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Museum Islam Indonesia KH Hasyim Asy’ari shines light on history of Islam in archipelago
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Museum Islam Indonesia KH Hasyim Asy'ari in Jombang, East Java (JP/Aman Rochman)
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pyramid-shaped building with a monument bearing inscriptions of 99 names of Allah is the face of Museum Islam Indonesia KH Hasyim Asy'ari (MINHA) in Cukir village, Jombang regency, East Java.
The area where the museum stands was initially a parking lot for visitors of the resting place of the late president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated the museum on Tuesday, and now visitors can make use of it to learn about the history and development of Islam in Indonesia.
MINHA comprises three floors, but at the moment only one floor is open to visitors. The museum displays information on how the religion penetrated Indonesia through peace and acculturation.
Artifacts displayed at the museum are divided according to their origins, with sections for Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and eastern Indonesia. There also paintings of national heroes and ulema, particularly those affiliated with Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah.
Among the artifacts on display at the museum are crown jewels and coats of arms of the archipelago's historic Islamic kingdoms, old books on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and tasawuf (Sufism) and pottery that was found in Riau and carried by Middle Eastern and Indian merchants.
The second and third floors of the museum are to open in March 2019.
“There will be records of Islam’s history during the Dutch colonial era and political chaos in the early years following Independence Day up to the modern day,” MINHA head Halim Mahfudz told The Jakarta Post.
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The museum welcomes donations and loans of goods with historical Islamic value from prominent figures or ulema of Islamic organizations. Its mission is to spread awareness that Indonesia adheres to Pancasila's five principles, which align with the values of prominent Islamic figures and nationalists alike.
The museum is open Mondays to Thursdays and Saturdays to Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Entrance to the museum will be free of charge until the end of December, and there will be further renovation and the completion of artifacts that will be displayed in January, hence the entrance fee. It is not going to be expensive and it [the funds] would be used for museum maintenance,” said Halim. (mut)
