Memories Of Ramadan: Tarawih Prayers With President Soeharto On Cendana Street

President Soeharto performs prayers at the Istiqlal Mosque. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - President Suharto is a follower of kejawen (Javanese Spiritual). He often perpetuates ancestral beliefs. However, that does not mean that Suharto does not follow the Islamic tradition. Instead, he grew up in an Islamic environment. He has been praying and reciting since he was a child.

Suharto was indeed anti-Islamic party, but not with teachings. Islamic religious rituals are often carried out. Especially during the fasting month. His house on Cendana street is often transformed into a location for tarawih prayers every Ramadan.

Suharto's behavior as a kejawen follower has become an open secret. Nobody argues about that. Likewise, with its proximity to Islamic traditions. He has performed Islamic religious rituals since childhood in Kumusuk Village, Godean, Yogyakarta.

As a farmer's son, Suharto's activities are not much different from other children in his village. Every afternoon Suharto often learns to read the holy book Al-Quran in the mosque. Studying the Koran is mandatory for his family.

President Soeharto becomes the prayer imam at the official residence, Cendana 6-8 Street Menteng, Jakarta. (Instagram@jejaksoeharto)

Because of this, little Suharto considered mosque as a second home, the reciting activity could take hours. He only finished the Koran when it was time for the Isha prayer. After that, Suharto just had to choose between staying all night and going straight home.

“In the afternoon, Suharto recited the Koran, and learned to read the holy book the Koran. This is a compulsory lesson for every child. Qur'an recitation is carried out in the mosque. Often he is in the mosque until eight o'clock at night, and after finishing the Isya prayer in groups he returns to his house, and sometimes they are violated all night together," wrote OG Roeder in the book Anak Desa: Biografi Presiden Soeharto (1976) ( 1976).

Controversy on Relations with Muslims

Problems arose when Suharto took office as Indonesia's number one person. His relationship with Muslims is considered full of controversy. Many activists from NU and other Islamic organizations were treated harshly by the security forces.

Even the policies taken by Suharto are often considered detrimental to Islam. including banning parties using the name of Islam. For example, the Nahdlatul Ulama Party (NU) was forced to merge into one with the Indonesian Muslim Party (Permusi), Persatuan Tarbiyah Islamiyah (Perti), and the Indonesian Syarikat Islam Party (PSII). Its name is the United Development Party (PPP).

“Pak Harto is not anti-Islam as a religion, but against Islamic parties. However, not all ideas of Islamic parties were rejected. We need to recall the process of the birth of the Marriage Law (UU No.1/1974), the first law that contains the provisions of Islamic law indirectly. Without Pak Harto's approval, the law will not be born."

“At that time Rais Aam Syuriyah, the Executive Board of Nadhlatul Ulama (PBNU), KH Bisri Syansuri, convinced that the bill proposed by the government was against Islamic law. Pak Harto was able to fully grasp the kiai's argument. This achievement is Pak Harto's first masterpiece in bringing Islam and Indonesia together. Bung Karno in the late 1950s was unable to pass the Marriage Bill," said Salahuddin Wahid as quoted by Sugiono MP in the book Selamat Jalan Pak Harto (2008).

Tarawih in Cendana

Suharto's closeness to Islam can be seen when he and his family are united in their Ramadan worship with their family. His house in Cendana is even used to hold tarawih prayers with local residents.

The tradition of tarawih in Cendana is a routine that is always carried out by generals who have ruled Indonesia for 32 years. The local residents always miss the atmosphere of Tarawih prayers with the Suharto family.

When he's not busy, Suharto always makes time for tarawih prayers at his home. Other officials also followed. Those who happen to have an agenda to meet Suharto will join the iftar moment which is then followed by tarawih prayers with the residents.

"So, we residents like to pray tarawih together at Mr. Harto's house. Since becoming president, Mr. Harto has invited residents here to pray tarawih together at his house. Mr. Harto often prays with the residents, his children are like Ms. Tutut, Ms. Titiek, Ms. Mamiek, Mr. Ari, Sigit also like tarawih at their father's house."

President Soeharto's official residence at Cendana 6-8 street Menteng, Jakarta. (Wikimedia Commons)

"If Mr. Harto isn't around, his children still pray Tarawih with us. After not being president, Mr. Harto still often performs tarawih with us," said Umi, a woman from Purwokerto who had been active in performing tarawih prayers in Cendana, quoted by Tribunnews.

The intensity of Suharto's presence increased when he was no longer president of Indonesia. Suharto did not only pray with the people. His children also joined the tarawih prayers with Suharto. The habit of praying tarawih lasted until the end of President Suharto's life.

“The last days of his life were passed by Mr. Harto accompanied by his children and grandchildren, he lived his old age with a lot of worship. Once I invited a friend, a doctor of political science from Singapore, to join the tarawih prayer at Cendana, a habit that Mr. Harto and his family followed until the end of their lives," concluded Teguh Juwarno in the book Pak Harto: The Untold Stories (2011).