Istiqlal Mosque, more than a place for praying

Congregations may usually use the Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Central Jakarta to pray and few may use empty corners along its hallways to take forty winks.

But, during this fasting month of Ramadan, many Muslims are using more of their time at the mosque.

Homeless M. Amiron, 60, has been staying at the mosque since the first day of Ramadan.

He brought along two travel bags and the Koran.

“I decided to stay here because I know that this mosque is open to the public 24 hours during Ramadan,” he said.

Amiron became homeless after the Malaysian Government deported him two years ago due to a passport violation.

He has been taking shelter at train stations recently until the city’s public order officers launched raids on the homeless and beggars roaming around stations, terminals and streets ahead of Ramadan.

“I have nowhere else to go,” he said, adding that he had neither family nor relatives in the city.

“Beside, the mosque management provides free tajil [snacks for breaking the fast] every day,” he said.

Amiron is not alone. He has to compete with thousands of people scrambling for free tajil at the mosque.

An officer with the mosque management, Mubarok, said that there was around 3,000 Muslims coming to the mosque every day to break the fast.

During Ramadan, mosques across the city have been frequented by Muslims who engage in the i’tikaf: Spending the night in the mosque reciting the Koran, dzikir (chanting), listening to Islamic sermons and performing tahajud (the late night prayer).

M. Farhan, 33, a construction worker from Semarang, Central Java, said he had been using two days off from his job in Kalibata, South Jakarta, to stay at the mosque.

Farhan said that he could meet other Muslims from different backgrounds and build brotherhood, or ukhuwah.

“Recently, I met a student from a university in Guangzhou, China, named Zilq, staying at the mosque to gain life experience,” he said.

“I also befriended a musician, Asep, who took some days off from his job to stay at the mosque,”
he added.

He added that staying at the mosque also gave him new living environment as well as a hiatus from boredom while staying at the dormitory next to his working place.

— JP/Irawaty Wardany