I hope that there will be an improvement in Hajj and Umrah organization while remaining committed to Islamic jurisprudenceJakarta (ANTARA) - Religious moderation could be instilled in prospective Indonesian Hajj pilgrims through Hajj manasik (practice) while remaining in line with Islamic religious tenets, according to special staff to the Religious Affairs Minister Ishfah Abidal Aziz.
"There must also be no Hajj manasik material that misleads Hajj and Umrah pilgrims under the pretext of religious moderation," Aziz said while speaking at an event held to disseminate information on religious moderation for state apparatus at the ministry's Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah here on Tuesday.
Promoting religious moderation could bolster the quality of Hajj and Umrah rituals, while at the same time, remain faithful to Islamic practices emphasizing social reality, he said.
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"I hope that there will be an improvement in Hajj and Umrah organization while remaining committed to Islamic jurisprudence," Aziz added.
Instilling the values of religious moderation in Hajj pilgrims could also help realize the ideal vision of Islam as a blessing for the universe, the special staff pointed out.
Meanwhile, the ministry's director general of Hajj and Umrah, Hilman Latief, said that the ministry’s state apparatus must lead the dissemination of religious moderation values wherever they are.
"We hope that the participants of this event can be the spearheads of religious moderation values in their own community and within the directorate general," Latief remarked.
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Last August, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas had highlighted the need for addressing some issues that occurred during this year's Hajj to improve next year's organization of the annual Islamic pilgrimage.
For one, Hajj pilgrims lacked an understanding of the ritual practice despite being provided guidance during this year's Hajj season, he said adding, this is an urgent issue that must be addressed.
To prevent a recurrence of this, the ministry will evaluate Hajj guidance methods and programs and enhance the quality of Hajj guides and the number of Hajj guidance sessions during the pilgrim's stay in Saudi Arabia, he said.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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