25 Poles at the mosque Gantiang

Grand Mosque of Gantiang in the city of Padang, West Sumatra, seen from the front, Friday (6/7). The mosque is one of the oldest mosque in the city of Padang.

As many as 25 mast stood foursquare inside Grand Mosque of Gantiang in Jalan Gantiang No. 10, Kelurahan, Kecamatan Gantiang Parak Gadang Padang Timur, Padang, West Sumatra. The Poles into the main buffer is number 25 mosque represents the prophets and Apostles should be diimani in the teaching of Islam.

On poles that listed names of those prophets in Arabic script. Starting from the writings of the Prophet Adam AS name, whose names are listed in the column on the right rear corner, and covered with writing the name of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

"This order follows the way of reading the Scriptures of the Quran that starts from the right side," said the imam of the Grand Mosque of Gantiang, Safruddin (57).

That day, good Friday (6/7), or just a few days before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. A number of worshipers filled the saf (sequence) ahead to implement ASR prayers in Congregation in worship.

Some among the pilgrims is a passer that passes the highway ahead of mosque. Some of the visitors come with a number of family members.

As soon as a time to pray inside, worshipers gather around saf cutting edge. It is located close to the Saf the last line of the main poles of the cantilever of the mosque.

Poles are lined in five lines. Diameter 40-centimetre currently 4.2 yards with white paint. Unadorned, except for the names of the Prophet in Arabic script and a bit of paint color of golden yellow at the top and lowest level.

Based on the record of the Grand Mosque library titled a glimpse of History Gantiang the Grand Mosque of Gantiang, the poles were made of bricks. The Poles into the roof of the cantilever roof of the octagonal.

Based on the same note, the roof of the dome was done by the artisan-artisan from China under the command of Captain Lou Chian Ko. The influence of China is visible from the architect form the roof storey octagonal dome which resembles the shape of the roof to pray.

Grand Mosque of Gantiang now stands with a magnificent main dome was flanked of two towers on the right and left. Before getting into the inside, in the seven pillars of lined serambinya look. Each is composed of two adjoining piers. To access go into it, there are eight doors which can be used.

Safruddin originating from Payakumbuh, West Sumatra, has 25 years as a priest in the mosque. He remembers clearly, when the earthquake struck Padang on September 30, 2009, nine poles were damaged.

Each pillar with the inscription the name of Prophet Ibrahim, Luth, Hud, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, job, and Shoaib. "Of the nine pillars, damaged by the name of Prophet Shoaib pole had suffered destruction," Safruddin said.

The Oldest

Improvement and scrutiny is carried out by officers of the ancient Relic Preservation Hall (BP3) Batusangkar. The reason, the Grand Mosque of Gantiang, built in 1805 it is one of the oldest mosque in the city of Padang.

One of the oldest Mosque is a mosque in other Muhammadan Batipo Market Street, the city of Padang. The two often referred to as the mosque is the oldest mosque in the city of Padang.

Grand Mosque library records mention Gantiang, before starting to built in 1805 on the location now, the mosque stands on the edge of the stem initially (River) Arau in 1790. Construction of the highway by the Government of Netherlands East Indies towards Teluk Bayur Harbor make that initial building had to be demolished. It then moved to the current location.

Land size mosque 95,6 meters x 102 metres at the current location of the seven tribes of the endowments that were in the area. In the southern part of the building there is a tomb of the originator of the construction of the Grand Mosque of Gantiang, namely Sheikh Haji Angku Uma.

However, it has not been able to mention name Safruddin tribes referred to, including background on the unification of the tribes in the construction of the mosque.

However, traces of the old mosque's diverse history as a witness important events recorded in the Grand Mosque library records Gantiang. In between the earthquake and the tsunami in 1933 that made the stone floor of the composition was replaced with a mixture of chalk and pumice processed shells.

Center activities

The mosque was so Central Islamic renewal movement in Minangkabau in 1918. In addition, the location of the first Hajj embarkation in the central part of Sumatra.

In fact, the grounds of the Grand Mosque of Gantiang also became the location of the first school or pesantren Sumatera Thawalib in pondok Padang. This occurred following the start of school by Haji Abdul Karim Amrullah bin in Padang Panjang about a century ago.

Safruddin added, throughout the holy month of Ramadan this year, it was so central mosque of worship activities, inter alia to spmb elementary to HIGH SCHOOL levels, tadarus or read the Bible, Quran and lectures after the brief prayer times dzuhur.

Yusi (36), one of the residents living in the neighborhood bordered on the back of the mosque, said, in addition, other activities, such as the Division of Staples, also committed to meeting the needs of admits the feast of Eid al-Fitr. However, he said, activities at the mosque that is now likely to no longer as it used to be. "Maybe because there have been many people who wander," he said. (Ingki Rinaldi)