Istiqlal Mosque to Provide 4,000-10,000 Boxed Meals Daily for Iftar
Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar has announced that the mosque will maintain its tradition of large-scale communal iftar throughout Ramadan. The number of boxed meals provided will range from 4,000 to 10,000 per day.
"On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, we provide between 7,000 and 10,000 boxed meals," he said at a press conference at Istiqlal Mosque on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. On regular weekdays, he added, only around 4,000 to 7,000 boxed meals are prepared.
For ngabuburit activities — the tradition of passing time whilst waiting to break the fast — Istiqlal Mosque is organising various programmes including foreign language classes. "Istiqlal continues to run its free education programmes, such as courses in English, Mandarin, Arabic, Persian, French, and Indonesian for foreign speakers," said Nasaruddin.
In addition, Istiqlal is offering classes in Hebrew and Aramaic. Nasaruddin revealed that the instructors are brought in directly from the countries of origin of those languages.
For tarawih prayers, Istiqlal Mosque is providing international qari — reciters of the Holy Quran. The reciters will perform on a rotating basis through to the end of Ramadan. "Afterwards, the organisers will present kultum preachers drawn from popular ulama as well as public figures known for their religiosity," he said.
Istiqlal is also preparing a Nuzulul Quran commemoration involving MABIMS member states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore. According to Nasaruddin, the Eid al-Fitr takbir is planned to be performed simultaneously and in relay with grand mosques in the capitals of Southeast Asian nations.
"On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, we provide between 7,000 and 10,000 boxed meals," he said at a press conference at Istiqlal Mosque on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. On regular weekdays, he added, only around 4,000 to 7,000 boxed meals are prepared.
For ngabuburit activities — the tradition of passing time whilst waiting to break the fast — Istiqlal Mosque is organising various programmes including foreign language classes. "Istiqlal continues to run its free education programmes, such as courses in English, Mandarin, Arabic, Persian, French, and Indonesian for foreign speakers," said Nasaruddin.
In addition, Istiqlal is offering classes in Hebrew and Aramaic. Nasaruddin revealed that the instructors are brought in directly from the countries of origin of those languages.
For tarawih prayers, Istiqlal Mosque is providing international qari — reciters of the Holy Quran. The reciters will perform on a rotating basis through to the end of Ramadan. "Afterwards, the organisers will present kultum preachers drawn from popular ulama as well as public figures known for their religiosity," he said.
Istiqlal is also preparing a Nuzulul Quran commemoration involving MABIMS member states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore. According to Nasaruddin, the Eid al-Fitr takbir is planned to be performed simultaneously and in relay with grand mosques in the capitals of Southeast Asian nations.