Buya Yahya Urges Public to Pray for Prabowo: Being President Is Tough
Preacher Buya Yahya Zainul Ma’arif has urged the public to pray for President Prabowo Subianto, saying the prayer would grant him strength and a mandate to lead Indonesia. He noted that becoming a national leader is no light task. ‘The most important thing is prayer. Because being president is not easy, it is heavy. We must pray for our leaders so they can succeed in carrying out their duties,’ Buya Yahya told reporters after an iftar with Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday night, 5 March 2026.
Yahya expressed the hope that public prayers could help keep the government on a path that brings peace and welfare to the people. ‘Pray for his success, for his triumph, for a peaceful nation, and for a happy people,’ said the head of the Lembaga Pengembangan Dakwah dan Pondok Pesantren Al-Bahjah in Cirebon, West Java.
Prabowo invited hundreds of Muslim figures to break fast at the Presidential Palace. At the time of breaking fast, Prabowo cancelled the meal with three senior leaders of Islamic organisations: Miftachul Achyar, Rais Aam of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU); Haedar Nashir, Chairman of Muhammadiyah; and Anwar Iskandar, Chairman of the Syura Council of the Front Persaudaran Islam (FPI). The post-iftar discussions with other participants were held after the breaking of the fast.
According to Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Prabowo gave a briefing to participants from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm WIB. The briefing addressed a range of issues, including the escalation of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran, and lasted until 11:00 pm WIB. ‘Three hours of briefings,’ said Zulkifli.
A number of figures from various Islamic civil society organisations were invited to attend the breaking of the fast with Prabowo. Among those present were Yahya Cholil Staquf, head of PBNU, and Habib Hanif Alatas, Secretary-General of the Syura Council of the DPP Front Persaudaran Islam (FPI).
Other invited guests also arrived at the Palace in the afternoon. They included leaders of pesantren and prominent preachers.