European World understand that the empire was a time of Iskandar Muda in Aceh achieve progress so rapidly, so often called the heyday of Aceh was the sultan Iskandar Muda (1607-1636). At the time of Iskandar Muda European world power, especially the Portuguese who had occupied Malacca and Asian countries since many centuries ago have failed to conquer Aceh, and according to expert analysis review of the Portuguese explained that at the time of Iskandar Muda in power, military power and the glory dipuncak Aceh were beyond the power of Portuguese the days of it, Portugal is a European power at the time of its expansion into the world outside to find the source of the economy. Portuguese had first entered Asia, especially Southeast Asia after a few centuries later followed by new adventurers of Dutch, English, French, and American.
A century before the Sultan Iskandar Muda in power that is precisely the sultanate Sultan Alauddin Shah Al-Kahhar Riayat crown prince sultan Alaiddin Mughayatsyah believed to be a founder of the kingdom of Aceh, Aceh has a lot to bring the kingdom into the glorious future. At the time the ruling sultan Al-Kahhar opening of relations with the outside world, including; Gujarat / India, the Arab nation, Egypt, Turkey, China and then the nations of the world of Europe and America also participated brisk trade with the kingdom of Aceh Darussalam.
Triumph achieved by the sultan al-Kahhar later inherited and developed by the Sultan Iskandar Muda, the triumph of the days of Iskandar Muda in Aceh so fascinating and wonderful world of Europe, so the kingdom of Aceh was always attended and visited by European traders during the year, and Portuguese at that time was a State representing the world's advanced European never surrender to invade Aceh to control trade along the Straits of Malacca is a transit center of world trade.
Number of Earth's resources are merupaakan treasure inexhaustible in the archipelago makes lust of the Portuguese to dominate all of that were increasingly larger. Portuguese Party is not willing to let the benefits of trade fell into the hands of others, even though they themselves have managed to take advantage doubled in the period before getting a chance navigating the Strait of Malacca. Professor CRBoxer record what has been stated by Jorge de Lamos, the director of repertory Portuguese in Goa / India circa 1590s, on the results obtained by the sultan of Aceh from foreign trade to the Red Sea in one year. Results pepper export and others as many as 30,000 to 40,000 quintals valued at three to four million darkat gold. De Lemos said;
"Really amazing wealth of Sumatra, so that if the exported Aceh been won, it must be 'crown' the kingdom of Portugal-Spain will be able to recover back wilyah-Christian areas that have been (including Jerusalem), even (be to) undermine the Ottoman empire ( Turkey).
Sultan Iskandar Muda attention to the areas of religion, education, and trade relations as well as military fields that can not be ruled out that the days. In the field of Religion, the Sultan Iskandar Muda Baiturrahman mosque built in 1614, Baiturrahman mosque ever built by Iskandar Muda much different now Baiturrahman mosque architecture. Based on the testimony of Peter Mundy in 1637 in a visit to the kingdom of Aceh in the 1600s, Baiturrahman Mosque built by Sultan Iskandar Muda do not have a single peak dome but has a dome-shaped parallelogram and has some cover the terraced roof, when viewed at a glance more like a dome of the pagoda or former Hindu cultural heritage that is far in the past had been a religion embraced by the people of Aceh.
It is unfortunate because the mosque was burned by the Dutch in the Netherlands during the war ultimatum to the kingdom of Aceh Darussalam on 1 April 1873, the Dutch burn Raya Baiturrahman mosque on April 10, 1873, in an effort to seize the royal palace or the palace of Aceh with the first break of Aceh troop morale high who maintain Raya Baiturrahman mosque till the last drop of blood. Seeing the castle troops aceh mosque inside the Dutch fire rained bullets into the building until the mosque on fire. Finally, the mosque can be controlled by the Netherlands, on 14 April 1873 after experiencing pressure and deadly resistance from the soldiers in Aceh, the Netherlands pay dearly for being brave enough to destroy a symbol of religion that is very respected and loved by the people of Aceh, so that after the Dutch managed to master the mosque on 14 April 1873 attack on Raya Baiturrahman mosque led by Maj. Gen. JHR Kohler, Kohler's not how long the mosque with his binoculars to monitor the complex suddenly Kohler ditempak by troops in Aceh so that the general was killed in defending the mosque, the Dutch position terjebit many troops lost fighting spirit so that the mosque complex that has been burned to the royal troops recaptured by the Acehnese.
But a year later, the Dutch back again. On January 6, 1874, the Dutch seized Baiturrahman Mosque and the Palace of Aceh. The mosque is then burned the Dutch, because it is considered as a place of defense fighters in Aceh. Arson is known only infuriated the people of Aceh. Dutch look to conquer Aceh that can not and not enough with military means, then to attract the hearts of the fighters in Aceh and stop the attack, the Netherlands, then rebuild the mosque at 24 Syafar Hijriiah 1299 or December 27, 1881. Pertapakannya stays where it is today.
Laying the first stone made Lieutenant-General Karel Van der Heijden from the Netherlands, while the part of the Acehnese people represented by Teuku Kadhi Malikul Fair as well as the key holder of the mosque. In the next stage of the maintenance of builders conducted by Sheikh Marhaban a great scholar from Pidie, Aceh. This mosque was designed by an architect from the Department Bruins Van Burgelijke openbare Werken (Public Works Department) in Batavia.
While monitoring conducted Luyke LP, assisted by several other engineers and the princes of Garut for the pattern is not contrary to Islam. Material construction of mosques in part imported from Penang, Malaysia, marble stone from Holland, marble staircase and floors to bring China, the iron to the window from belgium, wood from Burma and pillars of the mosque from Surabaya. Building materials diborong Lie A sie, a Chinese lieutenant who obtain wholesale cost of 203,000 gulden.
Construction of the mosque was completed in 1882 with a single dome and the mosque is still given the name of highway Baiturrahman Mosque. In 1935, Governor-General A.P.H. Van Aken expand the building into three domed mosque. At the time of Ali Hasjmy was governor of Aceh, the mosque was re-experiencing highway refurbishment and expanded into five pieces dome. Two towers are done in 1967. In 1992-1995, Masjid Raya Baiturrahman again restored and expanded into seven pieces five domes and minarets.
In total, this mosque which has 136 pieces and 32 pieces round pole rectangular pillar. Building area mosque is 56 x 34 meters, while the foyer 12.5 x 10.5 meters which can accommodate about 15 thousand pilgrims to the court. Even reach 30 thousand pilgrims during Eid prayer, because Jalan Diponegoro and Jalan M. The clock on the left and right side of the mosque, used as a place of prayer.
Acehnese people's struggle to maintain highway Baiturrahman mosque so hard not easily conquered, the people of Aceh have confidence that the mosque Baiturrahman highway has been maintained despite enemy fire as a symbol of strength highway very influential mosques to encourage people's war struggle against the Dutch. After the Netherlands suffered a loss and a huge defeat in the war against the kingdom of Aceh, Aceh's first war has cost a very expensive war on the part of the Netherlands, so Dutch went bankrupt, on the other hand failure to conquer Aceh in the war of 1873 the Netherlands was insulted the most from the UK, where long before Britain has warned the Netherlands not to interfere with the sovereignty of the kingdom of Aceh who have been honored by the British, Dutch loss is another loss that so many soldiers in Aceh, the generals also follow a number of senior officers who participated were killed in the invasion that has come under fire from Europe itself.Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is not only known in its own country but also has been known to foreign countries and is one of the grandest mosques in Indonesia, and even Southeast Asia.