Ministry of Religious Affairs Provides Meeting Space for Young People Seeking Life Partners

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) held a Ta’aruf Golek Garwo event, a safe, educational, and dignified meeting space for young people seeking life partners, as part of the Peaceful Muharam 1448 Hijriah series in Jakarta. More than 354 young men and women participated in the Ta’aruf Golek Garwo session. The activity was part of Nikah Fest 2026 and the Islamic Wedding Expo, with the number of participants not including those who registered directly at the location. “Today is a means to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet through the effort of seeking a life partner. If the intention is for Allah and to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah, then our presence here already contains blessings and rewards,” said the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Abu Rokhmad, in Jakarta on Sunday. According to him, this activity complements the Nikah Fest 2026 series, which was previously filled with mass weddings, family education, financial literacy, zakat, waqf, and a wedding services exhibition. Abu explained that participants were not only brought together to get to know each other but were also guided to understand that marriage is a trust requiring physical and spiritual readiness. Therefore, the entire series of activities was structured through introductory sessions, in-depth communication, and self-reflection so that participants could get to know their potential partners more responsibly. He also reminded that ta’aruf is part of Islamic teachings that prioritise etiquette and nobility. Quoting the Quran, Abu said that humans were created into nations and tribes so that they may know one another. “Ta’aruf is not just about getting acquainted, but a path to mutual understanding in a respectful manner while safeguarding each other’s honour,” he said. Abu expressed hope that the activity would become part of strengthening the Movement for Awareness of Marriage Registration, so that more young people would pursue marriage in a legal, registered, and responsible manner. The Director of KUA and Sakinah Family Development, Ahmad Zayadi, added that the high enthusiasm of participants shows that the younger generation needs a trusted and supervised ta’aruf space. By the time the activity began on Sunday morning, 354 participants had registered, and the number continued to grow through on-site registration. “The enthusiasm of the participants is extraordinary. This is a sign that the community needs a space that brings parties together properly. Our task is not only to provide education but also to facilitate so that the effort towards marriage takes place in a directed manner,” said Zayadi. According to Zayadi, Golek Garwo is designed as a systematic process, starting from introductions, in-depth sessions, to self-reflection. All these stages aim for participants to get to know each other without neglecting the values of politeness, responsibility, and readiness to build a household.