Bahlil’s quip: Lailatul Qadar would only descend for Golkar if seats increase

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The General Chair of the Golkar Party, Bahlil Lahadalia, joked that for Golkar, Lailatul Qadar would only descend to Earth if their seats increase. He said this while delivering a speech at the Nuzulul Quran event titled ‘Bringing the Quran to Ground, Reaching Guidance, Welcoming Lailatul Qadar’ at the Golkar DPP Mosque in West Jakarta, on Friday 6 March 2026. ‘This is already ushering in Lailatul Qadar, you know, because the sun… The sun has started to set. If we liken the journey of a person, we are now at twelve o’clock. Tomorrow we will start down to one o’clock,’ Bahlil said. ‘Well, this is, God willing, if a person is continually blessed, a glimmer of hope for Lailatul Qadar has begun to descend. But for the Golkar Party, Lailatul Qadar is when the seats increase,’ his joke was met with laughter from the audience. More than that, Bahlil said, Nuzulul Quran should be used as a moment to reflect on how close one’s inner self is to the Quran. ‘I will not merely read this closeness, but internalise it, ponder it, and also practise the contents of the Quran in daily life, so that our hearts may become tranquil and illuminated,’ Bahlil explained. Bahlil noted that in a political perspective, the Quran is always linked to politics. For example, the Quran provides ethical and moral guidance on how power should be exercised. ‘From that verse, in essence it can inspire as well as motivate all Golkar cadres to plant footprints of virtue in every position we hold. So if Golkar cadres are in the executive or the legislative, this is not merely about seizing power, but the entrusted power must become rahmatan lil alamin,’ he added.