Ancient mosques in Indonesia and its relation to ancient mosques in Kelantan

Abstract

Mosque or masjid is found everywhere in Indonesia today, not only in big towns, but also in villages, even in kampongs or quarters. Primarily it is used for Shalat Juma'at (Friday prayer meeting), however, it is also used for other religious activities, such as Maulud nabi (the celebration of the Prophet Mohammad's birthday), Isra mi'raj and other festivals. In Indonesia a mosque is referred to as masjid but pronounced according to the different dialects of Indonesia: masjid in Indonesian, mesigit in Javanese, masigit in Sundanese, meusigit in Achinese or mesigi in Buginese. According to its functions, there are three categories of masjid: the great mosque (masjid jami), the ordinary mosque and the lesser mosque or musholla pronounced as langgar in Javanese, tajug in Sundanese as well as in Javanese, meunasah in Achinese, langgara in Buginese and Makassarese and surau in Minangkabau (Uka Tjandrasasmita 1975: 35). In Islam, mosque is not the only place to pray. A Muslim is free to pray wherever he wishes to pray. Therefore, it is not surprising that people pray in open spaces that provide clean area; on a levelled rock near a river, on a flat stone in rice-field, in a park of a big town, and even on a floating raft on a river. They can pray whenever they want in all kinds of places (G.F. Pijper, 1935: 35). The above (memories/memoirs) sahih Buchari.