MUI: Ramadan This Year Leaves A Strong Impression Of Religious Tolerance

DOK ANTARA PHOTO/Galih Pradipta/tom/aa.

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Da'wah Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Kiai Haji Ahmad Zubaidi said Ramadan 1445 Hijri/2024 AD was different from Ramadan in previous years for leaving a deep impression of the strong sense of interfaith tolerance in Indonesia.

He said Ramadan was not only a celebration of Muslims, but many series of sahur events to breaking the fast were also enlivened by other religious communities so that relations between religious communities were very fluid.

"We see for ourselves that there is an odd phenomenon that directly encourages interaction between communities. In many office environments, many are facilitated to break the fast together by their companies even though their leaders are not Muslims," Zubaidi said in a statement reported by ANTARA, Saturday, April 6.

He said he was invited to attend a iftar event together organized by a non-Muslim-owned company.

Regardless of the religion or the level of office he holds, according to Zubaidi, they all participate in the iftar together.

When the Maghrib call to prayer reverberated, everyone participated in eating the existing dishes, including those who were non-Muslims who also opened up.

He considered it an extraordinary phenomenon. "We are truly extraordinary in the life of tolerance between religions. Muslims who fast can respect non-Muslims, and vice versa," he said.

According to him, the existence of these phenomena is a reflection that at the level of the general public there is no significant problem. People's interfaith relations are not suspicious of each other because they are used to living side by side.

In order to maintain the sustainability of a peaceful and tolerant community, Zubaidi also appealed to remain vigilant on movements calling for transnational ideology or understanding, which usually includes aspects of intolerance in his religious da'wah.

"Hopefully with the spirit of humanity that is inflamed, this Eid celebration will make our life more happy, prosperous, peaceful and more peaceful," he said.