Nuzulul Qur'an at the Palace: Prabowo Requests Prayers and Support from Religious Scholars
Jakarta — President Prabowo Subianto requested prayers and support from Islamic clerics, scholars and community leaders for himself and his administration to protect the nation and safeguard the interests of the Indonesian people.
According to the President, initiatives such as achieving public welfare, combating corruption and maintaining peace require cooperation from all parties, including religious scholars.
“Let us unite, let us work hard, let us secure and save all our people. I request your continued prayers, I request your support, we will succeed, we will prevail, we will overcome all difficulties. We will eradicate those who have damaged our economy for so long. We will fight them, we will face them, and we will uphold truth and justice,” said President Prabowo during his speech at the national Nuzulul Qur’an commemoration at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday evening.
The national Nuzulul Qur’an commemoration was attended by Islamic clerics, scholars and leaders of Islamic civil society organisations, state officials, as well as Muslim intellectual and scholar Prof Muhammad Quraish Shihab, who served as the event’s speaker.
Before the gathered religious scholars, President Prabowo expressed gratitude, saying he consistently received enlightenment and encouragement from them.
“I am grateful, I thank you on this blessed evening, I continue to receive lessons, receive reminders, receive added encouragement. I am grateful to the speaker who was willing to attend and continue to provide me with enlightenment about my duties. I am grateful to the scholars, the ustadz, the community leaders,” said Prabowo.
Scholar and Muslim intellectual Prof Quraish Shihab, a former Indonesian Ambassador and Minister of Religion, served as the speaker at the Nuzulul Qur’an commemoration at the State Palace.
In his remarks, Prof Quraish specifically prayed for President Prabowo.
“I wish to pray. First for the President. Sir, I had a teacher. His name was Sheikh Mutawali Sha’rawi. He once prayed for Egypt’s President. His prayer began with the phrase: Power originates from God. No one is granted power except by God’s will, whether the ruler is honest in following God’s guidance or the ruler is disobedient. All power comes from God. Then he said — and this is what I wish to pray for you, Sir. He said: I do not know, perhaps we will not meet again. I can only pray, if Your Excellency is our fate, the people — in the sense that God has decreed that Your Excellency will undertake actions that will bring welfare to the people — then we pray that we may help you,” Prof Quraish told President Prabowo.
“But, if Your Excellency, if it is so that Your Excellency holds this position because it is Your Excellency’s fate to help uphold justice and peace, then we will pray that Your Excellency is helped by God, and we will help as well. That is our prayer for you,” Prof Quraish added.