Responding To Zaskia Adya Mecca's Criticism Of How To Wake Up The Sahur, This Is The Rule For Loudspeakers In The Month Of Ramadan

Zaskia Adya Mecca (Photo: IG @zaskiadyamecca)

JAKARTA - Zaskia Adya Mecca uploaded the video via her Instagram account Thursday, April 22. He criticized the habit of waking sahur by shouting as not funny, unethical, and disrespectful to other people.

"I just want to ask, build this model again HITS he said ?! Then ethically don't use the mosque toa build this model? Moreover, we live in Indonesia where the religions are diverse. Is that so it doesn't disturb others not to practice Shaur ?!" he wrote.

Zaskia admitted that he was confused by the current situation. He questioned whether he was too serious, or if his surroundings felt even stranger. "What about you? Am I too serious?"

To answer Zaskia's question, there are rules for the use of TOA or loudspeakers which are contained in the Dirjen Bimas Islam Instruction Number: Kep / D / 101/1978 regarding Guidelines for Using Loudspeakers in Mosques, Langgar and Musala. In the attachment, it is explained that loudspeakers are technical equipment consisting of a microphone, amplifier, loudspeaker, and cables through which the current flows.

The rules are written about the advantages and disadvantages of using loudspeakers in mosques, breaking and prayer rooms. One of the advantages of using loudspeakers as stated in the instruction is that the target of delivering the dakwah can be wider.

However, there are also disadvantages to using loudspeakers, namely disturbing people who are resting or holding religious ceremonies. There are conditions in the use of loudspeakers in mosques, breaking and prayer rooms that must be obeyed.

In the attachment to the instruction, it is also stated that the conditions for using loudspeakers include the prohibition of raising the voice of prayer, dhikr, and prayer too much because such violations do not cause sympathy but surprise that religious people themselves do not obey their religious teachings.

Furthermore, it was also stated that basically, the sound that is channeled outside the mosque is only the call to prayer as a sign that the time for prayer has arrived. The regulation also states the obligation to respect neighbors.

1. I read an article on the BBC, hardening the reading of the Koran in the mosque by using TOA is considered evil. This fatwa was issued by the Egyptian Fatwa Institute. In more detail, Darul Ifta al-Mishriyyah (Egyptian Fatwa Institute) was once asked about ... pic.twitter.com/rMa3cMgqRO

- Ustadz Ahong (@Ustadz_Ahong) April 23, 2021

Especially for Takbir, Tarhim, and Ramadan there are its own rules, namely:

a. Takbir Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha is done with a loudspeaker outside

b. Tarhim in the form of prayer uses loudspeakers to the inside and tarhim dzikir does not use loudspeakers

c. During the month of Ramadan during the day and at night, the recitation of the Koran using a loudspeaker is inward

If you adhere to these rules, what is permitted to use a loudspeaker outside is the call to prayer or call to prayer and the Takbir of Eid al-Fitr. The rest, you can use the loudspeaker inside.

Ustaz Ahong, via uploading on Twitter, also explained that adab woke up the sahur with a loudspeaker that Zaskia Adya Mecca had questioned. Never mind waking the sahur by shouting using a loudspeaker, reading the Koran aloud, in some conditions it is not allowed. "Whatever, reading the Koran alone shouldn't interfere, that's the word of Allah, let alone shalawatan," he said when contacted by VOI.