh in the world. One is in Hadhramaut, Yemen. The other two are here in Indonesia. One is here in Kwitang. The other is in Solo.
Masjid Jami Al-Riyadh is more than just a mosque. It is a symbol of faith. It is a testament to Indonesia’s history. It is a reminder of the nation’s struggle for independence. This is a place where history and spirituality intertwine.