Luar Batang Mosque

Pembuka

The Luar Batang Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Jakarta, Indonesia, located in the area of Pasar Ikan (Fish Market) in North Jakarta on the west side of the Sunda Kelapa Harbor. The mosque was built in the 18th century and named after Luar Batang, in accordance with the nickname of a sacred guardian of Islam, Habib Luar Batang, where his shrine is also located.

Kampung Luar Batang

One version of the story why he is so called Habib Luar Batang tells that when Habib Husein died and en route to be buried in the Batavia suburb around Tanah Abang, his body suddenly was not in the coffin. The phenomena lasted up to three times of their attempts. Finally, the congregation then agreed to bury him in the current location instead and the location was then called Luar Batang (Luar, outside; and Batang, body in Betawi language) means a body outside (a coffin). Since then, the late habib was called Habib Luar Batang.

Another story version which makes more sense is that not long after VOC was founded, the VOC authorities started a surveillance on boats entering the Sunda Kelapa harbor, especially perahus belonged to indigenous people. To block the perahus, the VOC authority applied a long wooden beam (which is literally translated to Batang (trunk) in the local language). These perahus could not enter the port and had to wait for days outside the post until the 'batang' lifted, so the local people called the perahus were in "Luar Batang" (Outside the beam). While waiting, many of the crew went ashore. Later they set up temporary huts and became a village. Initially, the village was like an island because it frequently flooded due to the tide water.

In around 1660, VOC brought fishermen from East Java. These fishermen were placed in the village which then was called Kampung Luar Batang or Luar Batang Village. The leader of this fishermen named Bagus Karta was given the honorary rank of lieutenant in 1677. Residential location "Luar Batang" had been a swamp, but soon the swamp silted with mud from Ciliwung river.

In 1739, the VOC Governor General gave a small piece of land on the western side of Ciliwung River across Sunda Kelapa port to Habib Husein. According to local folklore, Habib Husein had karomah (supernatural power) and was influential in spreading and leading Muslims on the northern area of Batavia.

The shrine and mosque is located in approximately 14 hectares area of Kampung Luar Batang, about 3 km from Pekojan. The mosque, considered keramat (sacred) to many people, is one of the cultural heritage of Jakarta, overlooking the port of Sunda Kelapa and is one of the attractions to visitors coming to Old Jakarta.

Luar Batang Affair

In around 1870s began an affair what was then called Perkara Luar Batang, which is an affair related to the large amounts of charity income the mosque received. At first, two commanders of Luar Batang tried to get the charity, but were hindered by the fatwas of various scholars, notably by the fatwa issued by Habib Usman bin Yahya, who confirmed that Habib Husein's descendants were eligible for the charity. The fatwa was approved of in 1878 by Ahmad Zayni Dahlan, the Grand Mufti of Mecca and a Shafi'i scholar. Since the decision was made, it triggered family quarrel among the Arabs. On the advice of Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, the mosque courtyard was then closed by the Dutch government until they reach a deal. The resolution process went quickly, and the Luar Batang Affair ended in 1905.

Structure

At the entrance to the complex there is a big white Gapura (gate) which was originally in Javanese Hindu architecture. The mosque structure is square in shape. Inside, the mosque has two large halls, inside hall and outside hall. Each hall has 12 poles, which added up to 24. The number of poles indicating the number of hours in a day, 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. Besides the outside hall, there is a room which is the location of the tomb of Habib Husein and his student, Haji Abdul Kadir. There has been a few renovations performed, so many of the structure and ornaments are no longer the same as the original,