SULTAN RIAU GRAND MOSQUE, PENYENGAT ISLAND

The Mosque which beame the pride of the Malays was founded on the first of Syawal 1249 H (1832 M) on the initiative of King Abdurrahman, Yang Dipertuan Muda Riau VII. It's located on the island of Penyengat Indera Sakti, Western District of Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, Indonesia. Penyengat island measuring about 2x1 km, is about 2 km from Tanjungpinang with distance of about 15 minutes by boat. 

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Implementation of construction involving all layers of society in the Kingdom of Riau who work day and night. The mosque is made entirely of Beton. That said because many residents donated food such as rice, vegetables and eggs the worker get bored eating the eggs so the yolk just eaten alone. Because many lamented wasted egg whites, the architect of Indian nationality Tumasik (now Singapore) had the idea to use it as a building material. The remains off the egg white was then used as an adhesive, mixed with sand and lime. The building of the mosque can stand firmly even to this day.

 

The overall area of the mosque complex is approximately 54.4 x 32.2 meters. Parent building measuring 29.3 x 19.5 meters and is supported by four pillars. The mosque has seven doors and six windows.

 

 The Door

The Window

Mosque Sultan Riau is located in the court, possibility the former location of a small hill flattened, with a height of about 3 meters from the road surface. To rise to the mosque, made ​​stairs high enough. From the stairs, there is a footpath on the central axis of the symmetrical building units. On the left and right yard of the mosque, there is a stoned wall and pyramid-roofed buildings. Locals people call the twin buildings with Sotoh. This place serves as the deliberations of the clerics and scholars, cater for travelers and a place to hold meetings.

 

Sotoh

Wood Construction Building in front of Main Building (Mosque)

The twin buildings on the left and right, places to put food when there is a feast and to break the fast when Ramadhan arrives. Its longest side parallel to the direction of Qibla. The second building is a kind of relay station, but a large and long-sided, having under, with the construction made ​​of wood.

 

The main entrance door is in the middle of the mosque, as bay front veranda (porch) and topped with a dome. In each corner there are pilasters. Plan and all of the elements in the mosque are in a symmetrical arrangement.The roof of the main hall of the mosque is very unique, and shows the influence of India, where the architect comes. The uniqueness is in the form of transverse and longitudinal rows of domes. Onion-shaped dome, lined up four leads mecca and line up three with the transverse direction. Overall amounted 12. If coupled with a dome on top of the front porch of the main entrance, then the number to 13. 

 

Right Side of Interior

Domes

Regarding the meaning of the dome, which reached number 13 pieces, some say that the number represents the pillars of the mosque and when coupled with the tower number four, the number to symbolize the number of cycles of prayer 17. This represents the number of individual duty cycles of prayer a day and night.  

The mosque has 4 minarets, were located at each corner of the main prayer room, with a similar shape. Very pointy spire shaped like a tower pensil. The tower appears to be influenced by the minarets of mosques in Turkey, which actually comes from the Byzantine architectural style. It is little to distinguish, in Turkey tapering minarets, tall and slender, while the tower of the Mosque of Sultan Riau on Penyengat only pointy, but not tall and slim (fat). 

 

Minaret

Ventilation on Minaret

The specialty and uniqueness of this mosque can also be seen from the objects contained in it. Near the main entrance, visitors can see the handwritten manuscripts of the Qur'an which is placed in a glass coffin at the front entrance. The manuscripts written by Abdurrahman Stambul in 1867 M. He was one of the sons of Riau Riau-Lingga kingdom sent to study in Istanbul, Turkey. The Istanbul-style manuscripts written by the author on the sidelines of the Islamic religion in teaching activities Penyengat Island. 

 

The Handwritten Manuscripts of The Qur'an

Actually, there's another one handwritten Qur'an Mushaf contained in this mosque, but not shown to the public. Manuscripts older than the other, because it was made in 1752 M. In the frame of manuscripts unknown authorship, there are interpretations of the verses of the Qur'an. This indicates that the Malays are not only rewrite the manuscripts, but also try to translate it. Unfortunately, manuscripts can not be shown to tourists because the conditions have been damaged. These manuscripts are stored together with about 300 books in the two cabinets that are in front of the right wing of the mosque. They are the remains of the books that can be rescued from the kingdom of Riau-Lingga library, during a massive exodus of people of Riau to Singapore and Johor in the early 20th century because of a war against the Dutch colonialists. 

 

Another interesting thing to look at is a pulpit made of teak wood. This pulpit specially imported from Jepara, a small town on the north coast which famous for its carve handicrafts since a long time. Actually there are two pulpits are ordered at that time, the pulpit is placed in the Mosque of Sultan Riau, while the other, smaller size, placed in a mosque in the area Daik. Near the pulpit of Sultan Riau Mosque is stored plate of sand that supposedly came from the land of Mecca al-Mukarramah, complements other objects such as rugs from Turkey and crystal chandelier. This sand was brought by Raja Ahmad Engku Haji Tua, Riau nobility first pilgrimage, in 1820 M. This sand is commonly used by local communities on the ground trace ceremony, a traditional stomping ground for the first time for the children.