“Does anyone know why this mosque is called Masjid Jami’ Ar-Riyad?” I ask. Masjid Jami’ Ar-Riyad stands before us. It is a place of peace amid the Jakarta bustle.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any specific information about the history or unique facts related to Masjid Jami’ Ar-Riyad. However, I can share a story about another old mosque in Jakarta called Angke Mosque. This may give you some insight into the historical and cultural context of mosques in this city.
The Angke Mosque, also known as Masjid Jami Angke or Masjid Al-Anwar, is one of Jakarta’s oldest mosques. It was founded on April 2, 1761. The main benefactors were Nyonya Tan and Syaikh Liong Tan. Both were Muslim converts from Batavia’s local Chinese community.
The mosque’s location is near a canal called Angke. Angke means “blood” and “carcass” in Hokkian. The stream was near a slaughterhouse. It was contaminated with blood.
Prince Syarif Hamid, a Sultan from Pontianak, was captured by the Dutch in 1856. He died while held at Manggadua. He was buried in front of the Angke Mosque on July 17, 1858. People from Pontianak often visit his grave. Many stay in Angke.
Many Chinese in this area are devout Muslims. Many tombstones near the mosque have Chinese and Arabic inscriptions. The oldest tombstones show Islamic Banten and Aceh origins.
The Angke Mosque has been restored several times. Restorations occurred in 1970, 1985–1987, and 2016. The building is a protected cultural heritage site.
It is the only mosque in Jakarta that has remained 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. Yet, Balinese, Chinese, and Dutch elements appear throughout.
Balinese elements are pronounced. Look at the mosque’s window shutters. The roof tips take the form of a Balinese punggel. It curves up like in traditional Balinese architecture. The roof’s bracketing construction follows Chinese norms. Some decorative elements on the roof resemble a Chinese lotus. This is a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment. Dutch colonial influences appear in the main door and window ornamentation.
The mosque is small. It measures 15 x 15 meters on a 400 sqm land. The mosque complex includes a cemetery.
While this story is about the Angke Mosque, it reflects the diverse cultural influences in Jakarta’s history. These influences shaped many of the city’s religious sites. Although I can’t tell you the story of Masjid Jami’ Ar-Riyad, you can appreciate Jakarta’s rich heritage reflected in its mosques.