The TSUNAMI that occurred in Aceh on December 26, 2004 was the darkest historical event of the 20th century. The devastating catastrophe has killed more than 160,000 people. All Acehnese can not forget this great event.
Many real stories are tucked even unacceptable logic. One of the many true stories is the Baiturrahim Mosque. The ferocity of the tsunami could not destroy the mosque which is located right on the shore of Ulee Lheue.
Standing firmly in the former tsunami rampage, the Baiturrahim Mosque, Ulee Lheu, Meuraxa Sub-district, Banda Aceh City, holds a unique and heroic long history.
The Miraculous Story of Baiturrahim Ulee Lheue Aceh Mosque
The Azan has just reverberated, a sign of prayer beginning at the Baiturrahim Mosque. Residents flocked into the House of God for the congregational prayer. After the prayers, some residents continue with beri'tikaf. That's the activity of this mosque every day.
"Salat five times in congregation is always our title here. Even on the day of the tsunami (December 26, 2004), we also held Zuhur prayers in congregation here, "said Subhan (31), Baiturrahim mosque administrator.
The Baiturrahim Mosque was a silent witness to the Aceh tsunami miracle 9 years ago. As the giant waves ripen, the mosque, which is only a few meters from the sea, stands on Ulee Lheu. While the buildings around it flat with the ground.
Ulee Lheu is one of the densely populated areas of Banda Aceh, with a population of 6,000. When the tsunami struck, more than half of the population was victimized. Four hamlets disappeared after the waves receded.
"That day I saw Ulee Lheu between believing and not. Like in a dream. All flat with the ground, the only building survived only this mosque, "recalls Subhan.
Many residents escaped by crowded the first and second floors of the mosque when the tsunami struck. Death lurked, they one-on-one dragged the stream out and lost in the density of the flood. Only nine people made it to the roof survived.
According to survivors, there were three tsunami waves crashing the 9th-magnitude baiturrahim mosque. Every wave always breaks when it strikes the mosque, then rolls around the buildings that surround it. The wave height reaches the roof of the mosque or more than 10 meters.
"The condition of the water in the mosque was so calm, people can swim between these poles to the pole, while outside the rolls are very fierce," said Subhan.
When the wave receded, he told me, the mosque is clean from human remains. Except only the body of an old woman found in the corner of the building. The Qur'an is littered on the floor in an open and intact condition inside the mosque, nothing is carried by the current.
While some mosque buildings, side and rear, damaged approximately 20 percent. Although the building is without iron frame or buffer bone, this mosque stands intact in the middle of "killing field". People judge that Allah has displayed his power in the Baiturrahim Mosque. Subhan Allah...
REFLECTION 9 Years of Aceh Tsunami Disaster
FRESH warns us of an event nine years ago, Allah S.W.T. gave a reprimand in Tanah Rencong through a devastating disaster that devastated parts of Aceh. A great wave incurred the capital of Aceh province in particular, which claimed thousands of lives of our brothers in Aceh at that time, not a few of them had to lose relatives, relatives, even property.
Precisely on December 26, 2006 at that time, the most western province of Indonesia is being tested for patience and fortitude. Aceh which seizes the attention of the inhabitants of the earth and even the international world even with the incident.
It is sad indeed, no longer the hustle and bustle of the life of a City, there is only the sound of crying and completely paralyzed from the activities as before, but His will no one can predict to be avoided let alone to dismiss the disaster. Sobbing is no longer unstoppable at that time, unable to hold sadness for the loss of loved ones, if the property is not asked.
Not to mention the unresolved blood shedding of the bloodshed in Aceh, the misery was on the shoulders of the Acehnese people. Of course all this is a lesson to be learned behind the Tsunami that happened, not long ago it still continues to come a splendor of happiness behind the tears and grief that still enveloped Aceh, with signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Helsinki which means the achievement of peace to end armed conflict between the Government of Indonesia and the Alhamdulillah GAM that is still enveloping the body of Aceh.
Imagine, behind the calamity that comes, there is also a peace that is very coveted by the people who have saturated life in the unrest caused by a conflict. One wound has healed, Minimal not burdened two things pain at once with the test of the Tsunami Wave disaster. Apparently still opened the door of the heart and compassion arising from certain parties to resolve the conflict in Aceh which has for many years the blood in Aceh continues to spill.
Gratitude is said to ALLAH S.W.T. who had heard the suffering of His people in Aceh. Day after day continues to continue to follow clockwise, recovery for recovery continues to roll back to re-create the hope of making the city ravaged by the big waves. As unlikely, in a period of less than a decade, the heart of this city of Aceh can restore its new face as usual, when viewed from the level of damage that almost tends to be totally destroyed, both facilities and infrastructure, social facilities and others, but this is purely happening.
Alhamdulillah, thanks to our prayer together, Aceh slowly began to rise from the downturn that seemed not to continue to be haunted by sadness and pain even though the actual crying is still an imprint of the hearts of the people of Aceh especially at that time. Slowly begin to rise, many influencing factors that are based on a strong desire.
Concerns continue to flood after the incident, keep coming donors who reached out to Aceh at that time, both our brothers in Aceh, in the country, even the international world even trying to eliminate sadness. Humanitarian aid continues to approach from various directions, humanely there are no eyes that were not touched when he saw the face of Aceh at that time.
It is this basic compassion that encourages the closing of the tale story and its new face as it is today, at first glance a sort of massive disaster in nine years ago compared to the present.
Not only that, the effort for the sake of effort is also done to restore the spirit, soul and mental of the survivors of the disaster to not be continuous in the sadness of losing their loved ones, must be chestnut indeed when lost what they have in a matter of hours only and immediately vanished instantaneously.
Although now they can smile again, but still not be warned by our brothers who experienced it, and people they love also still can not be with them again.
At the moment of the nine-year anniversary of the Tsunami disaster on 26 December 2013, it becomes i'tibar for all of us. We review what wisdom comes from the incident after nine years passed, whether Aceh is currently through the rebuke of the tsunami is able to change towards a better direction or vice versa?
The answer to that judgment lies in each of us, whether progress or decline in terms of morality, religion, even in terms of humanity in Aceh. Would such a reprimand not be a reflection for us to understand what behaviors we did before God brought the 2004 Tsunami disaster. We should realize that with such reproof that makes us aware of what we have done.
It is said that Aceh still holds the nickname of Earth Serambi Mecca, but whether until now the reality of the conditions of our various views of life is the right to bear the nickname? Of course all we do not want to be said as a hypocrite. Commonplace, as a person who has a sense and a healthy mind, will instantly be angry when others say ourselves as a hypocrite. But, on the other hand we should find out why the person said so.
Together, let us stretch our hands, only the prayers we deserve to give to our brothers who have been unavailable due to the disaster of the December 26, 2004 Tsunami. We make the nine-year warning of the Aceh Tsunami as the right momentum to look at Aceh in the future to be a dignified Aceh toward the blessing and acceptance of Allah SWT, and continue to be able to maintain the privileges that Aceh possesses as mandated in Law Number 44 Year 1999.