Faithful Urged to Perform Absentee Prayer for Fallen TNI Soldiers Attacked by Israel, MUI: May They Be Martyrs

Deputy General Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), KH M Cholil Nafis, prayed for the three TNI soldiers who fell in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon to receive the honour of martyrdom from Allah SWT. “I pray that their struggle to maintain peace earns them martyrdom and that all their sins are forgiven by Allah SWT,” said Kiai Cholil when contacted by Republika on Tuesday (31/3/2026). He also urged Indonesian Muslims to perform absentee prayers as a form of respect and supplication for the deceased who fell while carrying out state duties in the international peacekeeping mission. “Let us pray and perform absentee prayers for the deceased,” said this Chairman of the Syuriah of PBNU. In addition to offering prayers, this caregiver of the Cendikia Amanah Islamic Boarding School in Depok regretted the Israeli military attack that caused casualties among the peacekeeping forces. He viewed the action as an unjustifiable form of brutality. “I regret and condemn Israel’s brutality in attacking and indiscriminately targeting peacekeeping forces, resulting in fatalities,” he said. Furthermore, Kiai Cholil urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take an active role in stopping the tyranny and practices of colonisation occurring, particularly in conflict areas. He also called on the United Nations (UN) to be more firm in upholding justice, protecting national sovereignty, and ensuring global peace is maintained. According to him, the fall of TNI soldiers in the peacekeeping mission must become a serious concern for the international community so that protection for peacekeeping forces is truly enforced in accordance with international law. “I request that the world Muslim organisation (OIC) actively prevent tyranny and colonisation. I urge the UN to actively uphold justice, protect national sovereignty, and maintain world peace,” said Kiai Cholil.