MASJID TUHA BUGENG MAHS-IDN-ACH-BRN-PDA-S-004 SAWANG VILLAGE, PEUDADA, BIREUEN, ACEH, INDONESIA

Interlocutors: M. Yunus HZ (caretaker) 

Interviewer: Ahmad Zaki  

In the early 1900’s, the inhabitants of Kampung Sawang had no place to worship. To address this, a prominent local, Teuku Ahmadsyah, built the Masjid Tuha Bugeng on his waqf land. The Tuha mosque is currently used as a place where children learn to recite the Quran. It is also occasionally used as a venue for releasing vows (hajat), where the community will pray and eat together (Khanduri).

The original size of the mosque was only about one-third the area of the current mosque. The calligraphy beside the entrance of the mosque contains verses of the Quran, which were based on decorations in the Medina Mosque, and were made by the people who returned from the hajj.  The site used to contain a structure that was used for deliberation, recitation and a place to wait for prayer times (balee). The balee was originally filled with beautiful red and green carvings. Now the balee is damaged and no longer used. The local community built a new mosque in 1982.