Hopes for peace prevail at opening of Ramadhan prayer

Hopes for peace prevail at opening of Ramadhan prayer

JAKARTA (JP): Saturday night's first evening prayers of the
Ramadhan fasting month echoed in several cities with a call for
peace after the terrible toll in lost lives from tumultuous
events of the past year.

In East Timor, Antara reported that three of Dili's large
mosques were crammed with Muslims for the tarawih prayer, highly
recommended during the observance of the fasting month.

The agency reported that workers at the mosques of An'nur in
Kampung Alor, Fathurrahman at the Bairro Pitte housing complex
and Al-Maukarromah in Pantai Kelapa residential area had to
spread out mats and carpets in the grounds to accommodate the
people.

The imam at the mosque in Pantai Kelapa, Hendarya Firdaus,
said: "The fasting month has the benefit of increasing harmony
among followers within one faith and among those of different
faiths."

Last week religious leaders warned people not to heed rumors
that a riot similar to that on Nov. 31 in Kupang, in which
mosques were destroyed in apparent retaliation for the 22
churches burned and destroyed in Ketapang, Jakarta, could be
repeated in East Timor.

The preacher at the mosque in Bairro Pitte, Usman Huole,
called for Muslims to increase their efforts to be closer to
Allah.

From Beijing, the agency reported that Indonesians flocked to
their embassies for tarawih.

The Association of Muslim Chinese in Beijing had also ruled
that Ramadhan started on Sunday.

In Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, the administration set up
tents to accommodate worshipers because mosques were full.

Thousands of people flocked to South Kalimantan's largest
mosque, Sabilal Muhtadin, beginning at the dusk prayers. Governor
Gusti Hasan Aman appealed to all Muslims to "avoid actions which
might disrupt the holy month of Ramadhan". (anr)