TIMES BANYUWANGI, JAKARTA – Hidden amidst the lush and beautiful hills of Jombang lies a place that attracts visitors from various regions, including Pasuruan, Mojokerto, Gresik, Lamongan, and Tuban. This place is Buyut Sona Mosque, located in Grobogan Hamlet, Karangpakis Village, Kabuh, Jombang, East Java, Indonesia.

What makes Buyut Sona Mosque so intriguing? One of the things that makes it special is the location of the mosque building, which was constructed on top of a limestone hill.

This hill holds its own history and blessings as it has been adjacent to the ancestral graves of the locals since ancient times.

Buyut Sona Mosque is not even two years old since its construction, yet it has become viral and frequently visited by worshippers from various regions. They come not only from the local Jombang area but also from outside Jombang, including Pasuruan, Mojokerto, Gresik, Lamongan, and other areas.

While at Buyut Sona Mosque, worshippers often engage in pilgrimage to the tomb of Mbah Buyut Sona, located right in front of the mosque. Mbah Buyut Sona is a revered figure who lived during the Majapahit Kingdom era and is believed to be a saint with blessings.

The Caretaker's Story

The caretaker of the mosque, Sugeng, who used to be the head of Banjardowo Village in Kabuh, explained that the tomb's location is in the midst of an active excavation site. In the past, there were limestone hills on both sides, but they had already been mined.

The hope was that after the limestone was depleted, it would become fertile land for cultivation. However, the land remained barren.

"The tomb used to be neglected. One day, an elderly person came to me and advised, 'If you want to be blessed, take care of Mbah Buyut Sona's tomb,'" he explained.

Since then, he began taking care of the tomb. A beautiful shrine was built for the tomb. The elderly person's advice turned out to be true.

"After taking care of the tomb, his income improved significantly, and his mining business also thrived. The employees and the local community benefited from this as well," he added.

Eventually, Sugeng also built the mosque right in front of the tomb, all with his own funds.

Mosque's Features

The mosque has a size of 10x10 meters, with wooden flooring, wooden walls, and a roof made of wood with cement tiles from Sidoarjo. A surrounding wall was built with bricks from Blora.

To enhance the mosque's walls, three carvers from Jepara were brought in. The walls are adorned with carvings of the attributes of Allah and virtuous phrases.

Kasmidi, one of the carvers from Jepara, said, "I've been working here for three months." He was assisted by Roni and Saiful, who were also from Jepara. They return to Jepara once a month.

Anshori Khudlori, a local religious figure, mentioned that the tomb and mosque serve as a means to draw closer to Allah SWT. Activities there are continuous. Every Thursday night, Friday night, Yasin Tahlil readings are held at the mosque.

On every Friday night, the local community hold istighotsah (an act of pray) and send blessings. Once in a month they also provide alms to orphans. The exotic beauty of design and architecture of Buyut Sona Mosque has never stop the caretaker and the local community to do good deed. (*)