The History of the Old Mosque of Sidikalang

Ahmad Maulana Siddiq Solin (UIN Sumatera Utara)
Hotmatua Paralihan (UIN Sumatera Utara)
Abdi Mubarak Syam (UIN Sumatera Utara)

Madani: Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal
Vol 4, No 9 (2026): October 2026

This study aimed to reconstruct the historical chronology of the establishment and early development of the Old Sidikalang Grand Mosque from 1930 to the contemporary period, and to analyze its multidimensional role in advancing Islamic civilization in Sidikalang. A historical approach was employed to reconstruct the timeline, supported by a descriptive qualitative method involving in-depth interviews, architectural observation, and document analysis, all triangulated to verify the data. The results indicated that the mosque's chronology evolved from the Pioneering Phase (1930) by Guru Gindo Muhammad Arifin to the Consolidation Phase (permanent construction) and the Contemporary Phase (functioning as heritage). The key finding was the mosque's role as a Civilizational Catalyst, serving not only as a ritual center (ubûdiyyah) but also as the First Madrasah that incubated local scholars and an Identity Fortress that fostered a strong sense of belonging and harmonious coexistence for the minority Muslim community. The analysis concluded that the Old Sidikalang Grand Mosque is a vital and enduring marker of the first Islamic civilization in Dairi.