Ministry of Religious Affairs Urges No Raids on Restaurants During Ramadan: Mutual Respect Required

Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Romo Muhammad Syafi’i has called on all Indonesians to show mutual respect during the month of Ramadan, urging that there be no sweeping raids on food stalls and restaurants during the fasting period.

“There should be no sweeping, no raids whatsoever. That is a form of our respect — besides those of us who are fasting, there are still our fellow citizens who are not fasting,” Syafi’i said after the isbat session to determine the start of 1 Ramadan at the Hotel Borobudur in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (17 February 2026).

Syafi’i expressed his wish that mutual respect should also come from those who are fasting. He asked Muslims observing the fast to be understanding when they encounter people eating at food stalls or restaurants during the daytime.

“Those of us who are fasting must also recognise that not everyone is fasting. Therefore, there should still be facilities that can continue to be enjoyed by those who are not fasting,” he said.

He felt it would be unjust if those who are not fasting were to struggle finding food because stalls and restaurants had closed. In other words, there is no need to force others to do the same.

“It would be unreasonable for everyone to have to experience fasting just because we are fasting,” he said.

“In the sense that those who are not fasting, due to having different beliefs, should not be unable to eat, unable to drink, and so forth. But it must be considered within the proper framework — building togetherness, building solidarity, mutual respect — so that our unity is not disrupted by our differences,” he added.