Masjid Ummul Mukminin Khadijah Binti Khawailid

Set within the expanding neighbourhoods of Kendari, the provincial capital of Southeast Sulawesi in Indonesia, the Masjid of Ummul Mukminin Khadijah bint Khuwaylid honours the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, may God be pleased with her, a woman whose faith, wisdom, and wealth supported the earliest years of the prophetic mission and whose example continues to inspire Muslim women across the Indonesian archipelago. Khadijah, may God be pleased with her, is remembered for being the first to believe when the Prophet received the revelation, for consoling him on the day the angel Gabriel first appeared, and for spending her considerable fortune in the service of the new community during the difficult years in Makkah. Kendari itself sits along the Banda Sea coast of Sulawesi, a city whose population blends Bugis, Muna, Tolaki, and Buton communities, with Islamic heritage rooted in the seafaring kingdoms that embraced Islam from the sixteenth century onward. The mosque follows an Indonesian style shaped by both Javanese tradition and Middle Eastern influence, with a high tiered roof flanked by a dome on a central axis, twin minarets, a broad veranda for overflow congregations, and walls of pale cream stucco decorated with geometric panels. Inside, the prayer hall is covered with deep green carpets, the mihrab is finished in carved plaster bearing calligraphy from Surah al Tahrim, and a carved teak minbar stands beside it. A large women's section accommodates sisters for daily prayers, lessons, and the kajian circles that are especially active in Indonesian mosques. Daily prayers gather residents, civil servants, university students, and traders, while Jumu'ah draws a large congregation, with the khutbah delivered in Bahasa Indonesia with Arabic recitation. Ramadan is warmly observed, with nightly taraweeh, iftars of kolak, bubur, rendang, and dates, and Qur'an completion ceremonies. Eid prayers fill the surrounding streets, and children in new clothes receive small gifts. The mosque also hosts Qur'an classes, charitable programmes for orphans, and regular kajian gatherings celebrating the Mothers of the Believers. Respectful dress, covered heads for women, and quiet conduct remain the expected etiquette on entry.