Masjid Jami Al Mubarak

Tucked away in the Krukut neighborhood, Masjid Jami Al Mubarak whispers tales of Jakarta’s vibrant past. This mosque, built after 1785, stands on land once known as Cobong Baru. It’s a testament to the city’s diverse history, built by Chinese Peranakan Muslims. Imagine their devotion as they sought permission from Governor-General Willem Arnold Alting himself. Masjid Jami Al Mubarak started its life on a modest plot of 1,000 square meters. It was the vision of Kapitan Cina peranakan, Tamien Dosol Seeng, that brought it into being. This mosque held a treasure: a magnificent wooden mimbar, a masterpiece of Chinese carving. Sadly, this work of art was obscured by a thick layer of silver paint in 1975, its intricate details lost. Its current whereabouts remain a mystery. Time marched on, and in 1994, Masjid Jami Al Mubarak underwent a transformation. Syech Abdul Khaliq A Bakhsh expanded the mosque with a generous waqf, carried out by Abdul Malik Muhammad Aliun. A marble plaque, embedded in the wall near the entrance, commemorates this event. The plaque, with inscriptions in both Arabic and Indonesian, details the inauguration on January 14, 1994. It names the benefactors and declares the mosque a waqf for the Muslim community of Indonesia. Today, the mosque looks quite different from its original form, a modern two-story building. The Krukut area, once home to a thriving Chinese Muslim community, is now predominantly inhabited by those of Arab descent. Sadly, no artifacts from the original structure remain. The 1994 renovations completely replaced the old building. But the spirit of Masjid Jami Al Mubarak endures. It thrives as a center of community life, bustling with prayer, study groups, and charitable activities. It is a place where the echoes of Jakarta’s diverse history mingle with the vibrant present.