Messages of peace, love dominates this year's Idul Fitri sermons

Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Peace and returning to God's path will be two of the central Idul Fitri messages in sermons at large mosques across the capital Thursday.

Noted Muslim cleric Quraish Shihab, in his prepared sermon to be delivered at Sunda Kelapa Mosque in Menteng, Central Jakarta, will remind people of the importance of peace in all parts of life.

"If you cannot help other people, then make sure you do not cause them harm," Quraish's sermon obtained by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, says.

Indonesia, the world's most-populous Muslim country, has been plagued by religious conflicts in the past few years in which thousands of people have died.

In Poso, Central Sulawesi, where religious conflicts between Muslims and Christians have killed over 2,000 people in the past five years, three Christian girls were brutally beheaded last week.

Dozens of Christian houses of worship in West Java, Central Java and Greater Jakarta have also been closed down by Muslim hard-liners, raising fears of bloody conflicts among followers.

The highlight of the Ramadhan fasting month for Indonesians is the mass prayer on lebaran morning -- which this year falls on Thursday -- when according to Muslim beliefs one is cleansed again, a process known as Idul Fitri.

The sermons following the prayers are an integral and important part of this cleansing, when Muslims are reminded to return to God's path.

Bandung Islamic University (Unisba) lecturer Hassanoeddin is scheduled to give an Idul Fitri sermon at Cut Meutia Mosque in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta.

"He will lecture on the merits of fasting for devotion to God," an employee at the Cut Meutia Mosque, Heri Hermawan, told the Post on Tuesday.

He said the mass prayer on Thursday would be conducted at 7 a.m. led by Mahfud Mustofa.

Speaking at the Baitul Ihsan Bank Indonesia Mosque on Jl. Budi Kemuliaan in Central Jakarta will be Abdul Munir Mulkhan, the rector of Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University in Yogyakarta.

The theme of Abdul Munir's sermon would be "Idul Fitri's human angels", Baitul Ihsan Mosque secretariat head Sutarno Madiman said.

"The mass prayer will be held at 7 a.m. on the grounds of the Flag Ceremony Plaza at Bank Indonesia," he said.

A mass Idul Fitri prayer at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque -- where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla are to pray -- will be led by Nasrullah Jamaluddin, with a sermon by Malang State Islamic University rector Imam Suprayogo.

Meanwhile, Al Azhar Mosque and Pondok Indah Mosque, both in South Jakarta, will invite Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University lecturers Shobahussurur and Mustofa Yaqub respectively.