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3.3 Masjid At-Taqwa, Indonesian Mosque in Taoyuan
After long period in absence of new mosque in Taiwan, finally on June 2013, there is one newly build Indonesian community mosque in Dayuan, Taoyuan. As immigrant in Taiwan, in order to preserve their identity and cultural life, the Indonesian Muslim formed various religious-based community and to fulfil their needs for a place for religious purpose and social gathering, they build this first “Indonesian-mosque”. This mosque is officially launched on June 9th, 2013. It can be said that this mosque gives a big influence, especially for Indonesian Muslim communities in Taiwan, and creates a special phenomenon about Islam in Taiwan.
3.3.1 History of Masjid At-Taqwa in Dayuan
The mosque named “Masjid At-Taqwa”or Dayuan Mosque (大園清真寺). It was initiated by a Chinese Muslim convert (named Mr. Yasin) and his Indonesian wife (Mrs. Hasanah) who owned “Warung Hasan Warto”, an Indonesian groceries store and small restaurant.
The mosque is built on a ground sized 24.46 meters x 4.8 meters, and located in Guanyin Industrial Park Complex, not far from Taoyuan International Airport. The existence of this mosque is very desirable for the majority of workers who live in the area Dayuan, Guanyin and surrounding areas. For them, this mosque is much closer than Longgang mosque in Chungli. Previously, they have to travel far and long enough to get to the Mosque.
Before, there are six official mosques or masjids in Taiwan. These six mosques are located in Taipei (two mosques; Taipei Grand Mosque 台北清真寺29 and Taipei Cultural Mosque 台北文化清真寺), Chungli (Longgang Mosque 龍岡清真寺), Taichung (台中清真寺), Tainan (台南清真是寺), and Kaohsiung (高雄清真寺). There are also some small prayer rooms in Taiwan’s big cities where there are big Muslim population (mostly foreign
29 Taipei's Grand Mosque is the first Arabian style mosque built in Taiwan. Ground breaking work was started in 1958, and it was completed in 1960. On the day of its grand opening, the late ROC Vice President Chen Cheng gave the keynote speech and invites the late King of Iran, H.M. Mohammoud Palavi; the King of Jordan, H.M. Hussein; the former Prince Regent of Iraqi, H.P.H. Prince Abdul Ilah; the former Premier of Turkey, H.E. Adnan Miendaris; the former President of the Niger Republic, H.E. Hamani Diari; and the King of Saudi Arabia, H.M. Faisal bin Abdul Aziz (Hajj Dawood, 1988).
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Besides mosques, Taiwan also provides several dedicated small-size Muslim prayer rooms in public spaces, such as; in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan County (at the transit area of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2), Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall – Taipei, Window on China Theme Park in Taoyuan County, Leofoo Village Theme Park in Hsinchu County and Shangri-La Leisure Farm in Yilan County.
The presence of Indonesian Muslim and their mosque show a social phenomenon of current multicultural life in Taiwan. Taiwan and its Chinese culture is not simply associated with Islam as religion and Muslim. However, with the aging population in Taiwan and growing number of immigrant worker31, the demographic of Taiwan is changing. Numerous immigrant workers (mainly from South East Asian countries) come to Taiwan to work in informal sector, and Indonesian workers marked as the highest in terms of its number of total foreign workers in Taiwan32.
Many Indonesian workers in this area are away from religious values, so that they finally took the initiative to build a place for doing a prayer. At first, the intention is to create a small place to perform prayer (mushola), not the mosque. Some of the Indonesian workers use the upstairs of Mrs. Hasanah’s store to be used as a gathering place for study and do yasinan.
However, due to the enthusiasm of the Indonesian workers and encouragement from many other Indonesians, they wanted to have a place of worship that also can accommodate many more worshipers for Friday prayers, and the Eid prayer. Mrs. Hasanah then invites various organizations around Dayuan and FOSMIT Chungli to assist the establishment of this mosque. At that time, Mr. Suyadi, whom become the Imam of Masjid At-Taqwa, was the president of FOSMIT Chungli.
30 Some of those universities which provided prayer room for Muslim students are National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) in Taipei, National Ciao Tung University (NCTU) in Hsinchu, Asia University in Taichung, and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan.
31 Based on research from Hong, Yang, and Chen from National Taiwan Normal University, they mentioned on their research report about foreign workers in Taiwan that in recent years, the unbalanced labor supply and demand in Taiwan has resulted in a lack of basic manpower. In consequence, CLA open up Taiwan's job market to foreign workers starting from October 1989.
32 Based on the data of Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) Taipei, per March 2013 there are 198,367 Indonesian workers (44%) from total 451,202 foreign workers in Taiwan. It puts Indonesia above Vietnam (23%), the Philippines (19%) and Thailand (63,517).
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The biggest challenge in the establishment of this mosque is funding, that cost up to 9,000,000 Taiwan Dollar. Based on the Taiwan government regulations for building permits, the building must have stood and finished to build in one year. If not, the unfinished building will be demolished. So that the funds should be ready in the time to catch up this regulation. There is still 2,600,000 Taiwan Dollar shortage for land purchasing payment within one year. At first, the owner of the land offers to rent the land for 10 years, but then he offers to sell the land. It becomes an opportunity for Indonesian Muslim to own the mosque and land permanently.
3.3.2 Masjid At-Taqwa Activities
Until now, this three story mosque had stood quite magnificent and activities are going smoothly. The takmir or mosque management seeks to continue to raise funds in various ways, one of them is by promoting of mosque building in various Tabligh akbar events and other forums.
