Apart from having wonderful natural panorama, Lombok is also a great religious destination for Muslims. This island is the center of halal tourism in Indonesia. The government is truly preparing Lombok to be the pilot project of their big halal tourism. That effort is made easy because Lombok has many religious tourist destinations.
Islam started entering Lombok at the beginning of the 17th century. The graves of the first Muslim missionaries and sultans have become tourist attractions. In other words, many Muslims come to pay their respect and pray for them. Here are some of the most popular religious tourist destinations in Lombok.
Bayan Beleq Mosque
This is the oldest mosque in all Lombok. Just as the name suggests, the mosque is located at Bayan, North Lombok. Bayan is the main entrance of Islam that came with merchants from Java, India, and the Middle East. As the first mosque, you can see that the structural shape is still using Lombok’s traditional style. The mosque is also known as Wetu Telu Mosque, following a life circle of chicken. There is also an old cemetery next to the mosque. It is believed to be the resting place of Abdul Rozak, the first Islam missionary in Lombok.
Wali Nyatoq Grave
Locals believe that Wali Nyatoq is one of the saints that spread Islam teachings in West Lombok. As a result, his grave is often visited by pilgrims. Some people even believe that their wish will come true if they pray in this grave. Even some national politicians come praying here when they have problems. The grave is located at Rembitan Village, Pujut, Central Lombok.
Hubbul Wathan Mosque
This majestic mosque is part of the NTB Islamic Center. This is indeed the center of religious tourism in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. You can say that the inspiration of architectural design of Hubbul Wathan Mosque comes from eastern European and Middle Eastern architecture. During the night, the mosque becomes even more remarkable with spectacular lighting. Hubbul Wathan is the center of Pesona Khazanah Ramadhan Festival.
Loang Baloq
You can say that this is ‘two in one’ attraction. In Sasak language, Loang Baloq means a hollowed banyan tree. There is indeed a huge banyan tree in this area. Anyway, there is a cemetery of many Islam missionaries in this area. In particular, the most popular one is the grave of Maulana Syech Gaus Abdurrazak, a missionary from Baghdad. You can also find a lovely beach nearby. So, after you are done with your religious affair, you can still enjoy the legendary Lombok beach.
Selaparang Cemetery
As the name suggests, this is the cemetery for the Selaparang royals. Selaparang was a Hindu kingdom which was then eclipsed by the Majapahit. When Islam entered the island, Selaparang also becomes an Islamic kingdom. The cemetery is reminiscent of the old time when Selaparang Kingdom still ruled Lombok. There is no clear mark of every grave, but people believe they are the kings of Selaparang.
Lombok is projected to be one of the best halal tourism destinations in Indonesia. In fact, there are lots of efforts have been done, and the many religious tourist destinations on this island will only help.
