A Small Taste Of Islam

Gigi Brady, Islam, 08-18.01.14

Until very recently, I had never before been inside a mosque. I had seen pictures from textbooks and movies, but had never had the first-hand experience. We were well aware that the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque would be crowded Friday midday, but had hoped that with exceptionally respectful attire, we might be able to catch an inside glimpse. The students with whom we spent time in Banda Aceh told us that there were generally 5,000 men praying in the mosque at this Friday prayer, which seemed steep, but the perfectly organized overflow out of the mosque convinced me. Unfortunately we were unable to enter the mosque, due to a mixture of our dress and our personal faiths, but we were able to walk around as well as watch and listen to the call to prayer and worship service.

I have found the representations of Islam in Indonesia's infrastructure to be incredibly beautiful. Although the inside body of the mosque tends to be simply furnished and almost empty, exteriors are ornate and everything is incredibly clean. A religion of millions of people can be organized into straight lines within minutes of a loudly projected call to prayer. Many people carry their own prayer scarfs so that they may pray at the right time, regardless of where they are. The female students in Banda Aceh waited outside with us until the worship was over and then quickly prayed before we had to leave for lunch.

A few days ago, Mbak Jeni's host father was able to accompany us into a smaller mosque so that we might get a first-hand experience. We were able to ask questions of some of the mosque's male and female members, as well as learn a little bit more about the worship experience, specifically in terms of gender differences. They even opened the divider between the men's and women's sections to give us a more holistic perspective of the mosque's interior. Lastly, we learned about the recommendations for charity and donations within the mosque, both in suggested amount, and specific areas for which the mosque uses the money.

The small taste of Islam that we have encountered here is far from comprehensive, but each place we visit gives us new information, and I can't wait to explore Islam in the more urban environment of Yogyakarta!

 

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