REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Battle of Kotabaru occurred on October 7, 1945 in the area of Kotabaru — now part of Gondokusuman, Yogyakarta City, Special Region Yogyakarta (DIY). The national fighters faced off against the Japanese army. Although in the end Dai Nippon surrendered, the number of Indonesian casualties was considerable. A total of 21 people were killed. Among them were Ahmad Jazuli, Supadi, Sunaryo, Akhmad Zakir, Abubakar Ali, and others.

To honor and commemorate their services, various elements of the local Muslim community took the initiative to erect mosques. In 1950 in the Kotabaru area, the plan was finally realized. There stood an Islamic place of worship, which was later called the Memorial Mosque of Shuhada.

The full name means a place of worship and a monument commemorating the hero or martyr who fell in the Battle of Kotabaru. However, the complex of places of worship is more often called the Mosque of Shuhada. The mosque was officially opened to the public since September 20, 1952. The ceremony was attended by the then president of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir Sukarno.

As reported on the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the mosque was built on land donated by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX. The location of the land is exactly near the mouth of the Kali Code, namely between Kridonggo Bridge (Kewek kreteg) and Gonu Bridge.

Syuhada Mosque was designed to consist of three floors. The roof of the mosque as the top of the mosque has a large cupel (mustoko) as the dome of the mosque. The middle part is a room for prayer and the lower part is a room used as an office and a mosque library.

In his article published by Government DIY, Heru Sutrisno said that the first stone laying of the construction of the Shuhada Mosque took place on September 23, 1950 or 11 Zulhijjah 1369 H. It coincided with Eid al-Adha. Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, who at that time served as the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia, also attended the moment.

The Syuhada Mosque is a monument built for the fighters or shuhada at the battle of Kotabaru on 7 October 1945. There were 21 fighters killed in this battle, and it was founded on the construction of the Shuhada Mosque in 1950. Thus, the Syuhada Mosque is interpreted as a place of worship and a reminder of the hero or martyr who fell at the Battle of Kotabaru. 

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