Performing a mass prayer is voluntary, but protecting ourselves from the COVID-19 pandemic is obligatory, so obligatory things should be preceded over the voluntary oneJakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has appealed to Indonesia's Muslims to perform Idul Adha prayer at home with their families, as there should be no congregational prayer either in the mosques or in the fields.
“Performing a mass prayer is voluntary, but protecting ourselves from the COVID-19 pandemic is obligatory, so obligatory things should be preceded over the voluntary one,” Amin stated in a press release here on Sunday.
The provision on performing Idul Adha prayer at home aims at slashing the COVID-19 transmission case rate during the enforcement of emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM), he expounded.
Amin emphasized that the policy was not meant to restrain the Muslims from praying in mosques, but to protect the public from the COVID-19 threats.
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“The enforcement aims to help handle the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting and preventing the public from being infected and becoming victims,” he said.
The provision on Muslims’ worships during Idul Adha is regulated on Religius Affairs Circular No.17 of 2021 pertaining to temporary suspension on mass prayers at places of worship, takbiran (eve of Idul Adha celebrations) night, Idul Adha prayers, and technical guidance on qurban implementation in 1442 Islamic year in the emergency PPKM areas.
The Vice President earlier called on ulemas to call on all people to obey the government’s policy by not causing a crowd during Idul Adha.
“I ask all activities to be aligned with the provision, do not throng, including doing all activities pertaining to Idul Adha at mosque or outside the mosque,” he said.
Millions of Muslims across the globe — including in countries like Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Russia and Pakistan — are celebrating Idul Adha or Eid al-Adha, Islam’s most revered observance, which falls on July 20 this year in Indonesia.
Known as the Feast of Sacrifice or “big Eid,” it is one of the two major religious festivals of Islam. The other, Eid al-Fitr, occurs at the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.
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Translator: Fransiska/ Juwita Trisna R
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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