Haedar Nashir urges national elites to set example in preserving unity

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Central Leadership (PP) of Muhammadiyah, Haedar Nashir, has urged national elites to set an example in preserving unity amid differences in the determination of Idul Fitri 1447 Hijriah. “We do not need to sharpen differences, let alone seek self-justification by blaming others. Both in the context of citizenship and government, all parties must exercise restraint,” he stated during his Idul Fitri prayer sermon at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) in Yogyakarta on Friday. He invited religious figures and national elites to avoid statements or utterances that could muddy the atmosphere in society. According to the professor of sociology, Idul Fitri should be observed with devotional worship and clarity of soul and mind. “Observe Idul Fitri with devotion, whether celebrating on 20 or 21 March, or even earlier, so that we do not get trapped in the desire for differences that instead fracture unity,” he said. He also hoped that in the future, the Islamic world would have a single global calendar to minimise differences in determining major religious days. “In the future, insyaallah these differences can be minimised if there is openness of heart and mind, based on advanced scientific knowledge,” he stated. Haedar emphasised the importance of exemplary conduct from national elites in preserving unity, peace, and tolerance while promoting the progress of the ummah and the nation. “Provide an example to the people that the elites are capable of being uswah hasanah in creating unity, peace, tolerance, and progress. We still have various backwardnesses that require collective hard work from all components of the nation,” he said.