Enthusiastic mothers gather at stadium for prayers

JAKARTA (JP): Under the scorching heat of the noon sun, hundreds of middle-aged women, dressed in Muslim outfits and holding rebana (tambourines), moved with the rhythm of the shalawat (short prayers) being chanted on the stage.

Their movements were far from synchronized and the women were told to keep practicing.

However, they did not seem tired and even burst out laughing when an instructor said, "Please try to be synchronized, ladies."

After several trials, the instructor shouted, "Very nice, ladies. We finally did it."

Who are they?

The women, who are mostly housewives from Greater Jakarta, are members of the majelis taklim (women's Koran reading group). They gathered in Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta on Tuesday for a rehearsal of a gathering of Koran reading groups on July 14. About 140,000 members from Greater Jakarta and some 1,300 members from 22 provinces are expected to participate in the event.

Children and husbands who accompanied the ladies waited patiently while watching the rehearsal.

"I am from Pondok Ungu, Bekasi. There are about 150 of us from the Pondok Ungu residential complex. We came here in minibuses," Ida binti Hasan said while pointing at a group of women in light green Muslim outfits.

Ida, a gado-gado (vegetable salad with peanut sauce) seller, said she had been a member of the Koran reading group in her neighborhood since 1995.

"Koran reading at my neighborhood is conducted twice a week in the afternoon," she said, adding her husband, a civil servant, did not object to her activity.

Another woman, Muhalimmah, from Ragunan, South Jakarta, said she was a housewife and her husband was a public minivan driver.

The group from Ragunan came in five minibuses which were hired for a total of Rp 300,000.

"That's cheap, we got a discount because my husband works for the owner of the minibuses," Muhalimmah remarked.

She said she departed from Ragunan at around 10 a.m.

The Koran reading event is organized by the Coordinating Body of Majelis Taklim (BKMT), which is chaired by former minister for women's affairs Tutty Alawiyah.

Tutty, a preacher, said, "These women in Koran reading groups are from the low-income bracket, but as we have seen here, they have extraordinary spirit. Personally, I admire their enthusiasm to take part."

Tutty said the organizing committee did not pay for the women's transportation from their respective neighborhoods to Senayan, and also did not provide refreshments during the rehearsal.

The gathering on July 14 is being held to mark the 20th anniversary of BKMT.

The committee has also invited Muslim preachers from Damascus, Turkey and women activists from Malaysia.

When asked about the total cost for the event, Tutty said, "About Rp 300 million, but that's mainly to pay for the sports stadium and other facilities we need here."

The participants are also asked to buy a Rp 4,000 invitation per person.

"That's for donation. The invitation will also be used as a pass to enter the stadium, so those without invitations cannot come in and disrupt the prayers," she remarked.

Tutty, who is also the rector of As-Syafi'iyah Islamic University, stressed the gathering was purely to renew the people's faith in God.

"Political? No, not at all. We all know the current political situation is confusing. We don't want to get involved in something that is not fruitful for us," she said.

"We want to pray, and if we possible, remind others of the Creator."

Tutty was a minister in former president's Soeharto's last Cabinet and before she joined the administration, she was well- known as a loyal Golkar member. (emf)