Not many Indonesians know that the history behind the country'€™s landmark Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Jakarta is related to the celebration of independence. Indeed, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and the source of the nation'€™s pride, has its name, Istiqlal, derived from an Arabic word that means '€œindependence'€.

 According to H. Mubarok, the head of Istiqlal mosque management, the mosque has been carrying the message of gratitude since its being founded. '€œThe mosque is our symbol of gratitude for Allah'€™s blessing of bestowing the joy of Independence to us,'€ he told The Jakarta Post.

 The fight for Indonesia'€™s freedom was a long journey. '€œAfter the declaration on Aug. 17, 1945, the Dutch still insisted that Indonesia was a part of its colonial possessions. Only at the end of 1949 did they give up and recognize us,'€ Mubarok said. During the fight to maintain Independence, the capital was moved from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.

'€œThe leaders of the nation then returned to Jakarta, the reinstated capital, after 1949, only to realize it didn'€™t have a proper mosque,'€ Mubarok said. '€œThat, of course, was unacceptable. And so, the Muslim figures concluded that they needed to build a mosque.'€

 The idea of building the mosque came in 1950 from some of the most influential religious figures at the time: Wahid Hasyim, the first religious affairs minister, and Anwar Tjokroaminoto, a member of the Syarikat Islam Party. The men thought that as a nascent nation, Indonesia had to have a mosque that would become a source of pride. They met with several other religious figures in a building called Deca Park on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara, according to the mosque'€™s website masjidistiqlal.or.id. The meeting agreed on the name Istiqlal and appointed Anwar as the head of Masjid Istiqlal Foundation.

 In 1953 the foundation presented the idea to then president Sukarno, who approved it. Sukarno, who was also an architect, later became head of the judging panel for the mosque'€™s design, which was won by a Christian of Batak descent, Frederich Silaban.

 Sukarno insisted the mosque be built at its present location, and to do that, the government had to demolish a Dutch military fort that stood over and under the ground at the site, as well as Wilhelmina Park.

 The journey from idea to realization took many years due to the ups and downs of political conditions. Indonesia started the mosque'€™s construction in 1961. Seventeen years later the construction was finished. The mosque was opened by president Soeharto on Feb. 22, 1978.

 Nowadays, Istiqlal mosque takes pride in being surrounded by different religious landmarks. '€œNext to us, there is the Immanuel Church and the Jakarta Cathedral, and they were around long before this mosque was built,'€ said Mubarok. '€œWhenever they need extra parking space during their services, we always lend them our parking lot.'€

 The arrangement applies both ways as the churches also open their parking lots for Istiqlal congregations during big events like Idul Fitri prayers.

More than simply associated with Independence, Istiqlal mosque is a symbol of religious tolerance, according to historian Mona Lohanda.

 '€œPresident Sukarno selected the sketch made by an architect, Frederich Silaban, among several other designs, disregarding the fact that he was a non-Muslim,'€ said Mona. '€œBack then, radical religious groups did not exist in Indonesia. No one protested a Christian designing a mosque,'€ she said.

 Istiqlal mosque'€™s management has been decorating the building with red-and-white paraphernalia but the mosque is not planning any special occasion to commemorate the upcoming 70th Independence Day celebration. Mubarok noted that all activities the mosque had held from the moment of its establishment had always been dedicated to Indonesia'€™s independence.
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The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.

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