JAKARTA - Thousands of residents from various regions in Aceh Province attended a joint prayer to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the tsunami earthquake and flood disaster that hit a number of areas in the province a month ago.
Prayer and meditation are centered at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh on Friday, December 26, 2025.
The prayer was a prayer of remembrance attended by the Deputy Governor of Aceh Fadhlullah, members of the Aceh Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda). The activity was also accompanied by tausiah delivered by Ustadz Abdul Somad.
The enthusiasm of the residents can be seen crowding the mosque in the center of Banda Aceh City. Since morning, residents have continued to arrive and enter the mosque, the pride of the people of the Land of the Two Holy Mosques.
Deputy Governor of Aceh Fadhlullah said the joint prayer was to commemorate the disaster 21 years ago. Hundreds of thousands of people were victims of waves from the sea.
"In addition to the 21 disasters of the past, this joint prayer is also for the victims of the disaster a month ago. Waves from the mountain hit 18 of the 23 districts/cities in Aceh," said Fadhlullah.
Meanwhile, Ustadz Abdul Somad in his tausiah said there were many public comments on social media. The disaster occurred because Allah SWT tested humans.
He said in the Quran it was mentioned that disasters occurred because everything was written in the book of God which was called destiny. So, disasters are already a decree and must happen.
"This is the answer. However, the disaster is also human involvement by damaging land and sea. Trees that hold water are cut so that water cannot be held and flash floods occur," he said as quoted by Antara.
According to him, forest damage is not only by those who cut down trees, but also officials who sign land conversion permits from forest areas to plantations.
"When disasters occur, not only those who play a direct role in the damage, but also those who are not directly involved, such as officials who sign permits. As a result, people who don't know anything also become victims," he said.
The prayer and joint recitation held by the Aceh Government is an annual agenda that is carried out every December 26 to commemorate the victims of the devastating disaster.
The disaster of the earthquake followed by a tsunami in Aceh Province occurred on December 26, 2004, killing hundreds of thousands of people. At that time, several areas on the west coast of Aceh were devastated by the tsunami.
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