Nurul Islam

Cholilah Rodja, a woman with a determined glint in her eyes, stood amidst the bustling stalls of Tulodong Atas. She gestured towards the unassuming Masjid Nurul Islam, almost hidden amongst the vibrant market. “This,” she declared, “is a house of Allah, dwarfed by the giants of Jakarta.” Nurul Islam has stood as a beacon of faith since the 1960s. Originally a small structure reminiscent of traditional Betawi architecture, it grew through the generosity of the community. Wakaf, or charitable donations, expanded the mosque’s footprint to around 800 square meters. The contributions of the market vendors have kept Nurul Islam alive and thriving, a testament to community spirit. Cholilah explained that Nurul Islam is a survivor, the sole remaining mosque after the dramatic transformation of the area into the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Other mosques and mushallas, small prayer rooms, were demolished to make way for the towering steel and glass structures. Even the mushalla built by Cholilah’s grandfather faces a similar fate. Cholilah, who also serves as the treasurer for Nurul Islam, holds onto a dream: to see the mosque not just survive, but flourish. A decade-old maquette depicts a three-story vision for Nurul Islam, a testament to their ambition. However, escalating costs, estimated between Rp 4-6 billion ten years ago and now likely double, pose a significant challenge. But the financial hurdle is not the only obstacle. For over ten years, the mosque’s pengurus, or management, have battled bureaucratic red tape, struggling to obtain the necessary permits. Cholilah described the frustrating process of seeking an IMB, a building permit, from the Jakarta Selatan city government up to the DKI Jakarta provincial government. They were told they needed permission from PT Artha Graha Group and PT Agung Sedayu Group, the holders of the land use permit for the SCBD area. This demand seemed illogical to Cholilah, as neither the community nor the mosque had ever surrendered ownership of the land or the building to the developers. Masjid Nurul Islam persists, a small but powerful symbol of resilience in the face of relentless change. Its story is not just about bricks and mortar, but about faith, community, and the enduring power of prayer echoing amidst the clamor of a modern metropolis.