National selawat movement to run from 31 August to 7 September 2026
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has launched the National Selawat Movement, which will run from 31 August to 7 September 2026 as part of the commemorations for the birthday of Prophet Muhammad in 1448 Hijriah/2026 CE.
Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Abu Rokhmad, said people from various backgrounds are invited to recite selawat simultaneously, whether individually or together in mosques, prayer rooms, Islamic boarding schools, university campuses and offices.
“This movement invites the Indonesian people to increase selawat through the recitation of Dalail Khairat, with the spirit of reciting selawat for the nation and emulating the Prophet’s life,” Abu Rokhmad said during the kick-off event for the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday commemoration in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Abu said the movement targets the involvement of 1,781,945 participants from across Indonesia. The figure was chosen historically to symbolise Indonesia’s Independence Day, 17 August 1945.
The opening event featured an online address by a scholar from Fez, Morocco, Sidi Idris Al-Fasi, who also serves as Vice Rector of Al-Qarawiyyin University.
“This ijazah is certainly not a requirement for reading Dalail Khairat, but rather part of the tradition of transmitting knowledge, honouring the chain of transmission, and seeking blessings from the scholars who have passed down the tradition of love for the Prophet Muhammad,” he said.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs is also organising Ngaji Sirah Nabawi, a relay of studies on the life journey of the Prophet Muhammad with scholars. Abu highlighted the importance of understanding history in loving the Prophet.
“Love for the Prophet will become stronger when accompanied by a deep understanding of his life and struggle,” he said.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs hopes this national selawat movement can become a shared endeavour for all Indonesians from Sabang to Merauke.
“May the selawat for the Prophet Muhammad be able to bring his character into the life of the nation and state,” he said.