Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Invites Muslims to Mark 1 Muharram with Self-Reflection

Self-reflection teaches us to evaluate the journey we have undertaken over the past year honestly and objectively, stated the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Romo Muhammad Syafii. He invited the entire Muslim community across the nation to find deep meaning in the commemoration of the Islamic New Year, 1 Muharram 1448 Hijriah, through the practice of muhasabah diri (self-reflection).

Speaking at the ‘Gebyar Muharram 1448 Hijriah’ event organised by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of North Sumatra on Tuesday, the Deputy Minister noted that through self-reflection, a momentum for ‘hijrah’ (migration/transformation) is born, teaching that every individual should provide the spirit to move towards better circumstances.

He further explained that the commemoration of the Islamic New Year teaches Muslims three key aspects: the momentum of self-reflection, the momentum of hijrah, and the momentum of tajdid (renewal).

The Deputy Minister also expressed his appreciation to the MUI of North Sumatra for the successful organisation of the New Year celebrations, noting the high level of community support and participation. He remarked that this success demonstrates a very high level of public trust in the MUI, which must be carefully maintained.

The ‘Gebyar Muharram’ activities organised by the MUI of North Sumatra included the launch of the Hijri calendar, walking races, speech competitions, a grand religious sermon (tabligh akbar), Marhaban competitions, poetry writing contests, and an MSME bazaar.

The Chairman of the Gebyar Muharram Committee for MUI North Sumatra, Muhammad Jamil, stated that approximately 2,000 Muslims gathered in the courtyard of the MUI North Sumatra office to attend the event. He added that the programme aimed to ignite the spirit of Islamic revival within the community.