REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The number of masjid in Indonesia has increased significantly, according to M Jusuf Kalla, the Vice President concurrently Chairman of the Indonesian Mosque Council. However, the government did not have the data on exact number of masjid in the country.
"Only God knows the exact number of masjid in Indonesia," Kalla said in his opening address during the national coordinating meeting of Muslimat NU, a women's wing of NU (Nahdlatul Ulama), the country's largest Muslim organization), here, Sunday evening.
According to Kalla, the number of masjid is believed around one million. Meanwhile, he always say 800 thousand.
"But, it's probably one million. This is amazing development," Kalla said.
With 800 thousand mosques, it means one masjid for 225 Muslims, he said. Masjid are now available everywhere, such as in malls, offices and schools, he remarked.
A mall having a masjid attracts more Muslim buyers, he added.
"Nowadays, a mall is more attractive when it has a big masjid on its upper floor, so visitors could perform mass Friday prayer or maghrib (after sunset) prayer. We are grateful that Indonesia is changing excellently," he said.
Nearly 90 percent of Indonesia's 260 million population are Muslims.
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