Textual Form and Community Reception of Qur’anic Calligraphy at Syuhada Mosque in Gampong Lamgugob

Abstract

Qur’anic calligraphy in mosques is often examined in terms of its visual form, aesthetic value, and religious function, while the relationship between textual completeness, Qur’anic context, and community reception has received less attention. This study examines 17 instances of Qur’anic calligraphic inscriptions at Syuhada Mosque in Gampong Lamgugob, Banda Aceh. It employed a descriptive qualitative field study based on observation, photographic documentation, field notes, and in-depth interviews with 11 informants selected through purposive and snowball sampling. The inscriptions were classified as complete or partial and analyzed using munāsabah, understood as thematic correspondence among Qur’anic passages, and siyāq, or textual context. Community responses were interpreted through exegetical, aesthetic, and functional reception. Eight complete inscriptions were grouped into three thematic clusters concerning worship and mosque life, religious guidance and moral responsibility, and divine sovereignty. Nine inscriptions contained selected parts of verses. Detailed analysis of Q. al-Naḥl [16]: 90 and Q. al-Tawbah [9]: 18 showed that the displayed fragments retained intelligible propositions but narrowed the semantic scope of the complete verses. Verse selection was shaped by theological themes, aesthetic and spatial considerations, consultation among mosque administrators and craftspeople, and the incorporation of Jepara-style carving. Congregants’ responses reflected exegetical, aesthetic, and functional reception, although the evidence did not permit a numerical ranking of their prevalence. The findings indicate that mosque calligraphy is best examined through the relationship among textual selection, material presentation, and community reception.