Imagine merchants arriving in Batavia long ago. They sought a place to worship. They built a mosque. Today we stand before that legacy: Masjid Jami Asy Syafun.
The Masjid Jami Kampung Baru Inpak also known as Masjid Kampung Baru or Bandengan Mosque is one of Jakarta’s oldest mosques. It stands on Jalan Bandengan Selatan in Pekojan, Tambora, Jakarta. It is near Masjid Al-Anshor. Muslim merchants from India built it. They traveled to and lived in Batavia. DKI Jakarta’s government has designated it a cultural heritage site.
Sheikh Abubakar, a Muslim merchant from India, built the Jami Kampung Baru Mosque. He lived in the area. Construction started in 1743. It finished in 1748. A Dutch article in 1829 called it the New Kampong mosque. It was also called the Moorsche Tempel or Temple of the Moors. Muslim Moors likely built it. The Moorish term later identified Indian Muslims. Moorish usually identified a Muslim ethnic group in North Africa like Morocco. They conquered Europe and created an Islamic empire in Andalusia, Spain.
The building’s original shape is mostly gone. Only the keranka central square remains. Carved setandan grapes are still there. Some pillars on the windows remain. In the late 1980s, old Pekojan buildings were torn down for a flyover. The Kampung Baru Mosque suffered damage. This happened despite its historical value and architecture.
The mosque’s basic plan is square. Its roof overlaps. The upper roof is a pyramid shape. This shape resembles traditional Javanese buildings. There are usually four soko guru pillars in the middle. They support the pyramid-shaped roof.
The mosque covers about 1,050 square meters. The floor has a white-colored head covering. Green and partly red mats cover it. An antique lamp hangs in the sky. It has been there since the mosque was built. The mosque once had the most beautiful pulpit. It was made of carved wood. The original pulpit is now in the Jakarta History Museum.
Consider Masjid Jami Asy Syafun a testament to Jakarta’s diverse history. It is a place where cultures met. It is a place where faith took root. It stands as a reminder of the past. It is a beacon for the future. Its story is etched in every brick.