More commonly known in Indonesia as Lebaran, Idul Fitri or "becoming holy again," is a celebration to mark the victory over temptations during the fasting month.
With family and relatives, the Indonesian Muslims packed mosques across the country to offer Idul Fitri prayers, following which they visited friends and relatives for the Idul Fitri or Lebaran tradition of seeking forgiveness for past mistakes.
Lebaran is the occasion when Muslims visit their relatives and friends to ask for forgiveness for any wrongs they had committed in the last year.
Greeting and embracing each other, they express this wish in the phrase, "Mohon Maaf Lahir Batin" or "Minal Aidin Wal Fa Idzin," which means "from the bottom of my heart and soul, I ask forgiveness for my wrongdoings."
In Jakarta, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono attended Idul Fitri prayer service at the capitals Istiqlal grand mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia.
During the prayer service, the president sat at the forefront with Vice President Boediono, cabinet ministers, other state officials, and numerous foreign ambassadors.
Leading the prayer service was the imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Hasanuddin Sinaga, who is concurrently a lecturer at the Syarif Hidahyatullah Islamic State University (UIN Syarif Hidayatullah), and the Idul Fitri sermon was delivered by Prof. H. Maskuri Abdillah of the State Islamic University (UIN).
Under tight security, the service at Southeast Asias largest mosque, which has a capacity to accommodate 120 thousand people, was attended by thousands of Muslims from every corner of the city.
After performing the Idul Fitri prayers, President Yudhoyono and his family held open house, comprising four sessions, at the State Palace.
The first session lasted between 8.50 a.m. and 10 a.m. for the immediate family members, and the second session from 10 a.m. to 10.15 a.m. for Vice President Boediono and his family members.
The third session was scheduled to be held between 10.30 and 12.30 p.m. for the state officials, cabinet ministers, foreign ambassadors, TNI and Police chiefs and personnel, and former ministers and governors.
Thereafter, the last session was held between 3.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. for the public.
It is the last time that President Yudhoyono and his family will hold the open house at the State Palace before he ends his term of office in October this year.
Through his Twitter account, @SBYudhoyono, President Yudhoyono also wished "Happy Idul Fitri" to all his countrymen on Monday.
"My family and I extend our Idul Fitri wishes and ask for forgiveness, hoping that all our worship and service will gain the blessings of Allah SWT," the president stated.
President Yudhoyono also called on the Lebaran holiday travelers this year to be more careful during their journey and give priority to safety.
This time, president-elect Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, did not perform Idul Fitri prayers at Istiqlal mosque but at the Jakarta City Hall, instead.
After the prayer service, Jokowi said Idul Fitri was the best moment for every Indonesian to unify the nation.
"After fasting for a one whole month, let us forgive each other and reunite to build our beloved and great nation," Jokowi said, adding that Idul Fitri, more commonly known as Lebaran in Indonesia, should be the best moment for reconciliation in this political year after the presidential election.
"If there were differences during the presidential election, let us take this holy moment of Idul Fitri to reconcile and reunite to build our great nation, the nation of Indonesia," Jokowi went on.
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, Faried Wadjedy, the preacher who had delivered Idul Fitri sermon at Karabosi square, called on the public to support the president-elect Jokowi and his running mate Jusuf Kalla.
"We have to realize that Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla were elected as president and vice president by the will of Allah, and therefore let us support and pray for them to build this nation successfully," Faried said.
Before thousands of Muslim congregation, the preacher said that Idul Fitri was the right moment for people to forgive each other for their misdeeds after the presidential election.
A multitude of Muslims in the West Java provincial city of Bandung on Monday had also gathered at mosques and open fields to perform the 2014 Idul Fitri prayers.
"The Idul Fitri prayers were held at 1,160 mosques and 280 open fields," Bandungs Indonesian Mosques Council spokesman Buchari stated.
However, according to Buchari, West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan did not perform the prayers at a mosque but at the Gasibu square and acted as the preacher.
In his sermon, Governor Heryawan remarked that Idul Fitri was the start of a struggle to gain victory and prosperity in the future.
In the predominantly Christian eastern Indonesian city of Ambon in Maluku, thousands of Muslims conducted Idul Fitri prayers in peace at Alfatah grand mosque and open fields under tight security.
On the occasion, Maluku Governor Said Assagaff called on both Muslim and Christian communities to remain united and wisely address the Israeli military aggression on Gaza Strip.
"The Israeli military aggression is not a war of religion, and therefore the people in Maluku should not be provoked by the incident," the governor remarked.
Assagaff then encouraged the two religious communities in the province to pray for the people of Palestine.
(O001/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(H-YH)
(T.O001/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
