Al-Mashun Grand Mosque: Historic Landmark of Medan

RRI.CO.ID, Medan – Al-Mashun Grand Mosque, also known as Medan Grand Mosque, is a mosque in Medan, North Sumatra. In use since 1909, the mosque has become one of Medan’s most recognizable landmarks.

When it was first established, the mosque was part of the Maimun Palace complex. Its architecture combines elements of Middle Eastern, Indian, and Spanish styles. The mosque has an octagonal layout, with wings extending to the south, east, north, and west.

The history of Al-Mashun Grand Mosque is closely associated with the role of the Sultan of Deli, Sultan Ma’mun Ar-Rasyid. He began construction of the mosque on August 21, 1906, when the sultanate was under the influence of the Dutch East Indies colonial administration.

Construction was completed on September 10, 1909, and was marked by the first Friday prayer held at the mosque. The total construction budget amounted to one million Dutch guilders at the time.

Ma’mun Ar-Rasyid built the mosque according to his principle that the mosque should be more important than his own palace, Maimun Palace. Construction was funded by the Deli Sultanate, Deli Maatschappij, and Tjong A Fie, who was the wealthiest businessman in Medan at the time.

Most of the materials used to construct the mosque were imported from overseas and were known for their high quality. These included marble from Italy and Germany, as well as stained glass imported from China.

To this day, Al-Mashun Grand Mosque remains a popular place of worship among residents of Medan. During Ramadan, the mosque also hosts a tradition of distributing 1,000 portions of soup porridge for iftar, attracting even more people to the mosque.