During one year after its official launch, Masjid At-Taqwa has been witnessing some Taiwanese who converts to Islam, whether because of individual reason or desire to marry the Indonesian Muslims. In addition, Masjid At-Taqwa hold 5 times prayer and Friday prayers routinely, and weekly recitation of tahlil and yasinan every Saturday night, where Indonesian Muslim workers have time off at the time.
Masjid At-Taqwa has three imams who serve to the mosque regularly, and they serve in shift depends on their working shift. While the number of regular worshipers at the mosque is depends on the time; during weekday in midday and afternoon prayers time, there is not so many workers can come, only about 5-10 people due to the working shift. While for Magrib and Isha prayer, the number is increasing to 15-20 people. As for Friday prayers, there are around 40-50 people. The highest number of worshiper is on Saturday night and Sunday because of day off work. During the weekend, there are many Indonesian male workers come to the mosque for reciting Koran and learn Islam together. They often stay overnight at the mosque, so that they can continue to study after the dawn prayer.
In this year (2014), Masjid At-Taqwa invited ustadz (Islamic teacher) and his wife, who is also an ustadzah, from Indonesia to stay and preach Islamic teaching during the whole Ramadan month. They scheduled to give the teaching every day for Indonesian workers
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who visiting Masjid At-Taqwa, and also give private consultation regarding daily life problem of workers, in order to strengthen their mind and heart.
Not only religious activity, the mosque management also do entrepreneurs activities, such as making tempe (a name of particular Indonesian food made from soy bean) and halal meatballs for helping the funding of remaining payment of the mosque and also to promote halal food in Taiwan. Usually, they sell the halal meatballs, tempe, fried duck, and pientang (Taiwan lunch box) in Tabligh akbar or Indonesian events, also through online ordering by facebook.
3.3.3 Challenges for Masjid At-Taqwa
In addition to funding problem, another challenge for Masjid At-Taqwa is the Taiwanese society who live nearby to the mosque. Although the factory area does not has many resident and there are many Indonesian migrant who work there, but still the society is not familiar with Islam and Muslim. Thus, at first they are quite sensitive with the presence of the mosque and Indonesian Muslim who often visit. But now, some of the neighbor can understand and welcome.
However, there still some of Taiwanese people who often complain by calling police officer.
Most of the time, they are complaining about the noise, irregular parking, and littering/
cleanliness around the mosque. The mosque management, Mr. Yasin and Mrs. Hasanah are often communicate with some neighbors and police officer to solve this problem and minimize the same problem ahead. In order to have better relations with their neighborhood, the mosque also invites them to join the ifthar/ fasting break and have dinner together.
Another challenge for Masjid At-Taqwa is public transportation and accessibility. The absence of public transportation somehow become obstacle for many Indonesian worshipper (both worker and student), especially for those who live far away from the mosque. To reach the mosque location, some of them ride their bicycle for a long way and some others need to use taxi which is more costly. So, to solve this problem, Masjid At-Taqwa management provide a car to pick up worshipper who face this difficulties.
3.3.4 Masjid At-Taqwa Phenomenon and Its Influence
The presence of Masjid At-Taqwa, based on Suyadi opinion, is very important and can motivate Indonesian Muslim workers and Muslim in Taiwan in general, to support and
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develop the da’wa more actively through mosques and mushola. Over the last few decades, there has been no new construction of mosque in Taiwan, so that this mosque gives freshness and motivation for them.
According Suyadi, this mosque is different from other mosques in Taiwan, as it is established independently by Indonesian workers, as well as its management. In addition, Masjid At-Taqwa has more flexibility and freedom for Indonesian Muslims to do their activities compared to other mosques in Taiwan. Masjid At-Taqwa provides an opportunity for Indonesian workers, Indonesia Muslim students and the other Muslim from various countries to come to the mosque. In terms of location, this mosque is the closest to Taoyuan International Airport, hence sometimes there are some Muslim tourist from South East Asia and Mainland China who come to visiting the mosque, doing their prayer and having lunch with Mrs. Hasanah’s Indonesian halal food.
Another opinion stated by Mr. Zulhendri, one of the Imam in Masjid At-Taqwa, about the influence of Masjid At-Taqwa. Before the mosque is stood up, according to police officer and security in factory area, criminalities level such as fighting between workers who are drunk and quarrelling in this area was quite high. But after this mosque and activities are hold frequently, the condition are getting better and become more secure.
Mr. Harsono, vice head of Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) in Taipei, mentioned:
“The number of Indonesian Muslims are very large and spread throughout Taiwan, therefore the existence and construction of mosque or mushola becomes important. The presence of Masjid At-Taqwa in Taoyuan, and the mushola in various places (mostly located near the Indonesian stores) is very good.”
Now, another mosque initiated by Indonesian Muslim workers communities named FOSPI – Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia (Indonesian Sailor Solidarity Forum) in Donggang, Pingtung, is on progress to be built, and now they are still collecting the fund. In this area, there are more than 1,000 Indonesian male who works as sailor. FOSPI plans to buy a land and building in Donggang, and make 3-storey mosque. They will use this place as their place to do Islamic learning, yasinan and tahlilan, 5-time prayer and Friday prayer.
In addition, smaller prayer room for praying is also increasingly grown in various places in Taiwan. IETO as Indonesia's representative in Taiwan supports and encourages the
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establishment of the religious facilities. However, IETO Taipei, suggested that the establishment of the mosque should be appropriate and not contradict with the Taiwan government’s regulations.