Islamic New Year, Mahfud MD: Let's Cultivate Patience And Optimism

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Photo: Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD invites the public to make the Islamic New Year or 1 Muharram 1443 Hijriah a momentum for generating optimism in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, he called on the public to cultivate patience as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad.

This was conveyed by him when filling out the 1 Muharram study with the Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) and the Board of Governors which was attended by at least 1,000 participants from various regions and BI representatives in various countries, Monday, August 9 yesterday.

"The Prophet wanted to be killed, he was chased everywhere, his economic access was cut off, his trade was cut off but the Prophet Muhammad remained patient. Therefore, if you want to take lessons from 1 Muharram, let's cultivate patience," Mahfud said in his written statement, Tuesday, August 10. He said that there are three types of patience, namely patience in facing calamities, patience in obedience, and the third being patient in struggling with earnestness, optimism, and full of resilience.

"Patience does not only mean surrender but an unyielding, tough, and serious attitude that also means patience," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

In strengthening his argument, Mahfud quoted a verse about patience in Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 249.

"A small group of people can beat a lot of people, as long as you are patient," he concluded.