“Rumah kasih sayang” is what Baiturrahman means. It is a symbol of comfort and hope in the mosque. Here before us stands Masjid Baiturrahman El Nusa. It is a place of worship for Muslims in the BPK III-IV Kebon Jeruk complex. This is in West Jakarta and surrounding areas.
Once upon a time, there was a small Musholla. It was built with help from the Financial Audit Board. The BPK-RI and local residents also helped. Time passed and more donations came. These were from state institutions, organizations, private companies and citizens. On October 3, 2010, the renovated Masjid Baiturrahman officially opened. It stands grandly in the BPK III-IV Kebon Jeruk complex in West Jakarta.
This Masjid Baiturrahman El Nusa has two floors. The first floor is for congregational prayers. The second floor is for TPA, KPA, Muslim women’s studies and other activities. There is also a secretariat for mosque officials and a reception room. Complete facilities support activities here. Laptops, projectors and sound systems are available. There is even a small library. It contains the Al-Quran and Hadith books.
Masjid Baiturrahman El Nusa’s location is strategic. It is in the Kebon Jeruk area of West Jakarta. This makes it a solution for office workers nearby. They can easily perform prayers, especially Friday prayers. The clean and complete condition of Masjid Baiturrahman El Nusa is maintained. This ensures that worshippers can have a comfortable and solemn prayer experience.
Another Masjid Baiturrahman is located in the MPR/DPR Senayan complex. This is the heart of Indonesian politics. This Masjid Baiturrahman brings spiritual coolness. The Secretariat General of the MPR/DPR manages it. It has a unique shape, possibly the only one in Indonesia. The overall shape resembles a tanjung flower. An idea came from a member of the DPR. He had just returned from a work visit to the Philippines. There he saw a mosque with similar architecture.
Masjid Baiturrahman is in an area separate from other buildings. It sits on higher ground. Thus, the mosque stands out. This is so even though it is not as large as other buildings in the complex. The building’s pattern is geometric. It features thick lines ending in sharp points. These wrap around the entire structure. They are painted a bright green color. The dome is octagonal with sharp lines forming its corners. It is truly beautiful to behold.
In front of Masjid Baiturrahman, a pendopo acts as a transition area. From the pendopo, the sacred boundary begins. Brick stairs combined with ceramics connect the main building to the pendopo. A terrace surrounds the main building. It is not too large, but it is beautiful. From there, you can see teak wood carvings. They feature leaf motifs that form the large doors of the main prayer hall.
Next to the terrace is a bedug. It is a large traditional drum. This one is 1.97 meters in diameter and 3 meters long. The wood comes from the Blora forest. The surface is made from Australian cowhide.
The beauty continues inside Masjid Baiturrahman. Although not very large, the room feels spacious. This is because it only has two wooden support pillars. A magnificent impression comes over visitors. A tanjung flower-shaped chandelier hangs in the center under the dome. Many ornaments on the walls also feature the tanjung flower.
A minimalist impression is evident in the front of the main room. There lies a small mimbar. It covers half of the wall. The wall is painted white. It lacks the detailed ornaments found in most mosques. The main room has two levels. The second level surrounds the main ground floor. It is used as a prayer space for women.