The idea for a building of a mosque and a school in Kebayoran Baru was initiated by 14 people from the Masyumi Party.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs had provided a limited start-up fund for the construction of a mosque and a school, while the mayor of Jakarta donated a 4 hectares of land in the new suburb of Kebayoran Baru.

[3] Under the advice of Hamka - an Indonesian ulama and political activist - it was suggested that a mosque was built first before the school, "but with plenty of office space and meeting rooms so that while the school building is still under construction, the mosque can initiate a full round activities, including classes.

For Hamka, his new role as an imam reflected his disaffection with the wayward drift of Indonesian life and his growing alarm for Islam in a society that was shadowed by Communism.

[6] During the 1965-1966 crisis following the 30 September Movement, Al-Azhar Great Mosque became the centre of anti-communist campaign among the Muslims.