The brutal and devastating attack by Israel and the United States\nagainst Iran on Saturday (28 February) sent shockwaves throughout the\nworld.<\/p>\n
As geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East, prospective\nhajj pilgrims (Calhaj) have been urged to remain calm and continue\npraying to Allah Almighty for a smooth conduct of the 2026 hajj season.\n\u201cThe Gulf War has broken out, and we, as the Hajj Travel Organiser\n(PPIH), are quite concerned. We beseech our prospective pilgrims of\nSahid Tour to continue praying to Allah Almighty so that this year\u2019s\nhajj pilgrimage can proceed smoothly and without disruption,\u201d said Sahid\nTour President Director Hariyadi BS Sukamdani at a breaking fast (iftar)\ngathering with Sahid Tour\u2019s 2026 pilgrims at Hotel Sahid, Jakarta, on\nSunday afternoon (1 March).<\/p>\n
Hariyadi also advised approximately 500 prospective pilgrims of Sahid\nTour 2026 to maintain their health and fitness so that during the hajj\npilgrimage in May, they can perform the fifth pillar of Islam in the\nbest possible manner. \u201cGiven that the hajj pilgrimage is drawing near,\nlet us look after our health together. We also apologise if there have\nbeen any shortcomings in our service,\u201d said Hariyadi, who wore a white\ntraditional shirt and black cap.<\/p>\n
Sahid Tour Director Hari Prakoso added that during the month of\nRamadan, the company had distributed assistance to orphans and the poor\nat several orphanages, including at Sahid Tour branches in Solo,\nSemarang, and other locations.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo there were funds from our prospective pilgrims of 2026 that we\nset aside for those orphanages. We ask for their understanding. We also\nrequest their prayers for the smooth conduct of our hajj pilgrimage,\u201d\nsaid Hari Prakoso.<\/p>\n
At the same occasion, Sahid Tour\u2019s Asep Imam S outlined the company\u2019s\nreadiness for the 2026 hajj. According to him, all hotel accommodation\ncontracts and meal arrangements in Saudi Arabia have been finalised.\nSimilarly, the passport processing is complete, whilst visa processing\nis scheduled to be completed by 1 Syawal 1447 H. \u201cGod willing, Sahid\nTour is fully prepared. We only have two more online and in-person hajj\ntraining sessions in Yogyakarta. Then on 18 May we will depart for the\nholy land,\u201d explained Asep.<\/p>\n
In his religious sermon, KH Imam Tohari, who also serves as Sahid\nTour\u2019s hajj guide, explained the close relationship between Ramadan\nfasting and the hajj pilgrimage. \u201cRamadan and hajj are an inseparable\nsequence. Before performing the hajj, we are upgraded or trained through\nthe practice of fasting or shiyam. Thus our spiritual and mental\nreadiness will be better prepared,\u201d said Imam Tohari. He elaborated on\nthe famous Quranic verse Al-Baqarah verse 183, which mandates the\npractice of fasting. The essence of fasting or shiyam is imsak, or\nself-restraint.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough fasting, spiritually we restrain uncontrolled or negative\ndesires. Meanwhile, in today\u2019s world, we are taught to rush forward with\ntechnological advancement. We can order food online ready to eat. So\nfaster is better\u2014that is today\u2019s worldly teaching. However, shiyam\nteaches us to hold back, to delay. This is an extraordinary teaching\nthat trains our desires and teaches us to be able to exercise\nself-control,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Thus, over one month through shiyam, Allah teaches us to refrain from\neating and fulfilling biological needs and sexual desires. These are not\nstopped but rather restrained and controlled. He also highlighted the\nphenomenon of corruption arising from people\u2019s inability to restrain\nthemselves in pursuing desires and accumulating wealth through unlawful\nmeans.<\/p>\n
He then drew a connection between the ability to exercise restraint\nand the hajj, using the example of the first ritual of hajj\u2014ihram, in\nwhich pilgrims wear unstitched garments, particularly for men. Through\nihram, all desires to present oneself with worldly attributes are\nforsaken.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough ihram, all worldly attributes are set aside. We are also not\npermitted to cut our nails or engage in sexual relations; we restrain\nourselves in all things. Therefore, I urge all of us to fast as best as\nwe can, because the success of our fasting now will support the success\nof our hajj, God willing,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Governor Khofifah also expressed appreciation for the various\nstrategic support from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia and\nEast Java in particular in the conduct of the hajj pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
With increasingly strong cooperation, it is hoped that information\nregarding development and government activities can be conveyed to the\npublic responsibly.<\/p>\n
This event was not merely an occasion to enjoy breaking fast\ntogether, but also an opportunity to share happiness with others.<\/p>\n
The activity is hoped to inspire various parties to take concrete\naction that can strengthen a sense of concern and solidarity amongst one\nanother.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/breaking-fast-with-2026-pilgrims-sahid-tour-seeks-prayers-for-smooth-hajj-pilgrimage-1772464054", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }