Central Sulawesi DMI: SE Minister Of Religion Sets Limitation On Congregation, Not Banning Worship

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PALU - The Regional Leader of the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI) of Central Sulawesi Province said that the Circular Letter of the Minister of Religion number 4 of 2022 regarding the implementation of worship activities in places of worship during the PPKM period, was not a prohibition to carry out worship in places of worship.

"The SE Minister of Religion only limits the number of worshipers in places of worship, does not prohibit people from worshiping in places of worship," said Deputy Chairperson of the PW DMI for Central Sulawesi Province, Mohammad Iqbal Andi Magga, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, February 9.

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas issued SE Number 04 of 2022 concerning the Implementation of Worship/Religious Activities in Places of Worship During PPKM Level 3, Level 2, and Level 1 COVID-19.

This circular is issued as a guide for stakeholders and religious communities in carrying out worship/religious activities and implementing the 5M health protocol in places of worship during the PPKM period.

Iqbal said the circular was a form of preventing the transmission of COVID-19, in line with the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country in recent times.

For the Central Sulawesi region, said Iqbal, worship at the mosque will continue as usual, while still observing the COVID-19 prevention health protocol.

With the strict implementation of the procedure, he said, mosques and mosque congregations have contributed greatly in breaking the chain of spreading COVID.

"Besides the number of worshipers is always less than half of the mosque space in some mosques, on normal days other than Friday prayers," he said.

On the one hand, the large number of mosques and prayer rooms in Central Sulawesi, makes the congregation not only concentrated in one particular mosque. Then COVID-19 can be prevented from spreading in mosques.

In Central Sulawesi, based on data from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of Central Sulawesi, there are 3,563 mosques and 1,210 prayer rooms in various typologies.

Meanwhile for Palu City, Iqbal, who is the former chairman of DMI Palu, explained that the number of mosques in the city has increased from 300 to 500 mosques until 2021.

"This happened especially after the earthquake natural disaster. The number of mosques in Palu which before the earthquake reached 300 mosques, has now reached almost 500 mosques. With the number of new mosques, the distribution of congregations will also indirectly occur. So if there is a restriction of 50 percent of worshipers from the capacity of the mosque, then there are other mosques that are also filled," he said.

"I think the protection of public health is important, but our relationship with the Creator must always come first," he said.