Ministry of Religious Affairs Holds Blissful Mawlid 1448 H Series with Target of 1,781,945 Participants
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) is commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad SAW through a series of events under the banner of Blissful Mawlid 1448 H. One of its main agendas is ‘Gema Selawat Kebangsaan’, a national movement inviting the public to strengthen their love for the Prophet Muhammad SAW through selawat (prayers upon the Prophet) and exemplary conduct, with a target of involving 1,781,945 participants from across Indonesia.
Director of Islamic Religious Information at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muchlis M. Hanafi, said that ‘Gema Selawat Kebangsaan’ is designed as a shared space to enliven the tradition of selawat while emulating the character of the Prophet Muhammad SAW in social and national life.
“Rabiulawal is a momentum to increase selawat and strengthen love for the Prophet Muhammad SAW. But love must not stop at the recitation of selawat. Love must continue into exemplary conduct by bringing the Prophet’s character into life: compassion, brotherhood, care, and love for the homeland,” Muchlis said in Jakarta on Sunday (23/8/2026).
According to Muchlis, the target of 1,781,945 participants was chosen as a symbol of 17 August 1945, the moment of Indonesia’s independence. The figure also carries the message that love for the Prophet can become spiritual energy to nurture unity and love for the homeland.
“Selawat for the nation means bringing the values taught by the Prophet Muhammad SAW into caring for Indonesia. The spirit of selawat must encourage us to build a peaceful, just, mutually respectful life full of care for others,” he said.
The national selawat is also expected to serve as a spiritual endeavour and a form of concern for communities affected by disasters. Amid the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and forest and land fires in Kalimantan, Gema Selawat Kebangsaan invites the public to pray for and show solidarity with communities facing trials.
One of the main components of ‘Gema Selawat Kebangsaan’ is the recitation and completion of Dalā’il al-Khayrāt, a work by Imam Muhammad bin Sulaiman al-Jazuli, a great Moroccan scholar of the 9th century Hijriah. The book, which compiles prayers upon the Prophet Muhammad SAW, has been read across generations in various parts of the Islamic world and forms part of the religious heritage and tradition of Indonesian Muslims.