The first Muslim structure in the area dates back to 1448 when the people there built a surau, or small mosque; an opal-shaped cupola with a thatched roof of palm leaves supported by four carved pillars.

In the early 18th century, a group of Muslims from mainland China led by ulema Chan Tsien Hwu and accompanied by his wife, Fatimah Wu, fled their home to escape from the oppression of the Emperor Chien.

Upon their arrival in the new land, the group found the surau ruined by age and poor maintenance during the Portuguese, English and Dutch colonization.

Captain Tamien Dosol Seeng, also known as Chan, who chaired the Chinese-Indonesian Muslim community in Batavia between 1780 and 1797, built the mosque on the location in 1786.

For years it was a sacred place for many Chinese-Indonesian Muslims living in old Jakarta. However, there have been few Chinese praying there since the 1998 riots when the racial minority were targeted by locals. The venerable building has long been a temporary home for many missionaries from around the world and many others stop to pray there when they visit Jakarta.

As a center for the Jammaah Tabligh missionary group, since 1940 the mosque has been visited by the faithful from country’s including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, France and South Africa.

A movement born in India 75 years ago, members practice the khuruj concept, traveling around the world to spread the word of God.

“I have stayed for almost 10 days here,” Solihin, 35, from Surabaya, East Java, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
He said he had already preached in Lampung, Padang and Yogyakarta.

“I am just looking for nikmat (bliss) by helping other people to go back to God’s way.” Solihid said he would leave for another destination next week.

Local people who live nearby cater for the mosque’s frequent visitors by setting up stalls around the compound.
“I can earn Rp 20,000 (around US$2) to Rp 30,000 a day or even Rp 60,000 when it is crowded,” Ahmad Rivai, 23, who sells Muslim prayer shirts, traditional dental products and perfumes, said.

Since 1999, permanent stalls behind the mosque have offered similar fare with more temporary retail space set during Friday prayers.

“It’s even merrier during the fasting month of Ramadhan,” Subekti, a senior cleric at the mosque, said.

On a regular day, around 1,000 people visit the mosque, but during Ramadhan, that number doubles.

The 1,350-square-meter building has witnessed many changes and it has weathered the tests of time. The mosque’s keepers have preserved a part of the building, although some renovations have been made to accommodate the increasing number of visitors.

The architecture is a rich blend of Chinese, Indonesian, and Arabic elements. Its interior is decorated with Moorish and Dutch tiles emblazoned with animal and floral motifs. Some of the tiles even portray biblical scenes.

A beautifully decorated tomb lies in the mosque’s yard. The grave was the last wish of Fatimah Wu, who died in 1792.

It’s crypt is intricately decorated with Chinese writing and dragons, along with Arabic and Chinese ornaments.
In 1972, the Jakarta administration issued a gubernatorial decree that officially protected the mosque as a historical building.

A timeworn wooden speaker’s platform embellished with flowerlike engravings from the building is currently an exhibit at the Jakarta History Museum.

“The last renovation was performed in 2005 to change the mosque into a three-story building, so it can accommodate all the Muslims who want to use it, particularly during Friday prayers,” another senior cleric, Abdul Nawi, told the Post.

“The mosque reminds me of the atmosphere in Madinah. It comforts me and always brings me back here when I come to Jakarta,” Ahmad Yahya, a visitor from Central Sulawesi, said.