Menara Masjid Al-Aqsha Kudus antara Situs Hindu atau Islam

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to answer of question on the origin of the minaret of Al Aqsha Mosque of Kudus whether its is Hinduism-Buddhism or Islamic site. Data are collected through interview, observation and literature review by means of descriptive analytic method of analysis. This paper shows that archeological study classified the minaret as an Islamic building based on the Javanese symbols (candra sengkala) engraved in the pillars gapura rusak ewahing jagad. Gapura (gate) refers to 9, rusak means 0, ewahing is 6 and jagad means 1. Read from the last, it refers to the year 1609. The year was the era of Walisongo when Hinduism was declining in Kudus. Hindus and Buddhists people consider the minaret similar to temple based on the architecture and oral tradition. Therefore, further study incorporating history and archeology need to be conducted.