Vice President Ma'ruf Responds To Zulhas' Joke: We Shouldn't Be Rich In Children, Amin's Affairs Doesn't Mean A Presidential Candidate

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin when delivering a speech on the agenda of the Mental Revolution Award followed by a network (online) in Jakarta, Wednesday (20/12/2023). ANTARA/HO-Secretariat Vice President

JAKARTA - Vice President (Vice President) Ma'ruf Amin said that those who mentioned religious rituals through political narratives were a form of reckless behavior.

"We shouldn't be like children, 'Amen' matters don't mean presidential candidates. Amin has always been there," said Ma'ruf Amin after attending the Mental Revolution Award agenda reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 20.

This statement was made by Ma'ruf in response to the narrative of the speech of the General Chairperson of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan at the 2023 National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI), in Semarang, Central Java, Tuesday (19/12).

During the event, Zulkifli told about the rise of support for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in various regions. Even until there were worshipers who chose to remain silent after the imam read out Al Fatihah 'wa tad-dallin'.

"There are far-reaching things that have changed. So if the Maghrib prayer reads Al Fatihah 'wa tad-dallin', some are silent now sir. There are many who are silent now," said Zulkifli Hasan as quoted by Garuda TV.

Ma'ruf said, the word 'Amen' in the general worship ritual is pronounced to conclude and end a prayer and is meaningful as a term to be granted.

However, ahead of the 2024 presidential election contestation, the word 'Amen' is identical to the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar or abbreviated as the "AMIN" pair.

"If people say 'wa tad-dallin', then it must be amenated, then what will be replaced? Yes, it is impossible and that everyone knows," he said.

Ma'ruf also appealed to the public not to be allergic to the word 'Amen', because it does not always correlate on political interests.

"About things like that, don't be like children, we are allergic to problems that are actually not for candidates, but answer words if people pray 'wa tad-dallin' which must be amen, you don't need faith - what is behind that," he said.